Dude, where's my undergrad physics research?

December 1, 2006 1:05 PM

What are some part- or full-time experiences I can have with physics research in the bay area while still an undergrad?

I'm an undergrad in the bay area working towards transfer to Berkeley and physics degree. I feel like my undergrad classes are moving too slowly and I happen to learn and work better when working towards a related goal which is why I'm trying to find some lowly position in physics research. I realize that I'm not much use to physics research as an undergrad but there must be at least a couple programs that want to foster undergrad interest, right?

I know about Berkeley National Lab's SULI and CCI programs. The next time they're open for applicants is for the summer so I'm looking around for something part-time for the near future and full-time for the slightly more future-future.

posted by authenticgeek to work & money (6 comments total)

Look up some profs whose research interests you on the berkeley web site and shoot them emails. There must be at least one who'd take on a volunteer undergrad, at least part time.
posted by lemur at 2:31 PM on December 1, 2006

have you talked to the physics faculty at your school? some of them might be happy to take on a part-time undergrad student who could crunch some numbers for them, especially if they don't have to pay you for it.

In Canada there is an undergraduate research assistantship program through NSERC, which is our version of your NSF, that is very straightforward to get into. It gives you funding for what amounts to about 5 hours a week which is supposed to go on concurrently with your courses. It is up to you to find a faculty supervisor with a project you can work on but the procedure is well-defined. Go digging aroudn and ask the department secretary about reserach opportunities for undergrads.
posted by PercussivePaul at 2:36 PM on December 1, 2006

Do you have any skills that would be useful to research? For instance, I worked at an engineering firm where most of the actual engineering problems were quite over my head, but I'm a pretty good programmer, so I saved a lot of engineers a lot of time, and was widely appreciated.

Naturally you want to learn about physics (as I wanted to learn about engineering) but see if there is some work tangental to the actual weighty physics that you can do.

I'd email the director of the department and ask him/her to put out a notice to faculty that there is an undergrad willing to volunteer (mass emailing the professors individually may not be well received).
posted by phrontist at 2:43 PM on December 1, 2006

I am a student at Berkeley, and i highly doubt than any amount of email to a professor here is going to get you a research position. It is already highly competitive to get a position in undergraduate research, and that's assuming you are a current Berkeley student and have the necessary GPA and coursework completed.

It's certainly worth a shot but I wouldn't get your hopes up. I would focus on kicking as much ass as you possibly can in whatever school you are at now so that your transfer goes smoothly. Get those prereqs out of the way and as much stuff as you can so that when you get here you have some room to do stuff like undergrad research.
posted by sophist at 4:34 PM on December 1, 2006

Look for an NSF- REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) position. Getting into one is very competitive and I've done good ones and bad ones, but having "NSF" on your resume looks great. I guess it's similar to the SULI program.

Sophist is probably right; a Berkeley gig is not going to be an easy get. But there are other schools in Berkeley and it's always worth a shot, so here's how you do it:
1. Shoot for a lower-level or new professor. Abandon delusions of getting to be the "right hand man" of a Nobel winner, for now.
2. Once you've chosen some targets, find everything they've written in the last five years and familiarize yourself with it.
3. Find out what they're working on now (you might need to ask around-- this stuff isn't always on the internet).
4. Send an email that says something along the lines of "I really loved the work you did on _____. I'm intrigued by what you're doing now and I think I'd be valuable to the project because I can do _____. Here's my resume. Did I mention that I'm willing to work for free? Free, free, free!"
4a. You really need to be willing to work for free. Sorry.
4b. Don't say that your classes are moving too slowly-- it'll make you sound bratty and conceited. Remember that the people you're talking to are teachers too.
5. Work your connections. Even if your favorite professor can't give you a spot in her lab, ask her if she knows of someone who can, and if she'll recommend you.
posted by chickletworks at 6:01 PM on December 1, 2006

What about this program at SLAC? It sounds like you might qualify for it and I can't think of anything more, uh, physics-y, than that place. Though it, like the other, isn't until summer.
posted by marylynn at 6:49 PM on December 1, 2006