SETI Institute's Astrobiology REU

Opportunity Description:

The SETI Institute (www.seti.org), a non-profit private, scientific research institution located in California’s Silicon Valley, invites you to apply for a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program for highly motivated students who are interested in research related to astronomy, astrobiology, and planetary science. You will work with scientists at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center. Research topics span the field of astrobiology, from microbiology to planetary geology to observational astronomy.

The program includes a week-long field trip to Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory in Northern California, and to nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park. At Hat Creek, students will engage in a collaborative radio astronomy project focused on the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array. At Lassen, a field experience studying hydrothermal systems will give students an opportunity to consider habitability and other topics in astrobiology.

Students will also participate in local field trips to places such as historic Lick Observatory, the NASA Ames Wind Tunnel facility, and other nearby locations of scientific interest. They will attend seminars, lectures, and discussions on astronomy, astrobiology, and planetary science. Students will live in dormitory housing at nearby NASA Ames Research Center. At the end of the summer, students will give presentations on their research projects, and many will be funded to present their research at various national scientific conferences.

Two main research areas will be emphasized, with projects including:

• Astronomy and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), including but not limited to:
  • Planetary formation
  • SETI and radio astronomy
  • Extrasolar planets

• Planetary Science and the Search for Life in the Solar System, including but not limited to:
  • Saturn’s rings
  • Mars geomorphology and spectroscopy
  • Survival of microbes under extreme conditions

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Undergraduate student
• Has completed freshman year before the summer of the internship
• Will still be an undergraduate during the fall term following the summer of the internship
• U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident (i.e., green card)
• Ready to devote yourself full-time to a 10-week summer internship at the SETI Institute.

Application Process: 

To apply, fill out the application form, including personal statement descriptions of your experience, contact information for two people who will provide recommendations, and indication of the mentors and projects within the program that are of interest to you.

Upload your academic transcripts from all undergraduate institutions that you have attended. Please do not upload password-protected documents.

Please note that those submitting letters of recommendation on your behalf must upload their letters themselves.