The REU/RET program is offered as an in-person experience with hands-on access to the research. The National Science Foundation (NSF) established the Research experience for undergraduates (REU) to increase the opportunities for students who are perusing a degree in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This program allows students to participate in a broader spectrum of projects that would otherwise not be available to them. The NSF awarded The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) a renewal of a grant (#2244167) that will allow UTRGV to engage in high impact practices that will offer student research opportunities in relevant state-of-the-art research topics mentored by UTRGV physics faculty members. The most prominent chang