About

The Physics of Atomic Nuclei (PAN) program at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University is a free, week-long residential program for U.S. high school students interested in nuclear physics and astrophysics. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, PAN runs July 26–31, 2026, on the MSU campus in East Lansing, Michigan. Room and board are provided at no cost to participants.

FRIB is the world's most powerful rare-isotope accelerator — a genuine world-class research facility — and PAN places students directly inside it. Over the week, FRIB faculty, staff, and graduate students lead hands-on experiments in nuclear physics, lectures in astrophysics and cosmology, and sessions on the connections between atomic nuclei and large-scale phenomena like nucleosynthesis and the origins of heavy elements in the universe. Students also conduct their own experimental projects and present findings in a poster session. The program gives students direct exposure to the research environment and career paths within nuclear science.

PAN is meaningfully selective: approximately 24–25 students are admitted annually from over 200 applications, placing the acceptance rate around 10–12%. The application requires completion of a Qualtrics form and two teacher recommendations. Applications open December 1 and close March 5, 2026. No prior experience in nuclear physics is required — the program is designed as an introduction — but a demonstrated interest in physics or physical science strengthens the application. Only U.S. high school students are eligible.

For a student drawn to physics, astrophysics, or nuclear science, PAN is a rare opportunity: free, selective, taught by working scientists at one of the most advanced physics facilities in the world.