last updated: January 23, 2004
Hi, Physics and Astronomy students,
I hope you've had a good break, and are looking forward to a fun and productive spring semester.
I'm writing to you because NOW is the time start thinking about and planning for the summer if you're at all interested in doing something science or research related. There are lots of different opportunities, offering a great deal of variety, for getting involved in physics and astronomy research over the summer. Most of the off campus research opportunities, though, require you to apply soon, or even now.
There are literally dozens of REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) sites with NSF-sponsored programs for people just like you. We've posted announcements for many of these in the department office (mostly on the bulletin board and wall opposite the copier). Come in and have a look. You'll note that the applications for these programs are due anywhere from mid-January to early March. Most if not all require some letters of recommendation. As always, we on the faculty are happy to write you letters, but please try to give us two weeks to do it.
Most of these REU sites - some are at universities, some at observatories, some at national laboratories - have information on the web. One place where information is compiled is http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm.
There's separate information about astronomy REU programs at http://www.aas.org/education/reusites.html and also one at http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5045.
Although all these REU sites (and many other related organizations) have formal application processes, it often is useful to make contact with individuals with whom you are interested in doing research, either directly or through one of the faculty members in the department. I strongly encourage you to talk to the faculty about your summer plans. It may turn out that one of us knows the people running the REU program you are interested in and can put in a good word for you. Additionally, SWAP founder Robin Smith ('03) maintains a list of Swarthmore Physics and Astronomy alumns who are happy to talk to you. In the past, students have found good summer research situation through these contacts. Check out this list at http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/03/robin/indexPostSwat.html.
SWAP maintains a page of Swarthmore student reviews of specific REU programs. Check it out at http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/swap/reureviews/ - and please submit your own reviews after this summer (or of experiences from previous summers if you've done an REU program before).
(By the way, I assume everyone knows about SWAP, Swarthmore Women in Astronomy and Physics. Have a look at their website (http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/swap/) and ask Viva Horowitz, Preety Sidhu, or Jessica Gersh about their activities.)
There are other summer research opportunities that aren't specifically sponsored by the NSF's REU program, but function in a similar way. Some of these at the national labs for example (we have a poster from Livermore in the department office). One major non-REU opportunity is the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium, which allows Swarthmore students to spend the summer at one of seven other small liberal arts colleges in the northeast, working closely with a faculty member (and usually other students) on a research project. Students who do this attend the Keck student research symposium in the fall to give a presentation on their research. In fact, any students who do summer astronomy research are welcome to attend. Next Fall's symposium is at Colgate, and Chris Burns and I will be taking a group of students up there. The official announcement of the Keck summer research program is at http://astro.swarthmore.edu/knac/keck2004_announcement.txt. Note that the application process is quite simple, but letters of recommendation are required.
The Keck program (http://www.wellesley.edu/Astronomy/keck/) provides a $3750 stipend for ten weeks. The various REU programs have similar stipends. Some include room and board and some don't.
More astronomy specific information is available on the department's astronomy group site: http://astro.swarthmore.edu.
Please feel free to get in touch with me or any other of the faculty to talk either generally or specifically about doing research, this summer or otherwise. It's an excellent and fun way to learn more about science, and how it's actually done.
There are opportunities to do research with the Swarthmore faculty during the summer too. This isn't set up until later in the spring, though. We are planning on having a faculty presentation sometime in February for students interested in doing physics or astronomy research here on campus this summer. At that point, you can hear about the available project, submit a list of your preferences, and later in the spring we'll assign you to a faculty advisor. Please be aware, though, that not everyone who wants to do research with a faculty member on campus will have the opportunity to do so (rising seniors writing theses are an exception). So it pays to look into off campus research opportunities.
There's more information about student research and doing research with faculty over the summer on the department webpage at http://physics.swarthmore.edu/research_student.htm.
Finally, on some related notes:
- The national Sigma Xi organization has a twice yearly opportunity for students to apply for "grants in aid of research." This would be appropriate if you have a research opportunity set up but need money to travel for it. The deadline is March 15. Information is available at http://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/giar/index.shtml.
- Our local Sigma Xi chapter (http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/SigmaXi/) provides up to $250 for students to travel to scientific meetings. For information, see http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/SigmaXi/student_travel.html.
- The Sigma Xi chapter also has some funding available for multi-disciplinary or otherwise unusual summer research activities. See http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/SigmaXi/summer_research.html.
- The Delaware Space Grant Consortium (http://www.delspace.org/), which is funded by NASA, has scholarships available for students interested in careers in astronomy or physics. These are available to students who are on financial aid. Information is available at http://www.delspace.org/ugtutionscholardescription.htm (specific information about this year's application procedure will be posted soon, I am told).
- The major astronomy and physics organizations are become more and more responsive to the needs of students. Especially if you're going on to grad school, you should consider joining the American Astronomical Society (AAS: http://www.aas.org/) and/or the American Physical Society (APS: http://www.aps.org/). Among other resources, the AAS has a committee on the status of women in astronomy (http://www.aas.org/%7Ecswa/) and a committee on the status of minorities (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csma/). The APS also has a committee on the status of women, with a page at http://www.aps.org/educ/cswp/, and a committee on the status of minorities, at http://www.aps.org/educ/com/. I encourage you to read these organizations' newsletters.
- The National Society of Black Physicists is meeting in Washington, DC in February. See http://www.nsbp.org. There are likely travel funds available for interested students.
- The American Physical Society has scholarships available for minority students. See http://www.aps.org/educ/com/scholars/index.html. Note that the deadline for applications is February 6.
Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about anything in this email.
David Cohen