University REU Programs

University REU Programs for Physics

Universities across the country offer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Participating in REUs allows you to grow and develop technical skills, networking, and in-depth understanding of the particular subject of interest. In addition, REU’s provide a foundation for understanding physics scholarship and research at a graduate and professional level. The many REU programs offered in the summer and are a fantastic way to compliment your academics at St. Olaf.

This list of REU’s is just a starting point. Be sure to do your own research to find the perfect program for you. To ensure a good fit, consider program location, subject matter, and faculty before applying. As programs occasionally extend their application deadlines, double-check their webpages for the most accurate submission information.

 

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has REUs in Experimental and Computational Materials Research. The research projects include—but are not limited to—electronic materials, nanomaterials, lasers and optical materials, biosensors, biophysics & biomaterials, computational materials, biomedical research and materials under pressure. This REU program will pay a stipend for the ten week period, plus additional support for housing, travel and other expenses.

Brigham Young University

Learn more about the program and application process.

The Brigham Young University Department of Physics and Astronomy runs an NSF-funded summer research program for undergraduate students (REU) and secondary school teachers (RET). There are exciting opportunities in a number of areas including optics (using lasers of all kinds including ultrashort pulse and UV lasers), computer modeling, plasmas, solid state and thin film science, acoustics, theory, and astronomy. At the BYU REU, undergraduate participants will receive a $6,000 stipend, round-trip travel expenses to Provo, Utah, free housing (for outside students), and a food stipend. In addition, after the program is over, selected students will be funded to travel to a regional or national conference to give a presentation on their research results.

Caltech

Learn more about the program and application process

Caltech’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program is one of the “crown jewels” of Caltech. For over 35 years, SURF students have had the opportunity to be introduced to research under the guidance of experienced mentors working at the frontiers of their fields. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity from beginning (defining and developing a project) to end (presenting their results at SURF Seminar Day).

Big Ten Universities

Learn more about the program and the application process

The Summer Research Opportunity Programs (SROP) is a gateway to graduate education at Big Ten universities. The program helps prepare undergraduates for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty mentors and through enrichment activities. Program components include: research stipend, university housing, research presentations, workshops on the GRE and applying to graduate school, and social activities. You’ll leave the program with a significant research experience with a faculty mentor, a ready-to-use oral and poster presentation of your research results, a rich multicultural experience, and new friends. You’ll enhance your academic and research skills, giving you an advantage as a graduate applicant.

University of Colorado Boulder

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Colorado Boulder offers a 10-week Boulder Solar Alliance Research Experience for Undergraduates program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Undergraduates are invited to apply for a paid summer research experience for highly motivated students interested in solar and space physics. Students will come to Boulder, Colorado for 10 weeks to work on a research project with a mentor. The topic areas span the field of solar and space physics, from instrument hardware to data analysis to modeling of the Sun, the Sun-Earth system, the near-Earth environment, or the heliosphere.

Successful applicants will work with scientist mentors at one of these Boulder institutes:

• Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
• National Solar Observatory (NSO)
• High Altitude Observatory (HAO)
• NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC)
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
• Northwest Research Associates (NWRA)
• Space Science Institute (SSI)
• Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA)

The program begins with a week-long summer school in solar and space physics and continues with seminars and discussions while you work at one of the participating laboratories, providing peer collaboration opportunities. At the end of the summer, you will present your research findings.

Cornell University

Learn more about the CNF and the PARADIM programs

CNF & PARADIM REU Programs During the summer, Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility (CNF) and the Platform for the Accelerated Realization, Analysis, and Discovery of Interface Materials (PARADIM) sponsors Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs from June through August. Engineering and science students with broad interests across disciplines focusing on nanotechnology are eligible to apply (see restrictions and eligibility requirements below) for the ten internships. Women, minorities, and students with no previous research experience are especially encouraged to apply. Applications for CNF are due February 9th, 2022. Applications vary by program for PARADIGM.

Cornell University

Learn more about the program and application process

Cornell University is pleased to announce its summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in Astrophysics and Planetary Science. Students will work on individual research projects with Cornell faculty and research staff on a wide range of topics in planetary science, astronomical instrumentation, astrophysics, general relativity and cosmology. The deadline for 2022 applications is Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 5:00 pm EST.

University of Florida

Learn more about the program and application process

University of Florida Physics Summer Program offers a 10-week program of valuable research experience, workshops on cutting-edge science and career choices, tours of research facilities, focusing on Condensed Matter and Applied Materials. REU participants must be undergraduate students and must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States or its territories.

Hope College

Learn more about the program and application process

Hope College provides an excellent summer program, SHARP (Summer Hope Academic Research Program), for students interested in pursuing research opportunities. The physics program allows you the chance to work closely with a faculty member on a range of externally funded research, including astrophysics, catalytic nanostructured materials, interdisciplinary nuclear science, nanoscale materials for energy storage, nuclear physics, plasma spectroscopy in microplasmas and superconductivity. Students selected for the 10-week program will receive a competitive stipend. Housing assistance is also provided at 50% if the student lives on campus.

Iowa State University

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND APPLICATION PROCESS

Iowa State University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering hosts the summer REU Multiscale Sensing Actuation and Imaging (MoSAIc). The program creates novel research experiences for undergraduate students in the areas of design and manufacturing of micro/nanoscale sensors, actuators, and smart materials, as well as advanced imaging and diagnostic systems. The students will participate in cohort experiences such as short courses, joint seminars/meetings, workshops, tours of research facilities, and field trips. At the end of the program, REU students will participate in a joint poster symposium with students from other undergraduate summer research programs from across campus.

Kansas State University

Learn more about the program and application process

Kansas State University offers an REU from its Department of Physics, Interactions of Matter, Light and Learning. This REU program will pay a stipend for the ten week period, plus additional support for travel and room & board.

Lehigh University

Learn more about the program and application process

The Lehigh University REU program is intended for students who plan to pursue graduate study in physics or related fields. Possible research areas include astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, biophysics, high energy theory, and statistical physics. Applications are limited to students who are already in the United States and are currently enrolled as an undergraduate in an American university.

University of Maryland

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Maryland offers the physics REU experience Training and Research Experiences in Nonlinear Dynamics (TREND). This 10 week summer program in nonlinear dynamic offers a stipend, food allowance, and housing. Projects are computational, experimental, theoretical, or a combination of these. Topics include: 2D materials, biophysics, chaos, lasers, mathematical biology, nanodevices, neural networks, optoelectronics, particle physics/particle rings, plasma reconnection, robotics, and turbulence. Participants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and be enrolled in a college or university with an anticipated graduation date of December 2022 or later. The 2022 application deadline is February 11.

Mayo Graduate School College of Medicine

Learn more about the program and application process

Through the Mayo Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program each year, approximately 130 undergraduate students from around the U.S. come to Mayo Clinic’s campus in Rochester, Minnesota, to work beside both young and established scientists on a broad range of biomedical research questions. A select number of fellowships are also available at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Jacksonville, Florida, and Scottsdale, Arizona.

University of Michigan – CERN

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Michigan Physics Department has an REU program based at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. The program places physics and engineering undergraduates into active CERN research groups. The program is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Applications for the Summer 2023 term will open in December 2022.

University of Michigan

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Michigan Physics Department Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) in Physics provides selected undergraduate students from around the United States an opportunity to conduct ten weeks of summer research with some of the country’s leading physicists in a range of experimental physics fields. The program is conducted in concert with the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and is supported by funds from the National Science Foundation. REU students have the opportunity to participate in laser and radiation safety training classes and also a specially designed instrumentation shop class that provides training in the use of shop tools.

University of Michigan – Paris

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Michigan offers Optics in the City of Lights. Spend a summer in Paris with all travel, lodging, and meals covered and also get a $5000.00 stipend. 8 undergraduate will spend 2 months in a variety of laboratories in Paris performing research with a wide range of ultrafast lasers. Students in this program will experience strong collaborative science that is currently taking place between University of Michigan (UM) Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (GM-CUOS), University Paris-Saclay, Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole Nationale de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA), Université Paris-Sud 11 Orsay, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, and l’Institut d’ Optique Graduate School. Teams of faculty (one from Ann Arbor and one from Paris) will each direct an REU student on a collaborative project. The program accepts applicants who are Juniors or Seniors and who are US citizens or have a Green Card.

Michigan State University

Learn more about the program and application process

Each summer, the MSU Department of Physics and Astronomy and its research groups offer 10-week internships for up to 12 undergraduate students. The program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Experimental and theoretical projects are available in nuclear physics, accelerator physics, particle physics, theoretical physics, astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter physics, nanoscience, low temperature physics, computational physics, psychoacoustics, and physics education. Students will receive a stipend of $6000 plus full room and board. In addition, travel expenses will partially reimbursed to a maximum of $600. Undergraduate students, preferably sophomores or juniors who have completed introductory physics courses and have completed or are taking an advanced physics course, are encouraged to apply. The REU program is only available to U.S. citizens. The application deadline for the 2022 program is February 4, 2022.

University of Minnesota

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Minnesota Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UMN MRSEC) will provide up to 25 full-time summer research positions to undergraduate students through the REU program during the summer of 2022. Participants will receive a $6000 stipend, housing and meals, travel reimbursement up to $500, and $1000 research supply fund. Travel grants are also available available to present research at national conference This program is open to undergraduate students in all science and engineering majors. Underrepresented and multicultural students are strongly encouraged to apply. All participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the US or US territories. All applications and application materials are due by February 15. 

Montana State University

Learn more about the program and application process

The Montana State University Department of Physics will offer Solar Physics/Astronomy & Space Physics REU positions during the summer. Most projects in this program involve analysis of data from solar space missions which are suitable for most math, physics, and astronomy students at the sophomore or junior level. Additionally, several projects are available in the solar stellar connection, dynamo theory, solar magnetohydrodynamics, and space hardware. Participants must be full-time undergraduates, typically finishing their sophomore or junior years, and will not graduate before 2022 summer. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcomed. Application is restricted to US citizens or permanent residents.

University of Nebraska

Learn more about the program and application process

This 10-week residential summer research experience provides mentoring and research participation. Designed for students underrepresented in graduate education who have an interest in pursuing graduate education, the program provides a firsthand glimpse into life as a graduate student and prepares undergraduates to take that next step. Students are selected to work closely with a specific faculty mentor and their team of researchers throughout the summer on either an ongoing research project or a project condensed to fit the 10-week timeframe. Participants all receive competitive stipends, room and board, travel/transport, graduate school preparation workshops, social and networking activities, and more. Check out this list of current research opportunities.

North Dakota State University

Learn more about the program and application process

The North Dakota State University Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials offers a summer REU for chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering majors and students in related fields who have completed their junior year. The department offers projects in the following research areas: Coatings and Corrosion Protection; Weathering Durability of Coatings; Film Formation Processes; Synthesis of High Performance Polymers. Student participants will receive a $5,000 stipend and additional $1,000 allowance for housing. On-campus housing is available. The deadline for application is March 4, 2022.

Northwestern University

Learn more about the program and application process

Northwestern University’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center provides opportunities for undergraduates to engage in hands-on materials-related research for nine weeks during the summer. REU students will contribute to a research project led by a center faculty member and participate in interdisciplinary research group meetings, expanding their science and engineering experience into a range of fields. REU participants receive a stipend of $5,000, plus on-campus housing and a travel allowance. You must not have completed your undergraduate degree before the program begins. The program is open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Northwestern University

Learn more about the program and application process

Northwestern University’s International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) offers a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in nanotechnology. Hands-on research infuses the traditional undergraduate curriculum with excitement. Through its Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer program, the IIN has provided over 330 students with a glimpse into the life of a scientific researcher as well as opportunities to meet and work with world-renowned scientists. Applications are due by Feb. 14, 2022.

University of Notre Dame

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Notre Dame Physics Summer Research positions for undergraduate Physics Majors provides opportunities for physics students to experience research firsthand under direct supervision of faculty mentors. Areas of research include: astronomy, astrophysics, atomic physics, complex systems/biological physics, elementary particle physics, nuclear physics and solid state/low temperature physics. The program is available only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The 2022 application deadline February 21.

University of Oklahoma

Learn more about the program and application process

Physics REU. This NSF-REU program is aimed at students who are interested in Physics and/or Astronomy and who may have potential for future graduate study. While some background is of course needed, all motivated and talented student in the sciences are invited to apply. Areas offering REU Research are: Astronomy and Astrophysics; Atomic, Molecular & Chemical Physics; High Energy Particle Physics; Condensed Matter Physics. Applicants must be a US citizen or permanent resident of the US or its possessions, must be currently enrolled in a program leading to a Bachelor’s degree, and must not have graduated by the summer of internship.

Penn State University

Learn more about the program and application process

Penn State University offers Materials Physics and Interdisciplinary Materials REU. The National Science Foundation sponsors positions in various Penn State departments and are open to undergraduate students from all across the country who are majoring in physics, chemistry, material science, all branches of engineering, etc. and have an interest in materials research. This REU is jointly hosted by both the Physics Department’s NSF REU grant and the Center for Nanoscale Science (MRSEC) REU. Participants must be either US citizens or permanent residents

University of Rochester

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Rochester Department of Physics & Astronomy Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program is funded by the National Science Foundation to support ten highly qualified students to undertake supervised research projects in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, for a period of 10 weeks each summer. The program will run from June 1 to August 6, 2022. At the end of the program students present their work at an informal symposium. They are encouraged to continue with their research advisors toward completion of publications, submission of abstracts, and presentations of their research at professional and student conferences. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents, and must not have completed their bachelor degree by May of this academic year. The program is still accepting applications for the 2022 program.

Santa Fe Institute

Learn more about the program and application process

SETI Institute

Learn more about the program and application process

The SETI Institute offers an REU program in Astrobiology. Undergraduate students in fields such as astronomy, biology, geology, chemistry, and physics are invited to apply to spend 10 weeks in the San Francisco Bay area working on a scientific research project in the field of astrobiology. Students will receive a stipend, travel, and living expenses. Applicants should be current Sophomore and Junior undergraduate students who are United States Citizens or Permanent Residents. Applications are due February 1. Students will be notified in early March.

Vanderbilt University

Learn more about the program and application process

The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) invites students to work closely with VINSE faculty on research projects in cutting edge areas of nanoscale science and engineering. Funded by the NSF-REU program, participation in the program provides students with a true interdisciplinary research experience in an environment where physicists, chemists, biologists, and all engineers collaboratively solve problems and create new scientific understanding. Students who are US Citizens or Permanent Residents majoring in science or engineering are eligible to apply to the REU program. Students from underrepresented groups and institutions are strongly encouraged to apply. The 2022 deadline is February 15.

University of Washington, Seattle

Learn more about the program and application process

The University of Washington, Seattle is offering REUs with projects in Astrophysics and Cosmology, Atomic Physics, Nuclear Physics, Condensed Matter, Particle Physics, Physics Education and Biological Physics. The main goal of this program is to provide an exciting and nurturing research experience for students, one that will encourage them to pursue careers as research scientists. Each student is paired with a faculty advisor, and is often supported by interested postdocs and advanced graduate students. Students participate in a 10-week research program, including in most cases a machine shop course. The program will provide a 10-week stipend of $6000, campus housing and meal service, and a travel supplement of up to $500. In the event the UW REU program cannot be held in-person, it will be held virtually.

Washington University in St. Louis

Learn more about the program and application process

The Washington University in St. Louis Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers a 10-week REU summer program. Work with a professor and graduate students on cutting-edge CSE research. Find out what it’s like to be a graduate student at a research university, and get paid for it! Project areas include: Algorithmic Procedural Fairness, Robust Reinforcement Learning, Machine Learning for Computational Imaging, Optimizing traffic flows between data centers, and Privacy-preserving Medical Computation. The program welcomes both domestic students and international students studying in US institutions. Applications for 2022 are due February 17.

College of Wooster

Learn more about the program and application process

The College of Wooster Physics Department offers a 10-week REU program with a range of projects from astrophysics to quantum optics, from granular materials to chemistry. The 2022 program begins Monday May 23 and ends Friday July 30. Students are paid a $6500 stipend. Campus housing is available to rent, and funds for students to relocate to Wooster are also available. Students should have completed one year of introductory physics at the college level in most cases. The National Science Foundation funding is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Applications for 2022 are due February 28.

Yale University

Learn more about the program and application process

Are you a current undergraduate student considering pursuing a Ph.D.? Each summer, the Yale SURF Program brings about 15 qualified undergraduates to Yale for eight weeks to explore what a Ph.D. could offer them. If you are interested in the natural sciences, you will learn advanced laboratory methods and conduct research in state-of-the-art facilities. Participants will develop a proposal, give a final presentation to your peers, submit a written final paper, and present research at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium. Participation in the summer program is restricted to US citizens and permanent residents. To provide a research experience to as many students as possible, applicants with full or partial funding from outside sources are given preference. The 2023 application cycle will open November 1st, 2022.