I hope everyone has had a good start to the semester and is doing well. Summer(!) is fast approaching, and there are lots of summer opportunities listed below and even more in previous newsletters to help you figure out your summer plans, get experience, and earn money. This includes two sets of summer research opportunities in Illinois (University of Chicago and Southern Illinois University).

*****DEPARTMENT INFORMATION*****

• Loyola Physics Seminar welcomes its first speaker of the semester on Thursday at 2:30 – Dr. Cris Montoya from Northwestern University. Dr. Montoya will talk about research on levitating nanoparticles as sensors of small forces.
• Physics Club has posted their tutoring schedule. You can find the schedule here.
• Watch out for an announcement soon about the inaugural Loyola Physics Scholarship!!!
• For graduating seniors, this is a reminder that you can apply to graduate with Honors in Physics. Check here for more information.
• Also for graduating seniors in Physics, WashU Engineering Dual Degree Program will have Info Sessions for Prospective Applicants. Qualifying Loyola Physics graduates are eligible for automatic admission to the Engineering program for a BS or MS in Engineering. All meetings will use this Zoom link, https://wustl.zoom.us/j/93826403652. All meetings begin at 5:00 PM Central. Any question is welcome at any meeting

Thursday, Feb 2               Career Development Services + Q&A

Wednesday, Feb 8          Campus Community Engagement & Support + Q&A

Tuesday, Feb 14               Engineering Curricula & Research Opportunities + Q&A  

Monday, Feb 20             Dual Degree Housing & Living in St. Louis + Q&A

• Spend a Semester in Washington, DC, Intern and Take Loyola Classes. Explore career ideas and work on issues you care about.  Attend protests and briefings.  Visit monuments and memorials.  Gain experience in communications, politics, advocacy, government relations, media, outreach, or research.  Internships range from Capitol Hill to nonprofits, think tanks, media organizations, advocacy groups, consulting firms, and more. Open to all Juniors and Seniors. To apply visit: http://www.luc.edu/dc/. Read what students say about the program: https://lucindc.wordpress.com.  To learn more about the program and receive program updates, please email Susan Dimock at sdimock@luc.edu. Fall 2023 Applications Due February 25. Spring 2024 Early Admission Due June 1. See flyer for more information.

*****SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES*****

• ASA Airborne Science Program announces opportunities for current undergraduate Juniors with a STEM background to apply for participation in the 15th annual NASA Student Airborne Research Program(SARP 2023). This is a paid 8-week summer internship program (June to August) in Earth System Science. Please share this opportunity widely with your colleagues and undergraduate students at your respective institutions! Applications are due this Monday, Jan 30^th at 5 pm Pacific Time! We are seeking 52 students who will have the opportunity to acquire hands-on research experience in all aspects of an airborne scientific campaign. Students will work in multi-disciplinary teams to study surface, atmospheric, or oceanographic processes. Participants will fly onboard a research aircraft and assist in the operation of instruments to sample and measure atmospheric gases and aerosols and to image land and water surfaces in multiple spectral bands. Along with airborne data collection, students will participate in taking measurements at field sites. Each student will develop a research project from the data collected and will deliver final presentations on their results. Outstanding faculty and staff for this program will be drawn from several universities and NASA centers, as well as from NASA flight operations and engineering personnel. SARP participants will receive a stipend ($6000), travel allowance, free housing, and local transportation during the 8-week program. NOTE: Prospective applicants must complete the application (including all essay questions and two reference letters) that can be found on the SARP website at: org/sarp/2023 by the deadline of January 30, 2023.
• Applications are currently open for the APS/IBM Research Internship for Undergraduate Women and Underrepresented Minorities program. If you know of such a student who plans to pursue graduate studies in science and engineering, we encourage you to share this opportunity with them! The deadline for applications and letters of recommendation is January 31. The program offers two paid undergraduate internship opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities. Both internship programs feature salaried positions at IBM Research that are typically 10 weeks long, and they provide an opportunity for interns to work closely with IBM mentors. Learn more here.
• NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program in Interdisciplinary Materials Research at Southern Illinois University is currently accepting applications for the Summer of 2023—our 17th summer of operation! We seek your assistance in alerting undergraduate students to our REU Program.  First, we ask that this notice (and attached flyer) be forwarded to Departments of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Physics, and Engineering on your campus for posting.  Also, please feel free to alert affiliated student organizations and fellow faculty members who may have students interested in this program, and/or distribute the attached flyer in other ways according to your discretion. Our program is particularly interested in attracting candidates (preferably in their first, second, or third years of college) from groups traditionally under-represented in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering; as always, all applications are welcome.  Application forms and details about the program are available on-line at:  http://chem.siu.edu/undergraduate/research-opportunities/reu/ .  Review of applications will commence after February 6, 2023; applications received after that date will still be reviewed until all positions are filled.  Our program will begin May 30, 2023 and will commence for approximately 9 weeks.  Participating students will work with mentors from programs in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Engineering, and Microbiology to perform materials research (broadly defined)—with emphases in nanoscience / nanotechnology, energy research, smart materials, biomaterials, materials characterization / spectroscopy, polymers, environmental applications, computational modeling, and materials fabrication, among other subjects.  In this program, students will work on independent research projects and receive hands-on training in the use of state-of-the-art instrumentation and methods. Student benefits include a stipend of approximately $6000, $1,000 research expenditure allowance, free college housing, and a travel allowance to facilitate transportation from the student’s home institution or to conferences (up to $800).
• With National Science Foundation support for over three decades, the Physics Department and the Materials Research Center (MRSEC) at the University of Chicago have conducted a highly successful Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program.  Projects are distributed among the areas of astrophysics, atomic physics, biophysics, condensed matter physics, high-energy physics, materials science, mathematical physics, nanoscience, polymers, space physics, spectroscopy of materials, and other topics.  This research experience is complemented by a lecture series, field trips to Fermi and Argonne National Laboratories, and special social events.  We expect to accept around 20-24 summer research interns.  The application deadline is February 15, 2023. Collectively, we expect to be able to accept 20-24 students for the 2023 summer programs.  We will host an information session on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 at 2 p.m. (CST) . Zoom Meeting ID: 916 6632 6093. Passcode: 970071. Please see the attached flyer.
• Boston University Photonics Center hosts the NSF REU Site in Integrated Nanomanufacturing, with interdisciplinary nanoscale research opportunities at the interface between engineering, biology, physics and chemistry. The Center hosts three additional REU programs focused on heart tissue engineering, materials science, and photonics and optics. All REU students work on authentic interdisciplinary research projects under the mentorship of BU faculty and graduate students. Application deadline is March 15. Apply Here.

*****GRADUATE SCHOOL INFORMATION*****

• The Department of Physics at Central Michigan University is recruiting students for our M.S. program for Fall 2023. We offer thesis and non-thesis M.S., as well as a Ph.D. program in physics. We have strong research areas in astrophysics, nuclear, computational physics, and condensed matter and materials theory and experiments. M.S. students are supported financially with stipends and tuition through either teaching or research assistantship positions. Students that continue studies towards the Ph.D. degree are generally supported by the faculty advisor external funding and have the chance to work in exciting cutting edge research projects. Information about our M.S. program and how to apply can be found in the attached flyer. We will start reviewing applications in March. For additional information on graduate programs, please contact our Physics Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Juan Peralta at peral1j@cmich.edu.
• The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of South Carolina invites applications from well-prepared and motivated students to its Ph.D. program in Physics and Astronom Graduate students in the Department receive financial support from Research and Teaching Assistantships. These competitive awards facilitate graduate study in Physics and Astronomy and include a stipend, full tuition waiver, and medical benefits. Outstanding applicants will be nominated for the University of South Carolina Presidential Fellowship, which provides additional financial support and professional development opportunities. The University of South Carolina is located in Columbia (SC), which is known for its Southern charm and hospitality, cuisine, affordable cost of living, and mild winters. Please bring the attached flyer to the attention of your graduating seniors.

 

For past newsletters with more opportunities and news, please go to https://www.luc.edu/physics/newsletters/ . Please let me know if you have any questions.