<p>Hi,
Are there any research programs at MIT for the summer? If I am not a MIT student, can I still do research there over summer? Thanks,,,,,</p>
<p>There are only a few official programs for non-MIT students. The ones I know of:
[url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/gso/admissions/summer.html%5DSummer">http://web.mit.edu/gso/admissions/summer.html]Summer</a> Research Program<a href="for%20underrepresented%20minorities">/url</a>
[url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/biology/www/outreach/college.shtml%5DSummer">http://web.mit.edu/biology/www/outreach/college.shtml]Summer</a> Program in Biology<a href="also%20for%20URMs,%20students%20of%20disadvantaged%20backgrounds">/url</a>
[url=<a href="http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm%5DNSF">http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm]NSF</a> REU<a href="a%20few%20MIT%20sites%20available">/url</a></p>
<p>You could also email MIT professors who are doing research which matches your interests; that's how most MIT undergraduates find lab jobs. Just as a warning, however, some professors may be hesitant to take non-MIT students for the summer when there are plenty of MIT kids around who are willing to do the same work.</p>
<p>It is sad that I discovered all those summer programs so late.
I am an international applicant (from Germany), and all those summer programs do not exist here. I participated, however, in the Stanford Math Camp last summer - it was so great. In retrospect, I would love to do more of these programs. Imagine a program at MIT - great!
Well, I will certainly tell younger people to do so, then. It is a shame that we here in Germany get to know so little about all this...</p>
<p>Well, the programs I mentioned above are all for current undergraduates. (I was under the impression that that's what the OP was asking for?)</p>
<p>I've only heard of high school students doing research over the summer at MIT when they had some connection to the school (child of a professor, child of a lab's administrative assistant).</p>
<p>MIT also hosts the Research Science Institute for high school students (including many international students).</p>
<p>@mollie:</p>
<p>Whoops, sorry - I did not see that. I just read the title and assumed we are talking about high school programs.
I have never heard of RSI before I came across this board. Believe me, you don't get to know it here in Germany - unless you're the son of the director maybe.
Sad, bad true.</p>
<p>Unfortunately not all countries can send students to RSI each year; I believe Germany was represented at some point, but not last year.</p>
<p>(und abless - deine English is unglaublich! ist sie deine Muttersprache, oder hast du sie vor langer Zeit zu lernen angefangen?)</p>
<p>Yes, I contacted the RSI program asking whether Germany was participating. The answer: yes. However, being a senior now I have no possibility to enjoy this opportunity.</p>
<p>(flierdeke: Danke :) - sie ist nicht meine Muttersprache, aber ich spreche schon seit l</p>
<p>Haha, yes, RSI for high school students. How incredibly thick of me.</p>
<p>In my defense, it is exam week and just about the only thing coming out of my brain right now is physical chemistry. :)</p>
<p>yea, i originally was asking about other undergraduates participating in research @ MIT</p>
<p>talk to your own college and see if they have some sort of exchange program worked out, if not for MIT than maybe for someplace else you would enjoy spending the summer.</p>
<p>Sleepybunny, here's a link to one REU, materials, at MIT:
<a href="http://mpc-web.mit.edu/about_mpc/summerscholars.php%5B/url%5D">http://mpc-web.mit.edu/about_mpc/summerscholars.php</a></p>
<p>You will note it is NOT OPEN TO MIT STUDENTS. If you click on the "Available Projects" links for past years, you'll find the home schools and research interests of past participants.</p>
<p>While you're checking out MIT, look into SURE at Stanford, SURF at Caltech, and the Rice Quantum Institute (to name but a few). Here's a link to the NNIN REU hosted at numerous sites: <a href="http://www.nnin.org/nnin_reu.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nnin.org/nnin_reu.html</a></p>
<p>I'm a huge fan of NSF REUs and wish more kids knew about them. Spend some time perusing the link Molliebatmit provided in her post. It would behoove you to get started on your apps NOW, over your break. Be forewarned that REUs are highly competitive, for the most part, with more than a few in the single-digit acceptance range; so you should treat your applications with the respect they deserve ;) . The good news is how many are out there. Apply to lots of them: There's no application fee!</p>
<p>Many REU sites encourage applications from students who are under-represented in the tech fields and/or attend LACs. They will train you how to research, how to write for a scientific audience, and how to present. You will get experience collaborating. And REUs offer more than research. They're complete programs with professional seminars and weekend recreational excursions. (And you get paid to do this; can you believe it!?) </p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>wow, thanks a lot for the info!</p>
<p>Yea, I have been looking at them lately, and they all seem pretty interesting. </p>
<p>If they do accept you, do they expect you to know how to research right away going in or will they teach you?</p>
<p>Think of the program as having two parts. </p>
<p>Part one is the experience researching. Depending on the site and the research, you may work either one-on-one with a prof and collaborators or as part of a team that includes other UGs, grad students, postdocs, and the PI (principal investigator, the prof). Once you're accepted to a program, you might get to choose your project or you might get chosen based on your interests and background. They will teach you what you need to know/do to work on the project. This might involve bringing yourself "up to speed" at the beginning on the current literature (journals) in the field.</p>
<p>Part two is the seminar program/presentations for the participants. These might be informal talks by other profs about their research, information on the grad school application process, tips on how to give a presentation, etc. Usually the students present about-10-minute talks every few weeks or so in small group about the progress of their projects. At the end of the project, the students write the "nuggets" (abstracts) which briefly detail the research problem, methodology, and findings.</p>