Off-Campus Summer Research Opportunities

 

Summer Research Opportunities Clearinghouse at The Nucleus

http://www.compadre.org/student/research/main.cfm

This is a comprehensive list of, according to their website, over 1000 summer research opportunities in physics, searchable by subfield and/or location.  Most of the programs described below are compiled on this website.

 

National Science Foundation

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU)

http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

From the website:

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. An REU Site may be at either a US or foreign location.

By using the web page, Search for an REU Site, you may examine opportunities in the subject areas supported by various NSF units. Also, you may search by keywords to identify sites in particular research areas or with certain features, such as a particular location.

Students must contact the individual sites for information and application materials. NSF does not have application materials and does not select student participants. A contact person and contact information is listed for each site.

 

Department of Energy

*Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (DOE SULI)

http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/erulf/about.html

From the website:

This program places students in paid internships in Science and Engineering at any of several Department of Energy facilities. Many of the participants in the program have decided on a career in science and engineering because of the nature of the experience. Students work with scientists or engineers on projects related to the laboratories' research programs. The different laboratories each offer different research opportunities (see Choosing a Lab).

*Scholars Program (DOE Scholars)

http://orise.orau.gov/doescholars/

From the website:

The DOE Scholars Program will provide students and recent graduates with experiences and training that will prepare and motivate them to pursue careers with DOE.  Participants in the program will have a competitive edge for showcasing their talents, education, and skills while familiarizing themselves with DOE functions.  We are currently recruiting students for the summer internship program.  Benefits to student interns will include:

¥   Ten-week appointments at DOE offices, laboratories, or facilities

¥   Weekly stipend payments of $550 for undergraduates or $600 for graduate students

¥   Round-trip travel from home or institution to the appointment site

¥   Opportunities to apply academic studies to DOE programs in science, engineering, safety, finance, project and program management, policy, planning, and other professional areas

 

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (NIST SURF)

http://www.surf.nist.gov/surf2.htm

From the website:

You and your school are invited to participate in the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Gaithersburg, MD Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program for students majoring in science, mathematics and engineering. Note that applications for participation in the SURF program are only accepted from colleges or universities, and not from individual students. Please prepare a single proposal from your institution to the NIST SURF program. This proposal, using the forms provided, will include a portion completed by an institutional representative and a set of materials provided by each student applicant. Students can participate in any one of the seven NIST laboratories:  Building and Fire Research, Chemical Science and Technology, Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, or Physics.

 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Undergraduate Student Research Program (NASA USRP)

http://www.vsgc.odu.edu/Menu3_1_3.htm

From the website:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is pleased to announce the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program offering undergraduates across the United States mentored research experiences at participating NASA Centers and research support facilities. The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program is managed for NASA by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium of Hampton, Virginia.

 

American Association of Physicists in Medicine (http://www.aapm.org)

Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program

From the application materials:

The AAPM Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program is a program designed to provide opportunities for undergraduate university students to gain exposure to and experience in medical physics by performing research in a medical physics laboratory or assisting with clinical service at a clinical facility.  Each fellow will have a mentor, who is a faculty medical physicist in a university environment or a qualified medical physicist.

Please see Prof. Surman for more information and a copy of the application.

 

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Summer Student Research Assistantships

http://www.nrao.edu/students/summer-students.shtml

From the website:

The NRAO has conducted a summer student research program since 1959, with over 930 participants to date. Each NRAO summer student conducts research under the supervision of an NRAO staff member at one of three NRAO sites ( Socorro, New Mexico; Green Bank, West Virginia; Charlottesville, Virginia), on a project in the supervisor's area of expertise. The project may involve any aspect of astronomy, including original research, instrumentation, telescope design, astronomical site evaluation or astronomical software development. Supervisor's choose their own student candidates from all applications received, and the site to which a summer student is assigned depends on the location of the NRAO supervisor who chose them. Students are encouraged to review the webpages of NRAO staff for an idea of the types of research being conducted at the NRAO. On their application, students may request to work with a specific staff member or to work on a specific scientific topic, or to work at a specific site.

 

On-Campus Summer Research Opportunities

 

Deadline for Union College Summer Research Fellowships:  Thursday, February 8

Faculty sponsor required – if you are interested in this opportunity, you must contact faculty WELL IN ADVANCE of application deadline.

Possible sponsors within the department:

                           Scott LaBrake              accelerator laboratory

                        Seyffie Maleki                experimental atomic physics, optics, art restoration

                        Jay Newman                    experimental biophysics

                           *Chad Orzel                 experimental atomic physics (laser cooling, atom trapping)

                           Gary Reich                   high-speed video capture, theoretical statistical physics

                        *Rebecca Surman          computational nuclear astrophysics

                           *Michael Vineyard     experimental nuclear/particle physics

Some faculty members (starred above) additionally may have external grant support for students interested in working on specific projects directly related to their research.  Please contact faculty individually to discuss the opportunities they have available.

Short descriptions of projects conducted last summer can be found at:

http://www.union.edu/PUBLIC/PHYDEPT/student_research.html