- #1
Square47
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My school has a neat internship program where they will pay a stipend for the summer if you can find an "internship" somewhere related to your career goals.
The nice thing is that it doesn't even have to be a real internship--all that you need is some place willing to let you work for them. Its sort of a make-your-own internship thing, and it means free help for who ever will take you.
Part of the reason my school does this is that its a really quirky, small liberal arts school with an all required curriculum. There's only one degree, liberal arts, and there aren't any electives. The school presents it as an opportunity to get some real career experience, since more than likely, your degree won't have much to do with your profession if you graduate from here.
Now, I'm intending to get into astrophysics, and if I could snag some kind of research assistant position at an observatory with this program, I'd get to try this out, and have a strong addition to my grad school application.
I shouldn't have too much of a problem actually getting the money because not many students are interested in going into the sciences, and the school loves diversity. I might have some problems finding someplace who would be willing to take me in. So I have a couple of questions:
Any advice on how to approach an observatory and explain this rather peculiar proposition?
I figure I'd have a better shot if I ask a small observatory, especially one that doesn't have an REU program, that nevertheless does research. Anybody know of a place like that, or how I might find them?
It wouldn't be as helpful, but what about planetariums? Obviously not research, but could I find something valuable there?
If anyone knows of a particular place that would be down for this sort of thing, I'd love to hear about it. Also, if you a know anything about St. John's College, Santa Fe, I'd love to ask some stuff about that bag of worms.
Much appreciated.
The nice thing is that it doesn't even have to be a real internship--all that you need is some place willing to let you work for them. Its sort of a make-your-own internship thing, and it means free help for who ever will take you.
Part of the reason my school does this is that its a really quirky, small liberal arts school with an all required curriculum. There's only one degree, liberal arts, and there aren't any electives. The school presents it as an opportunity to get some real career experience, since more than likely, your degree won't have much to do with your profession if you graduate from here.
Now, I'm intending to get into astrophysics, and if I could snag some kind of research assistant position at an observatory with this program, I'd get to try this out, and have a strong addition to my grad school application.
I shouldn't have too much of a problem actually getting the money because not many students are interested in going into the sciences, and the school loves diversity. I might have some problems finding someplace who would be willing to take me in. So I have a couple of questions:
Any advice on how to approach an observatory and explain this rather peculiar proposition?
I figure I'd have a better shot if I ask a small observatory, especially one that doesn't have an REU program, that nevertheless does research. Anybody know of a place like that, or how I might find them?
It wouldn't be as helpful, but what about planetariums? Obviously not research, but could I find something valuable there?
If anyone knows of a particular place that would be down for this sort of thing, I'd love to hear about it. Also, if you a know anything about St. John's College, Santa Fe, I'd love to ask some stuff about that bag of worms.
Much appreciated.