Who should apply?
Undergraduate students should submit the proposal after discussing and iterating on it with a faculty mentor at their home institution.
How will decisions be made?
Proposals will be evaluated on a competitive basis by the US ATLAS Physics Support Managers and Education and Outreach Coordinators, in consultation with the US ATLAS Operations Management Team. Applications will be assessed in three areas:
- Merit of the research project
- Benefit of the research to US ATLAS
- Benefit of the research experience to the student
Can this program support research at CERN?
No. This program supports research conducted at universities or laboratories within the United States. It does not fund research at CERN.
What is the duration of the project?
Students are required to work for a minimum of 8 weeks. Longer (e.g., summer-long) projects are also encouraged.
When will the research project begin?
Start dates are flexible but typically fall in late May or early June, when students are available to work full-time without academic commitments.
(Note: The symposium is usually held in the first half of August, by which time most students will have completed or nearly completed their projects.)
How will funds be distributed?
Students are required to submit employment documentation through their host institution. (Further details may be provided by the program administrators.)
Are students from non-U.S. institutions eligible?
No. Applicants must be enrolled at a U.S. institution.
Are non-U.S. citizens eligible?
Yes, as long as they are enrolled at a U.S. institution.
Are graduating seniors eligible?
This program is intended for current undergraduates. Students graduating before the summer are not the primary target audience. However, they are not explicitly excluded and may be considered if their application is particularly strong. Note that their graduation status may be a factor in the evaluation process.
What is expected in the final report?
The final report should be approximately three pages and include:
- A summary of the work completed
- Background and significance of the project
- Challenges encountered and how they were addressed
- Future directions for the research
- Clearly labeled plots and tables (with units) are encouraged
Can this funding be combined with other sources?
Yes. Faculty mentors are encouraged to seek additional support from their home institutions or research grants.