The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) will continue its Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Summer Intern Program which offers the opportunity for ten undergraduate students each year to conduct research with scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). The primary focus of the SAO summer intern program is the student research. Intern projects are solicited from the CfA scientific staff. A wide range of research topics will be offered in the following areas: planetary and exoplanetary science, supernovae and their remnants, star formation, theoretical studies in astronomy and in atomic and molecular physics, the interstellar medium, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, large scale structure, active galactic nuclei, laboratory astrophysics, and detector development. Each student writes an internal research paper and gives an oral presentation of their results at an Intern Symposium held at the end of the summer. The research experience is completed by a trip to the winter American Astronomical Society meeting, where the intern presents a poster paper and interacts with other scientists.
In addition to the training interns receive by performing a focused research project, students are involved in a variety of complementary activities, including a series of six scientific colloquia given by CfA scientists at a level appropriate for undergraduates, a series of short lecture courses in cosmology and exoplanets, and several organized lunches including one with current graduate students and one with faculty members from the Astronomy Department graduate admissions committee, as well as one to discuss graduate school fellowships. Students are recruited with an emphasis on women, under-represented minorities, and students from colleges where research opportunities in astronomy are limited.
This site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the National Science Foundation REU program.
Every summer since 1994 the SAO/CfA summer intern program in astronomy has provided talented undergraduates with valuable training in how to carry out a research project, as well as direct experience in what a career in astrophysics would be like. Since 1994 a total of 199 students (104 women, 95 men, 19 students from under-represented minorities) from 108 different colleges have participated in the program. For the period covered by Award 0754568, 50 summer interns (25 women, 25 men, 6 under-represented minorities) from 39 different colleges or universities participated in the program; 49 were supported by this award and one intern (non-US citizen) was supported from non-REU sources. The intellectual merit criterion is satisfied by the student astrophysical research, conducted under the supervision of one or more CfA scientists and mentors. Each student completes a 10-20 page publication-style paper on her/his summer research project, presents the results in a talk at the annual CfA Summer Intern Symposium, and to the wider astronomical community in a poster at an American Astronomical Society (AAS) or other professional meeting. Research results from the Summer 2008 - 2012 programs, supported by this award, have been reported in 54 papers presented at AAS meetings or other conferences, and 22 papers have been published or submitted for publication in refereed journals or conference proceedings. All project papers are publically available through the Wolbach Library and/or SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS). The program addresses the broader impact criteria through recruitment and training students from underrepresented groups, as well as from colleges with limited opportunities for astrophysical research. All students are exposed to a range of career development activities. These include interviewing and introducing speakers for a weekly colloquium series, designed to give the students a broad view of astrophysics beyond their specific project, and professional development discussions on research ethics, graduate student life, graduate admissions, graduate school fellowship opportunities, and alternative career paths, such as journalism, public outreach, K-12 education. By providing both research opportunities and role models for women and underrepresented minorities through advisors, mentors and colloquium speakers, we are helping increase diversity in the astronomy workplace. Many former interns have completed graduate school, and are now postdoctoral scholars and junior faculty. Former interns serve as a valuable resource for current interns as they consider their career and graduate school choices. Since 1994, more than 80% of the students that have graduated (147 by Spring 2012) have entered graduate school in STEM fields (astronomy, physics, math, engineering), while an additional four work in science related fields. To date 19 of the 2008 - 2012 interns supported by this award have received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, two received Churchill scholarships and one a Fulbright fellowship. Additionally the program has given the younger research mentors invaluable advising experience.
