Physical Sciences

Research & Internship Opportunities

 

Below you will find a listing of current and future scholarships and research programs available to physical science students from SMC.


SMC Independent Study Classes

Advanced students may do independent work in Physics or Chemistry under the supervision of an SMC faculty member.  Interested students should contact the SMC professor with whom they would like to conduct research or advanced studies.  If the faculty member and student agree upon a independent study plan, they must submit a proposal to the department chair for approval.  Independent Study proposal forms are available from the Department Secretrary in Science 258.  Students are allowed a maximum of six units of independent studies is allowed at SMC. Granting of UC transfer credit for an Independent Studies course is contingent upon an evaluation of the course outline by a UC campus.


NSF REU - National Science Foundation - Research Experiences for Undergraduates 
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This is by far the largest and most comprehensive summer internship program in the country. Four year colleges and universities from all around the country obtain grants from the NSF to hold summer internships in a wide variety of fields (physics, chemistry, biology, computing, and combinations of these). The programs are usually about 6 weeks long, students get stipends, lodging and meals while doing research with the school's faculty. Usually students are required to have at least finished the first year of courses in their main discipline.

Students must be either US citizens or Permanent Residents.

The link above takes you to the main NSF page that lists the different programs and details. From their you can search through the listings of specific schools in the discipline that interests you.

DEADLINES: February and  March, for different programs


NIST - National Institute of Standards and Technology Summer Research Program

DEADLINE: February


JPLUS - The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Undergraduate Scholars Program

The JPLUS Program was developed to recognize achievement and high potential in students attending the 25 closest community colleges to JPL and Pasadena, majoring in engineering, mathematics, computer sciences or the physical sciences. Scholarships and an opportunity to apply for a research fellowship are available in this program.

DEADLINE: Late March/April


Loyola Marymount REU - LMU's Summer Research Program

DEADLINE: Late March/April


ACWA Scholarship - Association of California Water Agencies Scholarship
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The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) awards a minimum of six $1,500 scholarships each spring to qualified students in water resources-related fields.

Eligible students must be California residents attending selected California schools full time as a junior or senior during the current academic year. Applications must be postmarked no later than APRIL 1 of each year.

You can download applications and guidelines for the ACWA scholarship program from the link above, or contact your school's financial aid department.  Information is also available by calling or sending email to ACWA. Contact information is available from the link above. 

Clair A. Hill Scholarship

Each year a $3,000 scholarship, sponsored by CH2M Hill, is awarded to a deserving student. The program is administered by the ACWA member agency that received the Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award the previous year. In 2001, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) was honored with the Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for its Wetlands Education Program.

DEADLINE: April 1