Research Opportunities at Carleton

Research During the Academic Year: Special Projects in Physics and Astronomy

During the academic year students can arrange to do research through Special Project (P/A-356) courses. Special Projects are individual projects in experimental, theoretical, or computational physics and astronomy or observational astronomy. Available projects are often related to faculty research interests or to the development of course-supported materials, such as new laboratory exercises.

Research During the Summer

During the summer the faculty in the Physics & Astronomy Department offer research opportunities for undergraduate colleagues. Note that these summer research positions are only made available to Carleton students. A summer stipend is paid to the undergraduate research colleague at the college’s going rate for a ten-week period. These stipends are funded through individual grants that the faculty have obtained to carry out their research or through general grants made to the college that support student-faculty research such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant.

Research Opportunities at Other Institutions

There are literally hundreds of undergraduate research opportunities at various colleges and universities throughout the country. Many of these are open to general application from any undergraduate, even if you are not enrolled at their institution. The range of research areas in also enormous. If you have a specific research interest, it is very likely that a research opportunity exists that you are eligible to apply for.

You can search the Pathways to Science website for research programs, fellowships, scholarships, and internships among hundreds of summer opportunities for undergraduates.

Funds to Support Student Researchers

The Department may award up to $400 to help defray the cost of travel to a conference or research site, or project expenses. Interested students may apply by submitting the following information to the department chair:

  • A narrative description of the proposed program of research, no longer than one single-spaced page, describing the nature of the project in non-technical language;
  • A budget, including other sources from which you have requested support

A student who receives an award will be expected to make a public presentation to the department following the funded activity.