Summer 2024
Update 3/27/24: The selection process for the NWC REU program is now complete; the AI2ES group is still determining their selections. We received 127 applications for our 14 positions. Thanks to all our applicants for applying and we wish you all the best. If your expected graduation is December 2025 or later, please consider applying again next year.
Update 3/14/24: Between our program and the AI2ES group, we will continue to finalize selection through next week.
Update 3/13/24: Our selection committee met today and we are beginning the process of determining the initial offers. We are also finalizing the projects that will be available this summer: Project Proposals for 2024
Update 3/11/24: Our selection committee will meet on Wednesday, March 13.
Update 2/8/24: We have now sent all requests for transcripts. If you did not receive one, please check your junk folder.
Update 2/7/24: If you found our program too late to apply, please look over other REU opportunities: NSF's listing of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences and Northwestern's Community Sourced Diretory
Update 1/31/24: Thank you so much for your interest in our program! We are busy this week with the American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting, so please do not worry if you do not receive a prompt request for your transcripts. We will catch up with all of those requests during the week of February 5.
Update 1/30/24: The application deadline is coming up fast! Make sure to complete the application portion by Sunday, February 4, 11:59pm Central Time. We will then be in contact during the following week about uploading the supplementary materials.
Update 12/21/23: We have our first project description on the 2024 Project Proposals page.
Update 12/15/23: The 2024 application is now online!
We will continue to offer a remote option and hope this encourages caregivers, students with disabilities that make commuting or working in offices difficult, or students who need to remain near family to apply. Keep in mind that REU is a commitment of time like a full-time job (e.g., 40 hrs/week). We will work with you on how we schedule program activities and pair you with a mentor who can accommodate flexible hours and different U.S. time zones, within reason.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be:
- Pursuing an undergraduate degree
- Graduating no sooner than December after the summer they participate*
- A U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the U.S.
*Students who are graduating from a 2-year degree program are eligible to participate so long as they are enrolled in and will start the remaining portion of a 4-year degree in the fall after their summer participation.
Program details:
The 2024 program will likely run from May 22 - July 31. Travel days would be Tuesday, May 21, and Thursday, August 1.
- You receive a stipend: $6,000. These funds are distributed at the end of May, June, July, in proportion to how many weeks of the program occurred in that month.
- **The $6,000 stipend is considered a scholarship / fellowship and should be self-reported on your taxes.**
- You also receive some subsistence: $600. This helps with food costs in first month.
- Travel to/from Norman: up to $600.
- National Conference Travel: up to $1,500.
- We provide housing: in modern, furnished campus apartments, likely in OU's Cross Village. In that complex, each student has a private, locking bedroom in 4bed/2bath apartments. Other housing options are available when needed. Costs for certain situations could fall to the participant, such as costs related to housing for family members because family member accommodation is not an allowable expense on our funding.
- If the program is virtual, some funds from travel and housing will be provided to each student to help support their remote participation.
Project descriptions are being gathered and listed here: Project Proposals for 2024. To get an idea of the breadth of topics this REU may have in 2024, please refer to this list from last year: Project Proposals for 2023
*Students at schools on quarter systems will be accommodated.
About the Application:
2 parts:
- The application (found at the link below, but read all of this before starting it)
- Your college/university transcripts. These will be requested after your application is submitted.
Applications will be due by Sunday, February 4, 2024, by 11:59pm Central Time.
Application items to prepare ahead of time:
- Think over and write your essays
- Make a list of your work, internship, extra-curricular, care-taking, or other experiences along with responsibilities or skills gained
- This is information that might be included in a resume
- Example: Grocery Store Cashier: learned how to communicate effectively with customers, management, and other staff; organized groceries appropriately into bags
- Example: Roller Derby Athlete: learned how to work as a group to accomplish goals, how to leverage others' strengths with my own for the better of the team, and how to work with people at different skill levels
- Example: Care-taking: primary responsibility for my 10-year old sibling until parents were home, making sure that they completed homework on time, driving my them to athletic/club/activities
- Calcluate your in-major GPA
We recommend that you prepare to write the essay questions by:
- Taking a look at our video (above),
- Looking over past year's projects to get an idea of the range of research projects and how much you'd learn over the summer (e.g., go to each past year and click on either "Students & Mentors" or "Projects": 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, etc.)
- Note that NONE of the projects involve storm chasing,
- and click around through the web sites of our partner organizations, and, as they are posted, to help you figure out what interests you the most.
- Impact You Wish to Have in Your Future Career: What interests you most about applying your background to career in weather or climate? [aim for about 250 words; the form will limit your answer to 2,000 characters]
- This might include social, cultural, familial, educational experiences.
- Impact of Participation on Your Career Goals: Why do you want to participate in a research internship at the National Weather Center and its partner organizations? [aim for about 250 words; the form will limit your answer to 2,000 characters]
- This essay should be personal to you. How would participating in this program help prepare you for the careers you are currently considering?
- Your Impact on Your Peers and the Scientific Community: The NWC REU aims to be an inclusive program dedicated to supporting and enhancing the diversity of future scientific communities. Please describe how you will impact this REU program and the broader scientific community. [aim for about 250 words; the form will limit your answer to 2,000 characters]
*Note: Our partner organizations list has been built over the past 20-some years. In any one year the list is shorter, based on individual scientists' ability to mentor in that year.
Link to Application: When you have all the above prepared and ready to go, and have at least 20-30 minutes to work on this (even with your answers prepared it will take some time to enter all your information).
The application period closed Sunday, February 4, 2024, at 11:59pm Central Time! Thank you for your interest in our program.
Things to keep in mind:
- NSF requests that REU sites select at least half of their participants from schools where research opportunities are limited, and that includes 2-year colleges.
- University, college, and community college students interested in a weather-related research career are encouraged to apply.
- Aspiring science teachers are encouraged to apply.
- Applications from women and minorities are particularly encouraged.
Also of note: NSF funds many REUs, and you can apply to more than one. To find other programs, select one of the disciplinary areas (we're listed under Atmospheric Science) or search with keywords here: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp.
You can find all the Atmospheric and Geospace Science REUs listed https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=10020.
NOAA has a long list of student opportunties here: https://www.noaa.gov/education/opportunities/student-opportunities
Please check the FAQ before writing or calling!
Program Contacts: Mx. Alex Marmo (they/them), and Dr. Daphne LaDue (she/her)
All institutions of the National Weather Center and partner organizations are equal opportunity employers.