Research experience Definition and 72 Threads

I am a second year undergrad pursuing Physics and my primary question is when looking for work (internships, research work, etc.) is it recommended to apply for formal programs and fellowships (say research fellowships, summer/winter schools at good institutions, etc.) as opposed to say reaching...

Alright so here's the deal: I graduated recently (spring '23) from Ohio State University with a BS in physics. I graduated with honors and magna cum laude (3.8 ish gpa). I took the general GRE and got 162 verbal, 165 quant, and 4.5 writing. I spent some time in a master program to pursue...

I'm a physics undergrad student in Brazil and I'm about to finish my sophmore year. I'm really interested in computational and theoretical physics and I'm currently in the beginning of this year long research project with a professor in my university on the study of the 3+1 spacetime split of...

Hello, and thanks so much in advance for any advice. I’m currently a third year physics undergraduate student who’s looking for what programs I should apply to for my PhD. I’m not sure I should bother applying for anything top 20 but wanted to get a second opinion on my applications...

Hi my name is Idan. I plan to study for a physics Bachelor at Israel, my homeland. although is way too early I'd like to proceed towards higher education as well, particularly in the US. The problem is that in Israel there is no physics internships and research projects offered for students at...

Due to not having any money after financial aid this semester (also covid, no job, etc.) I don't have money to afford to take the physics GRE. I do however work in a lab as a research assistant and have research experience. I'd like to get into a school for astrophysics potentially. Any...

I received a bachelors degree in physics in 2018 . Due to circumstances out of my control , I did not learn as much physics and math as I should have. My grades were very mediocre , but I realized later that I was being pushed through the system because I was a first generation minority student...

Hi, I am a physics major in my second year . So far, i did not do any research and with the current Coronavirus situation, getting into a research program in my university is unlikely (since most of them are experimental). I had some questions about the research experience of graduate school...

Hi everyone, I am a final-year undergraduate in Physics. I actually created this account purely to ask for some advice. I have been considering pursuing a physics PhD ever since my first year, but my current experience in my final-year project (FYP) has been difficult and I'm wondering if this...

I'm currently studying in a Canadian University(SFU). I've come to notice that the astronomy/physics portion here is lacking. There are a few astrophyics/cosmology research teams but they are small and encompass a few graduate students. I'm a first year, I really want to get involved in research...

Hi all, I am a coming Year 4 Student majoring in physics in Asia. I started to think about my career path in the coming year, one thing for sure is that I would definitely go for a M.Phil Degree in my school that I am studying at right now. I have been thinking to go for PhD at oversea, such as...

So I am about to switch to mathematics, as I absolutely adore pure mathematics as well as applied mathematics and I cannot stand learning mathematics without going deep into rigor of it for now(I am aware however that at times one just has to quickly learn sth to proceed with a project). But in...

I’m starting my undergraduate physics degree next semester but I really like to study different fields on my own without any external motivation or obligation related to school. As I want to be a theoretical physicist I think this is something that I really have to be good at, because I imagine...

I'm trying to write an 1800 character (including spaces) essay that describes my previous research experience and contribution. I'm using a GRF previous research experience document as a guide line but I think it's impossible to include all of that into 1800 characters. I have provided a link...

I'm wanted to go into theoretical astrophysics/cosmology in grad school, and I'm look for schools that will look very good to graduate admissions, and that will give me a great preparation. New College seems to have exceptional results in sending students to top grad schools according to their...

I'm a domestic student planning on applying to PhD programs in physics this fall but I am concerned with my lack of research experience. I realize this is an odd position to be in but I'm deeply interested in physics and think I'm an otherwise good candidate for graduate study. I'm interested in...

I will be attending a university in this fall, and I have decided to double major in physics and mathematics. However what haunts me most is the very idea of research. I am supposed to be publishing something new in 4 years both in mathematics and physics for completion of my course. But I can't...

My school doesn't really offer research opportunities for undergrad level. so i lack experience. being a senior student now, I spoke to a professor and arranged a year in his lab starting next semester. but i am afraid that won't be too much. Already handled my toefl, i am confident i will do...

Should I include my no-result "research experience" into my personal statement for graduate physics school? My undergrad research experience is basely: 1.) My professor suggested a field - dark matter - to me. (Back then, he was working on mostly Earth science observations, so I did...

Hello all, I've recently recovered from a long spell of extreme underachievement in undergrad, having nearly been suspended, due to depression from a variety of factors. This past semester I performed significantly better by rediscovering my love of physics and taking advantage of resources...

Quick background: I'm currently a junior (grade 11) in high school who is intending to major in math and/or physics in college. Recently, I had a conversation with a college counselor that turned to my interests in math and physics, including my independent studying of the subjects. The...

Currently I am at the University of Texas at Arlington where I am studying the physical and chemical properties of supernova remnants to figure out the state of its progenitor star. Now, I was thinking of going someplace else to research for the summer, not because I am not interested in the...

How detailed should the research experience be? For example, are things like "I developed a C algorithm to help the process of XXX?" worth mentioning? Or should this go to the Curriculum Vitae? Thank you!:woot:

I am not sure if I can write the ps in the form of a story-telling of how I became interested in the graduate field of study, which naturally talks about my research/other experience in the chronological order, or directly jump straight into chunks of paragraphs (of course with transitioning...

I'm an international student in the US (UT Arlington) and I someone suggested that I should get some research experience outside during the winter. Is it possible? I'll definitely try getting it at my university, but out of curiosity, is it possible to get some experience in other universities...

So, my university has finally started. I hope to become an Astrophysicist one day and I plan to work as hard as possible to make sure that I do so in a decent place. For the first semester, I couldn't get any Physics classes as they were full, but it's all right since I'm able to cross off the...

So I want to write a research paper and publish it before I complete my engineering degree this year. I have selected the topic which is "Analysis of the voltage regulation of Self excited induction generator using STATCOM". I have collected all the resources required and am also doing research...

I'm a freshman at UT Arlington and I will get my undergraduate degree in Physics from that university. Now, I am sure that I want to pursue Physics, but not quite sure of the sub-field. I lean towards Astronomy a lot, and I will probably end up doing that. The problem is that my university...

I have a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from a good university in India. I studied physics in Senior Secondary(10+1,10+2). But I have no individual research experience in physics at bachelors level because in the engineering college we had no choice of major/minor subjects like they...

I'm currently in my third year of undergraduate Physics, and plan to graduate at the end of my fifth year (since I'm doing CO-OP). I'm starting to think about grad schools, one element of which is my faculty recommendations. I worked in a well known scientist's lab in my first year, first...

Hi there, I'm a junior in undergrad, and so far I've had a summer of research experience at an REU, just started research at my current school in December, and am doing another REU this summer. I'm a transfer student and at my previous school there were literally no research opportunities...

Hello everyone, So my university opened some Summer Research Opportunities for Undergraduates and part of the application requires a motivation letter. Here is what I wrote, I'm open to any suggestions or improvements, Thanks in advance!Respected Sir/Madam, I was very excited when I learned...

Hello! I've been reading this forum for a while now, and while I see many threads asking about similar questions as I am, I still cannot get answers to some of my questions. So I hope to get some advice here on PF. I am very interested in pursuing a career in Physics, but I don't have any...

Hello, I am currently a Junior at an average state university with a not particularly well known math department. I'm pretty set on pursuing a Phd in math (my interests lie primarily in numerical analysis and PDE's), and would like advice on which programs would be realistic to apply to...

hi everyone, so i am an undergrad who is graduating with a physics degree in less than two months. i dropped the ball by not being more active in my department's colloquia / student society / etc. and have not been able to get any research experience outside of lab courses (which don't count...

I'm a high school freshman who's been interested in higher mathematics for an embarrassingly long time, but hadn't been exposed to resources for self-study until the 8th grade. I'm currently reviewing mathematics from previous years in order to prepare to start AP Calculus AB in the coming...

Hello, I’m doing my first year of bachelor degree in physics in Italy and I would really like to get some research experience before my third year. Do you know any (international) summer research opportunity for a physics student who completed his first or second year of studies? I would be ok...

Dear Physics Forum advisers, I am a rising college junior (five-years tract) with a major in mathematics and an aspiring mathematician in the fields of theoretical computing and cryptography. I apologize for this sudden interruption but I wrote this email to seek your advice on the impact of...

I've been reading many of these forums regarding students with low GPAs, or low GRE scores, etc., but I am in a slightly different situation. I am about to head into my senior year of undergrad and will receive a physics BS and an applied math BS. My GPA isn't much better than a 3.0, which it...

Fall internships for undergraduates? I have myself in quite the pickle. I'm entering my senior year of college pursuing a BS in Physics and a minor in Math. I go to a small university near LA. I was just offered a paid internship across the country by NASA for this upcoming fall. Of course I...

Hi all again. I had received very good advice from my previous posts on PhysicsForum. Those advices certainly have helped me to navigate through all the confusions I have for my future career path. So I really appreciate the help from all of you. As I become more informed, I have more specific...

Dear Physics Forum friends, I am a college sophomore in US with double majors in mathematics and microbiology. My algorithmic biology research got me passionate about the number theory and analysis, and I have been pursuing a mathematics major starting on this Spring semester. I have been...

Hello all, just a quick question. In terms of gaining research experience for applying to physics grad school, does the research experience necessarily have to be in a lab? Would only independent research (but supervised) be worse than actually lab experience? Thanks for your input, Brian

Hey there, I'm a junior in undergrad and I'll be applying to grad school next fall. I have a 4.0 and very good letters of recommendation, but other than a sub-par GRE score, my main dilemma is research experience. Here is the research experience I have: 3 years, 3 papers in AMO/QFT (pair...

Just finished freshmen year of university, and I would really like to have some research experience at one point before graduation. Well, I should not have much problem getting into my school's research lab since professors here are always asking us to consider joining their lab. And I would...

Greetings, fellow PFers. I'll begin by saying that I'm looking for a few internships for people with research experience. I'm applying to a few REUs just in case, however I hear that they are geared more for people with few research opportunities at their home university, and that isn't the...

So, I've been in community college for a year now and my original plan was to get out of here in 2 years as fast as I could. Tonight, I just met with a part time professor here and I have the opportunity to take part in some research with him and another student (or 2). This honestly sounds too...

Hello all, I'm interested in any advice anyone can offer me. I graduated with a BSEE a few years ago and then worked in an electronics role for a little over a year. I saved enough money while working to quit my job, travel for awhile, and ponder my future. Even while working, I felt the pull...

Hi, I'm two years away from graduating with a bachelors and I am planning to apply to grad school. I know that research experience is important, but I haven't had any opportunities play out until now. I got offered a research assistant position, but the research is not on science. It is...

Hi, I thought about what I wanted to ask and decided to rewrite my question more concisely. Has anyone had any experience with an applicant to physics grad school, who applied in a field almost totally unrelated to his undergrad research? Particularly, in applying to high-end schools? Any...