FAQ
Program
Selected undergraduates will participate in basic research during a ten-week summer program on the campus of the University of Washington. Each student will be matched with a faculty advisor. Students will spend the ten weeks working with the advisor and the advisor's group, and participating in a weekly lecture series on research opportunities in physics. At the end of the summer, students will prepare a short summary paper and make a presentation on their research efforts.
Dates
The 2022 program will run from June 20 - August 26, 2022.
Location
The program will be held at the University of Washington's Seattle campus. Seattle offers the culture and convenience of a major metropolitan area, with many things for visitors to see and do. There are excellent outdoor recreation opportunities: the city is close to the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges (including the North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, and Olympic National Parks). Seattle is located on Puget Sound and bordered by Lake Washington and Lake Union.
Program Support
Program support for 2022 will include the following:
$6000 stipend for the 10-week program
Paid housing in a campus dormitory
Pre-paid meal card covers the majority of food expenses
Up to $500 in travel reimbursement
Eligibility
We will give preference to applicants who will have finished their junior years by Summer, 2022. Women and minority group members are especially encouraged to apply. The UW Physics and Astronomy building is modern and ADA-friendly.
We can accept applications only from US citizens and permanent residents of the US ("green card" holder).
Admission is competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What are the program dates?
A: This year's program will run from June 20 - August 26, 2022.
Q: My school starts again before August 26; can I change the dates?
A: We urge all accepted students to make every effort to attend for the designated period, June 20 - August 26. In cases where this is impossible due to conflicts with school terms, we can adjust the beginning and ending dates, forward or backward, by up to one week. Attendance for a full 10-week period, however, is required.
Q: Who is eligible to apply?
A: Because of the way our funding works, we can accept applications only from US citizens and permanent residents of the US ("green card" holder).
Q: How do I apply?
A: See our Apply page for application instructions.
Q: What's the application deadline?
A: The deadline for all application materials (including references) is 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time on February 28, 2022.
Q: Is a transcript required?
A: You will need to attach an unofficial transcript to the online application. If you are selected to participate in our program, at that time we will need an official transcript sent by your college registrar.
Q: How are recommendation letters submitted?
A: When you complete the online form, you will be asked for the email addresses of two professors willing to send recommendation letters. They will then be contacted automatically about the procedures for submitting their letters electronically. If for some reason electronic submission of letters is not possible, your letter writers should contact us at uwreu@phys.washington.edu.
Q: What kinds of projects are there?
A: This year's project list will be posted by January and updated as necessary, thereafter. The list of projects from last year is a good representation of the kind of variety of projects to expect this year.
Q: When will I know if I've been selected?
A: We will begin making offers around the middle of February, 2022, and hope to complete the process by the middle of March.
Q: How will applications be evaluated?
A: Our directors will look at all the application materials: the transcript, the GPA, the letters of recommendation, and the application itself. All applications (including references) that have been submitted by 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time on February 28, 2022 will receive full consideration.
Questions? Write to us at uwreu@phys.washington.edu