My Summer Plans and Advice on Your Summer Plans

Hi all.
I am very excited to be able to say that I have my summer plans set. I will be taking part in Lehigh's REU in physics. I will be working with Professor Gunton on modeling proteins self-assembling from solution. I know next to nothing about the topic, but I have a couple of Professor Gunton's recent papers, so I will read them and know slightly more soon.


For anyone who's never heard of an REU, it stands for Research Experience for Undergraduates, and is pretty much exactly what the name says. University departments are funded by the NSF, National Science Foundation, to have undergraduates work with professors (and sometimes graduate students and/or post-doctorate students) on research projects during the summer for 8-10 weeks. Participating undergrads generally get free housing and a stipend; as of this year, stipends tended to be $4100-$5100; sometimes board is included, or there is an additional food stipend. Travel is also sometimes covered. These programs exist at universities all over the country in pretty much every science field, from mathematics to biology.
 
If you want to be part of an REU: You should think about applications around November. Yes, really. Deadlines are generally in February for programs starting in May or June, but some programs have January deadlines. Since spring term tends to begin at the end of January, that means you need to ask professors for recommendation letters before term starts.

Recommendations: In my experience, many professors like to write recommendation letters during winter break, so you should ask before the end of fall term. I recommend asking before finals begin, which means you want to know where you are applying around the beginning of December. Hence the recommendation to start looking in November. Now, admittedly, many programs won't have information up until December, because they are waiting for the NSF's funding decision. But many schools have long-standing programs, and the previous year's information will generally still be up. In any case, ask two or three professors who know you pretty well in whatever field you want to do an REU (or something related) to write. Then, be sure to give them all the information they need: any forms, specific questions, some general information about each program, and your resume or CV. That last is important so that they are up to date on what you are doing- any awards you've won, maybe your gpa, maybe what classes you've taken, and what you are involved in outside of academics. Having some form of your resume/CV written well in advance will also help if programs want it (which some do), or if your hopes for an REU wash out and you need to find a different summer job.

How many applications? I recommend applying to at least as many REUs as colleges/universities you applied to (or planned to, if you got in early decision). That means at least 5, but probably more like 12. Your chances are better as a junior than as a sophomore, and pretty slim as a freshman. A friend of mine applied to 12 programs as a straight-A sophomore and only got into 2. This year, I planned to apply to 11 programs, 1 was canceled, and I got into 2 before I sent my last 2 applications, so I got into at least 2 of 8. But I did research last summer and am on the Dean's list. So, be cautious about your expectations. It is likely that if the economy picks up the competition will dwindle, as many students, especially freshmen and sophomores, go back to more standard summer jobs. But currently, the competition is fierce.

What else? If you aren't dead set on an REU, there are also internships and teaching programs, as well as ye olde summer camp counselor, life guard, etc.

Teaching: The TOPS program, run by MIT and Harvard, has college students teach physics to miggle- and high-school students. My high school is the site of Breakthrough New Haven, which helps academically enrich underprivileged elementary school students; the summer program is taught primarily by high-school and college students. Check near you for similar programs.

Internships: There are research internships at some companies, such as IBM. The DOE (Department of Energy) and DOD (Department of Defense) also run programs similar to REUs in some cases. You can also ask your professors if they need/could fund research assistants for the summer; some schools have programs for this, though they generally do not pay as well as REUs. I recommend talking to older students, your professors, and your school's career counseling office.

Ok, that's all for now.  :)