DOE CCI vs SULI: Physics Summer Programs for College Students

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the comparison of two summer programs for physics students: the Department of Energy's Community College Internships (CCI) and the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI). Participants explore the competitiveness, project similarities, and suitability of each program for community college students.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a preference for CCI over SULI, believing it may be less competitive for applicants from community colleges.
  • Another participant asserts that SULI is very competitive and that a year of introductory physics may not be sufficient for a strong application.
  • A participant who interned at Fermilab notes that CCI and SULI students had similar projects and experiences, suggesting minimal differences between the two programs.
  • It is mentioned that students in community college should apply for CCI, as SULI has restrictions on eligibility for those not in university.
  • Details are provided about the application limits for SULI, including the number of times one can participate and apply.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the competitiveness of SULI compared to CCI, with some suggesting that CCI may be more accessible for community college students. The discussion does not reach a consensus on which program is definitively better.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight that the perceived competitiveness and suitability of the programs may depend on individual backgrounds and experiences, as well as the specific requirements for each program.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering summer internship programs in physics, particularly those from community colleges, may find this discussion relevant.

Leah123rose
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Hi everyone! I'm looking into summer programs for physics students. The Department of Energy allows you to apply to only one program and I'm stuck between CCI and SULI. I currently go to community college but will have completed a year of intro physics and math thru ordinary diff eqs by the summer. I'm considering CCI over SULI because I think it may be less competitive. Do you know if there are significant differences in the programs? Is CCI geared towards people who want to go into research?
 
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Leah123rose said:
I'm considering CCI over SULI because I think it may be less competitive.

SULI is very competitive. A year of intro physics is not very competitive for SULI.
 
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At Fermilab (where I was a SULI intern), the CCI and SULI students had very similar projects, were housed together, attended the same seminars, etc. As far as I could tell, there was very little difference.
 
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If I were in community college, then I would apply for CCI. I wish I had known and applied while I was in a community college.

  • You can only participate in SULI two times and apply up to three times. (Reference: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/eligibility/)
  • Students not in community college cannot apply for CCI- you can apply for SULI later if or when you transfer to a university.
  • SULI and CCI interns were indistinguishable without the paperwork- projects were equally interesting and prestigious.
 
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Thanks Dishsoap and Joshy, I will apply for CCI :)
 

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