Some thoughts on REUs and Grad School opportunities

1. Some thoughts on REUs and Grad School opportunities • What and Why? • Types of opportunities open to you • What to look for and where to look • What and where to look • How to get in • Recent experiences (my own and others)

2. What is an REU? • Research Experiences for Undergrads (REU) • Boffo Acronym Initiation Training (BAIT) • Funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) • Only available to citizens/nationals of USA • Cutting edge summer research at universities and institutes– often ~ 10 students per program • Many, many fields of research available • Housing and modest stipend provided • Acceptance can be competitive

3. Why apply for an REU? • It can be a lot of fun to do research in something you find interesting • Your research could amount to something important and lead to publication(s) • There are many cool parts of the country to explore • Research experience can really help inform career decisions (is research for me?) • You’ll get to meet a lot of great people (students and faculty) with similar interests • It looks fantastic for graduate school applications and job applications

4. What kinds of REU’s are there? • Dozens of fields, 100’s of individual programs and universities, every state • See NSF site: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm • Lots and lots of areas in pure physics, but don’t constrain yourself! • Physics and TCNJ qualifies you to do more than you might imagine • Go for what you find interesting in a place you would like to be for the summer

5. How to get into an REU program • These programs are competitive and prestigious • You will need to offer a convincing argument for why you are interested and offer proof that you are capable of contributing to the research—you can do it, you just need to “sell” your skills. • Good grades and good references are important • Applying from a fairly small school with a good reputation like TCNJ helps a lot • Many programs explicitly try to involve women • Most applications are due between Jan. and Mar. for the following summer

6. My REU experience – Geophysical Institute, U. of Alaska, Summer 1997 • website: http://giseis.alaska.edu/Seis/Input/interns/97/index.html • Did climate research in central AK resulting in publication that definitely helped my grad. school applications http://www.warwickhughes.com/climate/fairbanks.htm • Had a great time backpacking and exploring AK • Decided I wanted to go to grad. School in atmospheric physics • Returned for a 2nd summer after Sr. year • Met great friends my first year and my wife the 2nd

7. What is Graduate School ? Why go? • 17 years of school just isn’t enough • Pennilessness builds character • You can study what you want, in a place you want, with people that you like, make your own hours and schedule, and get paid for it. • Masters, Ph.D., and professional degrees really are needed for most decent jobs in science and technology fields. • The importance of graduate education is rapidly growing: many public and private-sector firms now want graduate degrees where they did not 10 years ago. • Many undergraduate students are uncertain about the nature of the graduate school experience

8. Mythbusting graduate school: • You shouldn’t have to pay for most grad school programs in the sciences – most likely you’ll receive a stipend of ~ 25 k and some modest benefits • The stipend may be offered in exchange for teaching (TA), research (RA), or as a pure scholarship (fellow) • Much like REUs, you are not at all constrained to programs in pure physics • All science and engineering programs love to see physics degrees in the applicant pool • So do law schools and medical schools • Most graduate school is primarily research-based, not course-based • Research skill is much different than coursework skill • Some excellent undergrads really struggle in grad school and some average undergrad students excel.

9. Mythbusting graduate school, part II • Your time will be consumed by your department – choose by departmental more than university reputation. • Your advisor will dictate your life – choose very carefully! • In many cases, you don’t have to choose your advisor during your first year—it can be great to observe the faculty while taking your core courses • The courses won’t necessarily be harder than the ones you take here. • Graduate school is much more like a real job than it is like a continuation of your undergraduate education • Graduate school is a major life decision, so it is important to be pretty sure that you have a lot of interest and dedication to the field of study you pursue • You don’t have to decide to go to graduate school immediately

10. Getting into graduate school: • Grades and appropriate course background • Research and professional experience • Contact with potential advisors • Visit prior to application if possible—let them see you • Reference letters—don’t wait too late • GRE’s (general and subject-specific) • Application questions and essays • Interviews • Some fields and programs are much more competitive for admission than others • Many “guides” suck

11. Resource Links: Take with a tsp of salt • Advice on admissions, selections, and graduate life: • http://cosmicvariance.com/2005/12/20/unsolicited-advice-1-how-to-get-into-graduate-school/ • http://graduate-school.phds.org/ • http://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html • http://www.physlink.com/Education/GradAdvisor.cfm • Graduate program rankings: • http://www.petersons.com • http://www.gradschools.com/ • http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/ • http://www.gradschooltips.com/ • http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex_brief.php • GRE information: • www.ets.org/gre/ • http://www.physicsgre.com/

12. My own (fairly typical) graduate experience • I applied to 5 programs in atmospheric physics from a comparable undergraduate physics program • I was not asked for a subject area GRE • Several schools paid for me to visit by plane • Penn State University Meteorology dept. was my choice • More prestigious schools have meteorology departments, but PSU has the largest and best atmospheric science program in US • I received a fellowship for my 1st year, and RA’s for most of my remaining time. I chose to do a TA during several semesters • My average stipend was about ~22 k • I was very dissatisfied with the health insurance

13. My own (fairly typical) graduate experience, part doux • PSU grad. Students tried to unionize while I was there (unsuccessfully) to assure standard rules and improved insurance • I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do a M.S. or Ph.D. program • During my first year, I talked with many faculty before deciding on advisor • I decided to continue in a Ph.D. program after taking “candidacy” exams • Exam requirements vary widely by program, but most have several levels (i.e. candidacy, comprehensive, defense) • I finished all required coursework in 2.5 years • My Ph.D. research took most of 5 years, but finally yielded groundbreaking results • While in grad. School, I lived in 4 apartments, bought 2 cars, played on many intramural teams, got very sick, got married…

14. Take home message: • Be your own person – do what interests you (…duh) • The “Don’t marry your first girlfriend” rule: be proactive and test the waters during the summer – do an industry internship, an REU, or both • Start looking at opportunities now • Talk to your advisor and teachers about your interests • Be confident in your experience here