The Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville will sponsor a summer research program for outstanding physics majors, preferably those who have completed their junior year in college.
The program is designed to give outstanding undergraduate students the opportunity to gain experience in research in physics. This involvement in research will allow the participants to learn research procedures and techniques and to exchange ideas and experiences with other participants, graduate students and physics faculty.
Each research fellow will work full-time on a research project supervised by a physics faculty member. Research projects at the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory be available. Every effort will be made to assign students to research projects in their areas of preference. The projects will likely be such that the student will work closely with graduate students, post-doctoral research fellows and research faculty; however, students will be encouraged to work as independently as possible. At the end of the program each student will submit a written report and give a brief presentation of his/her summer research activities.
The research appointments will cover the 10 week period of June 1, 2009 through August 7, 2009. Each research fellow will receive a stipend of $400 per week. A travel stipend of up to $400 will be provided as needed.
University student apartment-style housing will be available at an estimated rate of ~$100 per week. Meals plans are also available through the University. Each research fellow is free to make off-campus housing and meal arrangements on his/her own.
Applicants should complete an online application form and send it along with a current transcript and a one-page essay describing their career goals and interest in science to Professor Marianne Breinig, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1200. All applicants should also arrange to have three referees send letters of recommendation directly to Professor Breinig. The referees should be persons who are familiar with the applicant's academic background and/or potential in science. Application forms, essays, and letters of recommendations may be submitted electronically to mbreinig@utk.edu.
The deadline for receipt of all application materials is March 15, 2009. Applications are reviewed as they are received. Award recipients will be notified as soon as the decisions are made.
For additional information or application forms consult the Physics Department home page or contact Marianne Breinig at mbreinig@utk.edu.