Landing

REUs and Internships

Rosa Wallace

September 29, 2016

Outline

• Why should you believe me?
• Finding programs/positions to apply for
• Acing your application
• Resumes
• Recommendations
• Cover letters/statements of purpose
• Transcripts
• DEADLINES
• Tips for success
• What if you don’t get the gig?

My Reu Experience

REU at LSU

Summer research experience in the quantum optomechanics lab of Dr. Thomas Corbitt

REU at HAO/LASP

Summer research in modeling of the solar corona under Dr. Mausumi Dikpati.

2015 REU Research

2016 REU Research

Research at CU Denver

There’s also research available under professors here at CU and MSU, with an annual opportunity to present.

2015 Racas Research

Why Should I Do This?

Whether you just want a summer job or a strong grad school application, you will benefit from doing research!

Finding Programs

What are your interests?

• What in general do you want to do with your life?
• Maybe you don’t know. An internship or REU could help you learn what you like to do, but more importantly learn what you hate to do.
• Do you have any role models that have your ideal job?
• What skills are your strongest?
• This could be anything from people skills to fixing cars to solving differential equations!

Most importantly:

What have you had FUN studying so far?

Local Resources

• CU Denver Career Center
• Located in 267 Tivoli Student Union
• CU Denver Experiential Learning Center
• Located in 260 Tivoli Student Union
• Handshake Internship/Job Database
• MSU Denver Applied Learning Center
• Located in 325 Admin. Bldg
• TIP Online Internship Database

Online Resources

• National Science Foundation REU search
• http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp
• NREL Internship Search
• http://www.nrel.gov/careers/internships.html
• US Dept. of Energy SULI Program
• http://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/
• Federal Government Internships
• https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads
• Non-REU Summer Astronomy Programs
• https://aas.org/jobs/summer-opportunities

Try searching Google for national lab internships, NASA OSSI internships, or any area that interests you!

Apply!

Most of the summer programs have firm due dates in December or January.

​

Get ready NOW!

How many programs should I apply to?

​

As many as you can!

​

But seriously. A minimum of five...

What will you need to apply?

• Up-to-date Resume (NOT a CV)
• 2-3 Recommendations
• Cover Letter/Statement of Purpose
• Transcripts
• Awesome organizational skills, time management skills, and a dependable computer

�Keep a spreadsheet or detailed notes on each program you’re applying for: specific requirements tend to be subtly different from one program to another.

Your Resume

• A resume is not a CV. This is not everything you’ve ever done! Keep it to one page; if that’s not possible, no more than two.
• Making your resume current takes more time than you think. Start on this now.
• Get help! These folks are paid to get your resume up to speed.
• MSU Denver Career Services, 215 Tivoli
• CU Denver Career Center, 267 Tivoli

Recommendations

• You will either need 2-3 actual letters of recommendation uploaded to a program’s online application, or (if you’re lucky) just contact info for professors willing to vouch for you.
• Your professors will likely need to upload their LoRs during winter break, so ask early, be very sweet to them, and send periodic reminders so they don’t miss the deadline. You can’t upload your own LoRs, so this is extra work for them.
• Technical difficulties are rampant with online systems, so NEVER wait until the last minute!

Recommendations

• When you ask for a LoR, make sure you share the due dates for each program with the links to every individual online application system. They will all be different, so keep it organized.
• If a professor agrees to write you a LoR, it is very helpful to give them your statement/cover letter and your resume to give them a fuller picture of who you are and what you’re up to.
• This means you need to get your resume and statement of purpose roughly finished very soon.

Here is a picture to break up these dry, dry slides...

Cover Letters/Statements of Purpose

• It’s okay to make a general template and customize it for each application, but DON’T send the same letter to everyone!!
• Know what you’re applying for. Write specifically for the research that program is focused on.
• For REU applications, research the professors you may want to work with and mention them and their work specifically.
• How do your long- and short-term professional goals relate to the program?
• Discuss your prior research experience, and relate it to the program if possible. It’s okay to say, “I tried that stuff, and I know now that I really want to do this stuff.”

Cover Letters/Statements of Purpose

• Be honest and professional. These folks are scientists and don’t want a sob story or how you laid in the grass staring at stars as a child.
• Even if your statement is being entered online, write it in a Word doc first, then copy and paste (then check for formatting). It shouldn’t be longer than a page.
• Get help! You could ask a professor for advice on what you wrote, or:
• MSU Denver Writing Center, 4 locations! (book online)
• CU Denver Writing Center, Library & 4014 North Classroom �(make appt. online)

Transcripts

• Your program may accept unofficial transcripts, but CHECK first.
• Order these now from every college/university you have ever attended, so you have them on hand. Many programs want your transcript scanned and uploaded by you into their online system, then will ask for an official copy once they accept you.
• You may need up to 2 transcripts per application. Again, keep track of deadlines! Speaking of which...

DEADLINES!

• Deadlines for summer programs range from early December to March.
• It’s less painful to do all your application prep at once, so go with your earliest deadline and just get it over with.
• Leave room for mishaps. If your professors are having trouble uploading LoRs, or your scanned transcript is showing up as blank, you want time to troubleshoot.

Some Considerations...

• If you have a family/significant other, you may want to see how they feel about your being gone for 10 weeks…
• Are there local programs that may offer the same type of research?
• What is your living situation? Will you need to pay rent out of your stipend? What about other bills?
• Will doing research all summer lead to burnout in the fall?
• If your internship will continue during the school year, will it leave time for you to have a life? (Seriously!)

Tips for Success

They said “YES!” Now what?

• Your aim should be to make an awesome impression. If you want to get more recommendations out of this experience, develop relationships with your research mentor and other students.
• Regularly communicate where you’re at with your project to your research mentor. Ask questions when you need to!
• Do more than the bare minimum. Take initiative and find opportunities to try new things and help out.
• Stick to any deadlines. Good time management will make you look like a boss.

What if I didn’t get the gig?

• Pursue your other dream of being a professional skateboarder…
• The application process is great practice for grad school applications, so it’s not time wasted.
• Try again next year! Persistence shows that you really want to do the work.
• Ask your professors if they have research you can volunteer to help with. Next time you apply, you’ll have more experience and be better qualified.
• If you want to do paid research here, MSU and CU Denver have undergraduate research grants you can apply for.

You, too, can play with hundreds of thousands of dollars

worth of snazzy equipment!