Research Experience for Undergraduates Contact Info

Many Observatories and University Astronomy (and physics, although those aren't listed here) Departments offer REU programs. These programs give undergraduates a chance to work as a research assistant to a scientist for a summer. They usually pay a decent amount for a summer job (on the order of $1200 or so a month), but the benefit is that you get quality research experience prior to graduate school. If you intend on pursuing graduate studies in astronomy, spending a summer as an REU student is good preparation for the type of work that will be expected of you as a graduate student.

I've collected the email addresses for the 1997 REU programs I'm aware of around the country. These are the contact addresses for the person in charge of distributing REU applications and literature. Deadlines are usually late January/early February for summer positions. If you know of any more REU programs that I haven't listed, please email me with the contact information.

Good Luck!