One way for physics majors to gain experience in a research environment is do an internship.  These experiences can help students assess whether or not a career in physics is a direction that they will find intellectually challenging and exciting.  Also, internships provide the student with an opportunity to apply the knowledge learned in courses to real world problems, often at the cutting edge of  knowledge.  There are many fantastic programs available (some are summer programs and other are during the school year).  Most of these programs include some courses or seminars that help to broaden one's understanding of physics.

• One of the most popular summer programs is the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) funded by the NSF.  There are many campuses that run REU programs, so it is best to research several as each can provide different research experiences (and some allow you to spend the summer in California!).
• Many students have participated in the excellent Science Semester at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (coordinated by the GLCA), for more information contact Prof. Brooks.
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) also has an internship program (there are opportunities for both summer and academic year research).
• Argonne National Laboratory- another National Lab with another internship program.
• NASA has a new program entitled Undergraduate Student Research Program.
• NIST has a program entitled SURF which gives students the opportunity to do research in physics, electrical engineering or one of many other fields.
• There is another NASA program (Spaceflight and Life Science Training Program) that may at first not look like something for a physics major, but Ted Batemen ('92) participated in it.  The program led to Ted entering grad school and landing a job studying various phenomena related to the effects of space travel.

Program Links

Government:

• Department of Energy – DOE (Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship)

• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

• Astronomy REU program

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) - California

• NASA

• National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST)

• US Environmental Protection Agency

• Association for Exchange of Students for Technical Experience

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

• SPS National Intern

Industry

• Abbott Laboratories

• Agilent Technologies

• Boeing

• BOSE

• Caterpiller

• Ford

• Freescale Semiconductor

• IBM

• Intel

• Lockheed Martin

• Lucent Technologies

• Motorola

• Shell

• Toyota

• Wolfram Research