Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING)

PING Home

Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING), a program that targets both pre-college students and undergraduate students (who serve as mentors), was launched in 2014 as a collaboration between the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in partnership with Associated Universities, Inc.

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PING has three possible experiences:

1. A two-week summer exposure to the field of basic and applied nuclear physics with the option of extending into a year-long research experience through the Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING): Exploring the Nuclear Matter at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (East Lansing, MI) which was piloted in the Summer 2019  and is now fully funded by the NSF (NSF award PHY-2012040) since the Fall 2020. Participants present their work annually at the NSBP meeting and the American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics. Students also work closely with the MoNA Collaboration. 

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2. A two-week summer exposure to the field of radio-astronomy through the Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING): Investigating the Cosmos at the Green Bank Observatory (Green Bank, WV). Participants in this program present their work annually at the NSBP meeting, the National Astronomy Consortium meeting and the American Astronomical Society.

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3. A week-end trip (e.g., PEGASUS trips) for undergraduate students to major institutions which addresses preparation and transition to graduate school.