Summer research spot without REU at a school with REUs

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the challenges of securing an undergraduate research position at UC Davis during the summer, particularly after missing the REU application deadline. The original poster, a second-year physics major from UC Santa Barbara, seeks advice on the feasibility of reaching out to professors directly for opportunities. Responses indicate that it may be difficult to compete with local UC Davis students, as hiring preferences often favor them. Additionally, there is a suggestion to consider staying at UCSB, which is recognized for its strong physics program. Overall, the conversation highlights the competitive nature of research positions and the importance of local connections in the hiring process.
Andrew774
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I want to find an undergrad research spot at UC Davis over the summer since I'll be in the area; however, I believe I've missed the deadline for summer REU applications. Seeing as Davis gets an influx of undergrad researchers from their REU program, do I have any chance in scoring a spot by just emailing professors? Thanks for any input!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Are you a Davis student?
 
Sorry I should have mentioned that; No I am a UC Santa Barbara 2nd year physics major
 
Then it's going to be hard. Whoever hires you is going to be asked "Why didn't you hire a David undergrad?"
 
Why don't you just stay at UCSB? UCSB is a fantastic physics department ranked in the top ten.
 
Bit Britain-specific but I was wondering, what's the best path to take for A-Levels out of the following (I know Y10 seems a bit early to be thinking about A-levels, but my choice will impact what I do this year/ in y11) I (almost) definitely want to do physics at University - so keep that in mind... The subjects that I'm almost definitely going to take are Maths, Further Maths and Physics, and I'm taking a fast track programme which means that I'll be taking AS computer science at the end...
After a year of thought, I decided to adjust my ratio for applying the US/EU(+UK) schools. I mostly focused on the US schools before, but things are getting complex and I found out that Europe is also a good place to study. I found some institutes that have professors with similar interests. But gaining the information is much harder than US schools (like you have to contact professors in advance etc). For your information, I have B.S. in engineering (low GPA: 3.2/4.0) in Asia - one SCI...
I graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2020. Since there were limited opportunities in my country (mostly teaching), I decided to improve my programming skills and began working in IT, first as a software engineer and later as a quality assurance engineer, where I’ve now spent about 3 years. While this career path has provided financial stability, I’ve realized that my excitement and passion aren’t really there, unlike what I felt when studying or doing research in physics. Working in IT...

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
16
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
29
Views
14K
Back
Top