SUMMER JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS


Below are links to several internship databases for physics majors. The majority of the internships listed are sponsored by the NSF (National Science Foundation). A typical NSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) runs for 8-10 weeks in the summer, pays a stipend of around 3000 dollars, and you work at a research university setting with faculty and graduate students. Most of the universities sponsoring REUs do so for recruitment of graduate students. Hence, REUs typically give preference to students who have completed their junior year and indicate an interest in graduate studies. However, it is still possible to get an REU as a sophomore and even as a freshman.

Besides the NSF, the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, and private industry recruit many students for summer internships.

Unless otherwise indicated, our information indicates that physics majors (perhaps among others) are eligible for each of the following programs. Lastly, much of this list was compiled from a similar list created by Carleton College Department of Physics.

Official National Science Foundation REU page: http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/start.htm

APS Summer Jobs Database: http://www.research.att.com/~kbl/APS/SJB.html

Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience: http://www.aipt.org/iaeste.html

American Institute of Physics: http://www.aip.org/careers/intern/program.htm

American Astronomical Society: http://www.aas.org/career/summer.html

Unless otherwise indicated, our information indicates that physics majors (perhaps among others) are eligible for each of the following programs.
 
 

SUMMER INTERNSHIP SITES (some links may have changed: seek the new ones!)



Alabama A & M Summer Internships for Minority and Women Undergraduates. Sponsored by NASA and Alabama A & M at the Center for Hydrology, Soil, Climatology, and Remote Sensing. Primary research focus is the role of water and energy in the Earth's atmosphere and physical climate system. More info. at http://space.hsv.usra.edu/SEP.html/Index.html. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

The American Astronomical Society maintains a web page of summer employment opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students. Institutions with programs (such as REU programs) send to the AAS a brief description of the program, a web link where students can retrieve further information and a contact person's email address. Information for summer programs will be posted as soon as the AAS receives the information. The Summer Employment Opportunities web page is: http://www.aas.org/career/Summer.html.

Arecibo Observatory (Puerto Rico), Summer Student Program. National Astronomy & Ionosphere Center, Cornell University, 504 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, New York 14853-6801. email: jtm14@cornell.edu. Open to undergraduates. Deadline in previous years: February 15 http://www.naic.edu/about/summer/summer.htm.

Argonne National Laboratory Summer Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Fellowship and Student Research Participation Program These are two separate programs. You are welcome to apply to both. Apply for the ERULF program through the U.S. Dept. of Energy's web site at http://www.orau.gov/doe_erulf. For the Argonne Student Research Participation Program only, apply through the Division of Educational Programs web page at http://www.dep.anl.gov. Deadline in previous years: February 17.

University of Buffalo, Summer Research Opportunities in Planetary Geology and Geophysics, Mrs. Christine Gibbons, Project Manager, Planetary Geology and Geophysics URP, Geology Dept, University at Buffalo, 876 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Complex, Buffalo, NY 14260-3050. For rising juniors and seniors. email: 183_CROSBY@classic.msn.com phone: 716-667-1783 (12-5 p.m. EST). Deadline in previous years: January 26

University of California San Diego Physics Research Experience for Undergraduates, Email: reuphysics@ucsd.ucsd.edu. For more information, see http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/reu Deadline in previous years: Early decision - January 31, regular deadline: April 30.

CERN Summer Research Program through Northeastern University and the University of Michigan Artemis Egloff, Northeastern University, Physics Department, Dana Research Building Room 210, Boston, MA 02115. email: reu@neu.edu. web: http://www.dac.neu.edu/physics.reu_cern

Columbia University REU. Materials Research Science and Engineering Center REU. Web: http://research.radlab.columbia.edu/mrsec/. Deadline in previous years: March 5.

The Institute for Astronomy Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program--The Institute for Astronomy (IfA) of the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa expects to offer six research assistant positions for the summer. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via email, reu@ifa.hawaii.edu, or at this mailing address: REU Program, Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822. Deadline in previous years January 22. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/reu

Cornell Center for Materials Research, Tracy Pond, REU Administrative Coordinator, Cornell Center for Materials Research, 625 Clark Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-2501, Email: reu@cornell.edu, web address: http://www.iucf.indiana.edu/Programs/REU. Deadline in previous years: February 16.

Cornell University NSF/REU. Sue Sullivan, 517 Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801. phone: (607) 255-2710 email: SFC1@CORNELL.EDU Open to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students. Must be US citizen or permanent resident. http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/REU/REU.html. Deadline in previous years: February 12.

Curriculum Reform Institute Help reform science, math, and engineering curriculum. Contact: UW Oschkosh, UWS Women and Science Program, 800 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh WI 54901-8647. (920) 424-7414 Web: http://www.uwosh.edu/wis/cri.htm. Deadline in previous years: December 15.

Dartmouth Molecular Materials Group NSF-REU. Open to sophomores and juniors. See the group's page on the web at http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dmmg. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

Georgia Institute of Technology. NSF-funded research experience for undergraduates in atomic, molecular & optical physics; condensed matter physics; nonlinear and statistical physics. Web: http://www.physics.gatech.edu Preference given to rising seniors. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

The Institute for Astronomy Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program--The Institute for Astronomy (IfA) of the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa expects to offer six research assistant positions for the summer. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via email, reu@ifa.hawaii.edu, or at this mailing address: REU Program, Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822. Deadline in previous years January 22. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/reu

High Altitute Observatory, Summer Undergraduate Student Visitor Appointments. College students who will be entering their senior year in the fall. HOA Visitor Committee, High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000. Dr. Paul Charbonneau at cmw@ucar.edu or, Deadline in previous years: January 5. http://www.hao.ucar.edu/public/inside/summer.html

Indiana University, Undergraduate Research in Nuclear Physics at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility. Research areas include nuclear physics, accelerator physics, biomedical physics and nuclear chemistry. Web address: http:www.icucf.indiana.edu/Programs/REU. Deadline in previous years: February 16.

IDA Summer Internship Program is a ten-week program in which students work with staff members at the Institute for Defense Analyses on research projects related to national security. IDA is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This program is for undergraduate and graduate students and is open to U.S. Citizens only. Applications are accepted between January and March each year. http://www.ida.org/IDAnew/Employment/interns.html

 

Kitt Peak National Observatory REU. Six research assistant positions for summer. Contact: REU Program, Kitt Peak National Observatory, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson AZ 85732-6732. Web: http://www.noao.edu/kpno/reu. Deadline in previous years: January 22.

Lehigh University Summer Research Participation Program in Physics. Open to rising seniors. Research activities available: solid state physics; statistical physics and the physics of fluids; atomic, optical, and plasma physics; astrophysics, elementary particle and nuclear physics. Deadline in previous years: March 7. Web: http://www.physics.lehigh.edu/reu/index.html

Maria Mitchell Observatory. Contact Maria Mitchell Observatory, 3 Vestal St., Nantucket MA 02554 or email vladimir@mmo.org or see http://www.mmo.org. Sophomores & up. Deadline in previous years: February 15.

Maryland Sea Grant College Undergraduate Fellowships in Estuarine Science. Open to undergraduates who have completed at least two years of college. Web Site: http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/MDSG/Education/REU.html Deadline in previous years: March 2.

Mayo Clinic's "Summer Undergraduate Research Program." Deadline in previous years: February 1. Information on the SURF program (including on-line application forms) is at http://www.mayo.edu/mgs/surf.htm

University of Michigan Space Physics Research Lab. Deadline in previous years April 15. For more info, see the web site at: http://www.sprl.umich.edu/SPRL/REU

University of Michigan REU Program. Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Physics Department, 2464 Randall Laboratory, University of MI, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1120. Open to rising juniors and seniors. Deadline in previous years February 16. For more info, see the web site at: http://www.physics.lsa.umich.edu/undergrad/REU

University of Minnesota Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Summer Program for Faculty-Undergraduate Research Teams. Frank Snowden, Ph.D., Associate Director for Education and Outreach, University of Minnesota, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Amundson Hall, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis MN 55455. Phone: 612-624-0112. Email: snowd001@tc.umn.edu. Deadline in previous years: Feb 15 http://www.mrsec.umn.edu/REUWebApp.html

Montana State NSF/REU Montana State (Bozeman) will have 8 summer positions in materials research in an 8-week program. Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. See http://www.physics.montana.edu/reu/. Deadline in previous years: March 19

NASA Academy. Three locations. At Goddard, students study the development and operation of space systems, and the advancement of essential technologies. At Dryden, students explore the realm of flight and make discoveries used in the design of future aircraft. At Ames, students study life's origin, evolution, distribution in the universe and destiny, from the protection of our planet to the evolution of terrestrial life into space. See http://www.nasa-academy.nasa.gov Deadline in previous years: Feb 7

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Undergraduate Grants for the Summer Institute on Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences. Open to all undergraduates. Mail applications to: Dr. Per Gloersen, Coordinator, Summer Institute, Code 971, NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 Web: http://neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov/sum_inst.html Deadline in previous years: February 9.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA-USRP seeps applications from undergraduates enrolled full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Applicants must be rising juniors or seniors at the completion of the Spring semester/quarter. Eligible fields of study are academic major or demonstrated coursework concentration in engineering, mathematics, computer science or physical/life sciences. Please visit the NASA-USRP website at http://education.nasa.gov/usrp/ for further program information, application and updates. Deadline in previous years January 26.

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Summer Program. Students who are US citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a degree program are eligible to apply for the 10 to 12 week program. Some positions will be available for graduating seniors or graduate students. Deadline in previous years: January 22 http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/summer-students.html

List of REU Sites by The National Science Foundation "RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES" PROGRAM. For further general information concerning the REU Programs contact http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/reulist/reulist.txt . It lists all of the REU Sites, and of some other activities. Contact each Site directly for specific information and for application procedures and deadlines.

National Solar Observatory Summer Student Program Ms. Brenda Ramos, National Solar Observatory, P.O. Box 62, Sunspot NM 88349. Deadline in previous years: January 15. http://www.sunspot.noao.edu/INFO/MISC/SS

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Summer REU Program. Research areas: experimental atomic, molecular and laser physics; astronomy/astrophysics; theoretical atomic and molecular physics and condensed matter physics; science studies at high pressures. Web: http://www.physics.unlv.edu/~farley/reu/. Deadline in previous years: March 2.

Northwestern University REU For undergraduates with at least one year left to complete their degree. Email: mrc@nwu.edu. Web site: http://mrcemis.ms.nwu.edu/mrc/org/educational_outreach.html Deadline in previous years: February 15.

University of Notre Dame NSF-REU. Research areas include atomic, solid state microelectronics, low temperature superconductivity, lasers, nuclear, gamma-ray physics, biophysics, astrophysics, cosmology, solar system formation, high-energy detectors, high energy theory, and surface physics. Web address: http://www.science.nd.edu/physics/reu. Deadline in previous years: March 10.

Ohio State University NSF/REU/OSU Open to all physics undergraduates. See http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/reu. Deadline in previous years: February 15.

University of Oregon NSF Sponsored Summer Undergraduate Research Program. For rising seniors. Send letter describing research interests, a copy of your transcript, and two letters of recommendation to: Suzi Creech, Materials Science Institute, 163 Willamette Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403. Email: secreech@oregon.uoregon.edu Application available at http://www.uoregon.edu/~lbiggs/reu.html. Deadline in previous years: February 29

Princeton National Undergraduate Fellowship Program in Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy Science National Undergraduate Fellowship Program, P.O. Box 451, Princeton NJ 08543. Email: nuf@ppl.gov. Web: http://www.ppl.gov/docs/education/pages/nuf_application.html. Deadline in previous years: February 2.

University of Rhode Island Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships Program in Oceanography and Ocean Engineering. Topics include satellite oceanography, plate tectonics, Gulf Stream dynamics, climate change, air-sea interaction, volcanic eruptions and hurricane dynamics. Web: http://espo.gso.uri.edu/~surfo/. Deadline in previous years: March 1

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Summer Intern Program. At the Harvard-Smithsonian Center in Cambridge, MA. Research areas: observational and theoretical cosmology, extragalactic and galactic astronomy, interstellar medium and star formation, laboratory astrophysics, supernovae and supernova remnants, planetary science, solar and stellar astrophysics. For more information and application materials, see web page at http://hea-www.harvard.edu/REU/. Deadline in previous years: February 12,

The Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA) REU program. -- SARA expects to host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (PENDING NSF FUNDING). SARA is a consortium of five universities: The Florida Institute of Technology, East Tennessee State University. Florida International University, The University of Georgia, and Valdosta State University. The program is 8 to 10 weeks in duration, and includes an observing run at the SARA 0.9-m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The program is open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Deadline in previous years: February 12. http://www.astro.fit.edu/sara-rew/

Space Telescope Science Institute Summer Student Program -- A ten-week program to engage in research with STScI staff scientists. This is intended primarily for advanced undergraduates, and is open to both U.S. and foreign students. Deadline in previous years: February 15 http://www.stsci.edu/stsci/summer.shtml

SUNY Stony Brook REU in Physics Dr. Erlend Graf, REU Program in Physics, N-3005 Frank Melville, Jr. Library, University at Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY 11794-3357. See more at http://notes.cc.sunysb.edu/Prov/underresop.nsf/webform/REU. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

University of Texas, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Biomedical Sciences Email: surf@uthscsa.edu Web: http://www.surf.uthscsa.edu. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

Vanderbilt University REU Web: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/physics Email: Royal.G.Albridge@vanderbilt.edu. Phone: 615-322-2774 Deadline in previous years: Feb. 15.

Washington University in St. Louis REU Program in Structural Engineering Send application to REU Committee, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Washington University, Campus Box 1130, One Brookings Dr, St Louis MO 63130-4899. Email: sdyke@cive.wustl.edu. Info about the department at http://www.cive.wustl.edu/applications.html. Deadline in previous years: March 1.

University of Wisconsin Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) and research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the U of WI-Madison College of Engineering. See the College of Engineering page: www.engr.wisc.edu The SURE page: www.engr.wisc.edu/services/dao/sure/ and the REU page: www.mrsec.wisc.edu/reu/index.htm

Undergraduate Astronomy Research in Wyoming. Students will observe at Wyoming Infrared Observatory's 2.3 meter reflector telescope on Jelm mountain and will visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks as part of the assistantship (wow!). Web: http://faraday.uwyo.edu (follow instructions for SURAP/REU). Deadline in previous years: Feb.20.

U.S. Departmernt of Energy, Office of Science. Information about Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Fellowships at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/erulf/apply.html Deadline in previous years: February 1.

 

Wolfram Research: Creators of Mathematica and located in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Online application is located
at  http://www.wolfram.com/company/opportunities/intern.html.