Getting a Summer Research Internship

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Getting a Summer Research Internship

• Dr. Sumana Datta
• Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Research
• Texas AM University

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Why do research? -- Practical Goals.

• Learn material in your major by hands-on work
  outside the classroom.
• Develop a one-on-one mentoring relationship with
  a professor.
• Find out what you like and dont like to do.
• Improve your resume.
• Get more informative letters of recommendation
  for jobs, graduate or professional school
  applications.
• Find out more about what being a professional in
  your area is like.

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Why do research? -- Improve your skills.

• Learn how to work in teams to accomplish a goal.
• Learn how to explain and defend your results.
• Learn advanced technical skills.
• Learn better problem solving skills.
• Learn better time-management skills.

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Why do research-- General Benefits

• More likely to stay enrolled and to graduate.
• Better integrated socially and academically into
  academic life.
• More likely to continue education in professional
  or graduate programs.
• Greater satisfaction with undergraduate
  experience.
• More confidence in abilities.
• Develop a deeper understanding of field/major.

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Why Summer Research?

• Concentrate on your research full-time.
• Meet and work with researchers at other
  institutions.
• Try something completely different that might
  depend on geography/location.
• Develop additional contacts for jobs,
  professional or graduate school.
• Live and explore somewhere else for a summer.
• Test a place you might want to go after
  graduation.

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First questions to ask yourself

• What do you want to do?
• Where do you want to go?
• Is there something you would never want to do?
• Is there someplace you would never want to go?

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What types of programs are available?

• Science
• Engineering
• Medical
• Arts
• Social Sciences
• Technology
• Humanities
• Business

• Colleges
• Universities
• Research Centers
• Hospitals
• Museums
• Field work
• Companies
• National
• International

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What do most (but not all) summer programs
provide?

• Place to live
• Food
• Stipend, generally about 4000
• Enrichment experiences-seminars, workshops,
  tours, field trips.
• Research internship of about 10 weeks.

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Be sure to ask about

• How they match you to a project or research
  advisor.
• Health insurance/medical requirements.
• Help with travel costs to and from the site.
• Start and end dates.
• Transportation and safety around the site late at
  night or on weekends.
• Availability of peer mentors.
• Whether you will need to enroll for the summer.
• Social or other extra-curricular activities
  offered.

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Requirements for summer programs

• Current undergraduate status.
• Most request sophomore or junior status.
• Coursework appropriate to your status and
  relevant to the area of the summer internship.
• Other requirements vary by program!
• Some require a minimum GPA.
• REU Programs-US citizens or permanent resident.
• Some target under-represented populations, women,
  ethnic minorities or first generation/low income
  college students.

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Where and how do I find them?

• Google Undergraduate Research Program and the
  field you are interested in (as globally or
  specifically as you want).
• Go to http//ugr.tamu.edu/ then Opportunities -gt
  External Opportunities-gt Summer Research
  Opportunities.
• Go to http//ugr.tamu.edu/ then Opportunities -gt
  External Opportunities-gtInternational
  Opportunities.
• http//sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazi
  ne/previous_issues/articles/2008_12_12/caredit.a08
  00181
• Is there someone specific you want to work with?
  Familiarize yourself with their research and then
  contact them directly!

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Science and Engineering

• The NSF funds a variety of summer programs around
  the country called REUs.
• REUs are generally for students from OTHER
  institutions (i.e. your chances of being accepted
  to a Texas AM REU is small).
• Many non-REU programs also exist.

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Public and Agricultural Policy

• Texas AM has its own summer programs!
• Public Policy Internship Program in Washington,
  D.C.
• Non-profits
• Government agencies
• Think tanks
• Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy
  Internship Program in Washington, D.C.
• Texas Congressional Members and Committees

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Humanities and Social Science

• Some of the places programs are available
  include
• University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
• Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.
• NYU, New York, New York.
• UCLA, Los Angeles, California
• Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
• Columbia University, New York, New York.
• Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
• MoMA, New York, New York.

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International Summer Internships

• You do not always have to speak the local
  language. Many of the top research institutions
  in Europe (for example) use English as the
  professional language.
• But speaking the local language might help you in
  daily life there!
• Check out the search engines or listings at the
  UGR website under either International
  Opportunities or Summer Research Opportunities.

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What is the timeline?

• Application deadlines range from early February
  through March.
• Do NOT ask your professor to write you a letter
  at the last minutethat almost guarantees that
  the letter is not as good as you might wish.
• Many require a letter of recommendation and a
  short essay describing your interests or goals.
• Some may require an official transcript.

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How do I apply?

• Application forms can generally be found online
  at the programs website.
• Sometimes you may have to email or call the
  contact person listed to receive an application.
• You may have to download, fill in and mail a
  paper applicationfactor that into your timeframe!

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Continuing sources of information

• Undergraduate Research Listserv
• http//ugr.tamu.edu/resources/undergraduate-resear
  ch-listserv.html
• Undergraduate Research webpage
• http//ugr.tamu.edu/
• Office of Proposal Development
• Funding Opportunities ? Funding Opportunities by
  Category ? Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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Need to take summer classes?

• Try looking for a part-time research position
  here at Texas AM!
• Research for credit hours.
• Research for pay (if your professor has the
  funds).
• You may be able to do the research during the
  summer and pay for the credit hours in the fall.

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How to find and approach a professor

• Read their webpage first!
• Contact them early (at least before spring
  break).
• Have a suggestion as to what part of their
  research interests you the most.
• Have a short resume with your contact
  information, any previous experience, relevant
  courses and references.
• Try to meet them face-to-face rather than
  emailing.

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General Tips

• Start EARLY (now!).
• Prioritize applications by deadline and effort
  required.
• Ask for letters from your professors now. Dont
  worry about asking for multiple lettersits easy
  to edit once the letter is written.

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Questions?Contact InfoOffice of
Undergraduate Researchugr_at_tamu.edu458-0039