Summer Physics Placements UK - Too Late in Year?

[ergospherical]

Where do I look for Summer placements [UK based] that are vaguely related to my degree [physics]? As it stands I'm going to spend the next two and a half months in Tesco if I can't find anything, which is fine but probably won't count for much in the future. Is it too late by this point in the year? Thanks!

 

[fresh_42]

I'm going to spend the next two and a half months in Tesco if I can't find anything, which is fine but probably won't count for much in the future.

I wouldn't underestimate those experiences. I drove a forklift during summer and learned a lot, that universities can't teach you. And, of course, it was fun.

 

[Dale]

Realistically it probably is late to get a summer internship this year. However, if any are still open they are likely to not be “picky” at this point. Most will have been filled or closed by now.

 

[fresh_42]

Not sure if it is still the case, but the English "Silicon Valley" used to be around Reading and Basingstoke.

 

[hutchphd]

Your best bet is small companies where HR will not take a month for processing. Are their places in the UK where there are clusters? Just see if you can get a foot in the door (informational interview etc). Of course they will not have much money...but it might be fun, and you meet good folks.

 

[Choppy]

I'm not sure about the UK system, but in North America if you're looking for something research related for the summer, you should start looking during the fall academic semester of the preceding year. Many such positions are funded externally, and so as a student with your potential supervisor you submit a request for funding and this takes time to write up, get processed, and for decisions to be made. As a student you should keep a calendar of such application deadlines.

I realize none of this helps you now. We're coming up on July. Even if you were to be hired into something technical this week, it would likely take you a couple months just to get up to speed. At this point the game is largely "take what you can get" and try to maximize what you can earn over the summer.

And as others have said, sometimes the skills you pick up and develop in those seemingly unrelated jobs can pay dividends down the road.

 

[fresh_42]

Considering your talent, I would, by all means, try to get to Geneva. I know that they have programs there, but not who pays whom. Nevertheless, I think you should keep this in mind and plan it in time.

 

[ergospherical]

I would, by all means, try to get to Geneva. I know that they have programs there, but not who pays whom. Nevertheless, I think you should keep this in mind and plan it in time.

Hang on, that sounds a bit random - what's in Geneva? Although Switzerland does appear to be a very fun country

 

[fresh_42]

Hang on, that sounds a bit random - what's in Geneva?

My dream. I want to cash in the electricity bill of a year once.

 

[Dale]

Are these just things you find on Google? In second and third year I know you can apply for internships via the university itself, but this year I don't think that's viable [and it'd be too late anyway ]

You can go through your university, but if you know any of the companies in an industry that interests you then going directly to the company can be more helpful. Particularly if it is a small company or if you have a personal connection at a big company

 

[Twigg]

Are any of your university profs doing research? Even if it's lab research (perish the thought ),you'll learn stuff! You would probably be working for free since it's already so late, but, if you can afford it, it will get you a shoe in the door and you will learn some things. Also nothing to say you can't do part time at Tesco and part time at the lab to balance your expenses.

 

[ergospherical]

Lab work would be great, actually! Even if it's still sort of mundane stuff. With this year being 95% online I've only met a handful of academics; of those, it could definitely be worth speaking to my physics supervisor to see if he knows of anything. Think his field is astrophysics...

 

[Vanadium 50]

Realistically it probably is late to get a summer internship this year.

I agree.

However, if any are still open they are likely to not be “picky” at this point.

I'm not so sure. In years when I took on someone for the summer, if they haven't started by now, I would have made other plans. Besides, with 1/2 and probably 1/2 of the summer gone, by the time he's been taught enough to be useful, the summer will be over.

I would not take on any student whose goal is to "Sweeten their CV". If they don't want to be here but only want to check some boxes, they are free to find someone else's lab. That goes double for waiting until mid-summer.

 

[Dale]

I would have made other plans.

Me too. But that is covered in the "if any are still open" clause. Even if I had not filled a slot by this time it would not be open. I would have moved on to different plans and closed the requisition with my HR department.

I imagine that someone who had not moved on to different plans would want to move forward pretty urgently, but that is just imagination on my part, not experience.

 

[ergospherical]

Woo I'm becoming a trainee barista from Wednesday, however I never drink coffee. This should go well

 

[hutchphd]

Remember, the customer is always right..!

 

[fresh_42]

Woo I'm becoming a trainee barista from Wednesday, however I never drink coffee. This should go well

Sounds a bit like a joke: Someone came in a coffee shop in Rome and ordered an Earl Grey. ...

 

[ergospherical]

Remember, the customer is always right..!

What if the customer says that there exist spherically symmetric solutions to the field equations where the exterior solution isn't given by the Schwarzschild metric?

 

[hutchphd]

You should ask her
if she wants double espresso and smile ingenuously

 

[Ibix]

What if the customer says that there exist spherically symmetric solutions to the field equations where the exterior solution isn't given by the Schwarzschild metric?

Offer 'em the coffee free if they can provide a demonstration.

 

[ergospherical]

Offer 'em the coffee free if they can provide a demonstration.

Might take 'em a while...

 

[Ibix]

You pay in advance, so they don't get their free coffee until they do it...

 

[hutchphd]

Might require more of your expensive blend to work it out...just like salted peanuts in the bar.

 

[Twigg]

Where I'm from, if you held up a line at a Starbucks during the morning rush for a reason like that, I'm pretty sure you'd be inciting a riot.

 

[Ibix]

Where I'm from, if you held up a line at a Starbucks during the morning rush for a reason like that, I'm pretty sure you'd be inciting a riot.

I'd blame time dilation.

 

[fresh_42]

I'd blame time dilation.

That would backfire! It would mean that the standing Q is faster than the service ...

 

[bob012345]

Hang on, that sounds a bit random - what's in Geneva? Although Switzerland does appear to be a very fun country

You had me conCERNed for a bit...

 

[LCSphysicist]

Woo I'm becoming a trainee barista from Wednesday, however I never drink coffee. This should go well

Do you will start a job at Wednesday? In UK? I mean, right in the day that england will play! The bar will go crazy! And tomorrow my guess is to spain.
BTW as a Brazillian i am cheering for England!...
They eliminated germany...
Still hurts

 

[ergospherical]

Still hurts

Haha, yeah in that game you got to experience what it's like to be an England fan. ... that summer peaked for us at precisely this moment

from the way people reacted you'd have thought we won the entire cup

 

[bob012345]

Haha, yeah in that game you got to experience what it's like to be an England fan. ... that summer peaked for us at precisely this moment

from the way people reacted you'd have thought we won the entire cup

This is the only sport where players tackle each other after scoring and not before.