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Project
Openings
Research
Profiles
Supervisor
Index
Other
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Here
are some
tips from
the Physcis
UROP Coordinator
to help
you find
a UROP in
Physics.
- First,
realize
that the
key word
to be
emphasized
in the
Undergraduate
Research
Opportunities
Program,
is "opportunity" (for
you), not "program" in
the sense
of a preplanned
program for
which you "sign
up". Some
faculty advertise
by e-mail
or posting
a notice outside
the physics
education
office. You
can find
the best
positions
through
seeking
them out
via the
web, acquaintances,
in recitation,
at departmental
welcome
parties,
etc.
- Look
at the Physics
research
web page
at http://web.mit.edu/physics/research/index.html to
decide
what types
of physics
research
appeal to
you, and
then look
at the
faculty
research
areas pages
to find
faculty
members
in your
area of
interest http://web.mit.edu/physics/facultyandstaff/faculty/faculty_by_areaofresearch.html.
- Search
for newly
appointed
professors
(i.e.
those not
listed above)
in the faculty
list at
the bottom
of http://web.mit.edu/catalogue/degre.scien.physi.shtml-
they are
generally
eager
for new
students
and are
often not
yet listed
in the
latest departmental
guide. Some
professors
may seem less
approachable
than others,
but don’t
let this dissuade
you from contacting
them - they
may have UROP
positions
too. Some
good physics
is done
in other
departments
or labs:
theoretical
particle
physics
in Math,
atomic
physics
in EECS and Chemistry,
condensed
matter
in EECS and
the Francis
Bitter Magnet
Lab,
plasma
in the Plasma
Science and
Fusion Center,
quantum
information
in Math, EECS, and ME. If
your interests
overlap other
departments,
scout
for relevant
professors
in those
departments.
- Go
by to
visit. If
the Prof.
is unavailable,
get a copy
of the annual
group report,
the latest
Scientific
American level
paper that
the group
has written,
a recent letter
written on
hottest results,
etc. from
the Administrative
Assistant/Group
Secretary
(you can't
overestimate
the value
of getting
this person
on your side). Read
these materials
to get ideas
and knowledge
about the
given research
area, then
phone (e-mail
is too easy
to ignore)
for an appointment.
- Network
with upperclass
UROPs. Often
a group will
have an opening
when a senior
finishes his/her
thesis. You
can find out
about the
UROP, the
Prof., and
possibly even
avail yourself
of UROP's
IAP Research
Mentor Program.
- When
you do
visit, remember
that the
visit shares
many aspects
of a job
interview: take
a resume (with
phone numbers
for your references,
if any), stress
your interest
in and knowledge
of this particular
group's activities
without being
overbearing. Have
a ready mental
list of the
skills you
possess (these
should be
on your resume
also) that
might be applied
to the group’s
research. Even
if you only
helped build
a room on
your house,
the knowledge
that you can
use a screwdriver
is comforting
to someone
contemplating
hiring you
to work in
his/her lab. The
post-docs
and graduate
students will
not only provide
a lot of your
supervision
if you work
in that group,
but will be
the likely
beneficiaries
of your work
- so talk
to them at
length, if
possible. Ask
intelligent
questions
and seem
vitally
interested
in their
work.
- There
is unlikely
to be an
immediate
positive
response;
try to get
them to
indicate
a date by
which they
will call
you back,
and contact
a few days
after that
if they
don't. Rather
than accept
a flat "NO,” emphasize
your interest
in this
specific
group and
indicate
your willingness
to come
by again
next semester,
your availability
if anything
comes up
in the near
future,
etc.
- If
the first
group
does not
pan out,
go back
to step
3. Don't
get discouraged.
- Consult
helpful
web sites:
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