STScI Space Astronomy Summer Program
Opportunity Description:
Each summer, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) employs about a dozen highly motivated college students for the Space Astronomy Summer Program (SASP) to work individually with STScI researchers and staff on projects that include data reduction and interpretation, software development, software engineering, instrument calibration and support, scientific writing, and public outreach. STScI is a premier astronomical research institution, and our scientific staff of astronomers, scientists, analysts, and engineers is at the forefront of some of the most exciting astronomy going on today, including the study of our own solar system, the structure of the Milky Way, the composition of near and distant galaxies, and dark energy.
Our competitive program is primarily open to upper-division undergraduates with a strong interest in space-based astronomy, engineering, or public outreach (other candidates may be considered on an individual basis). In addition to hands-on projects, students are matched with a mentor and attend a variety of lectures. Students receive a stipend, housing assistance, and travel reimbursement. [Housing and travel reimbursements do not apply for the 2022 Virtual SASP.]
We proudly partner with the National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) to provide research opportunities to women and underrepresented minorities in astronomy-enterprise areas, and other STEM fields.
In previous years, the students have been brought to the STScI campus in Baltimore, Maryland, to work directly with their mentors. Taking the continuing global coronavirus pandemic into account, all of the 2022 SASP interns will work virtually with their mentors. All SASP virtual interns must be physically residing in the US or its territories for the duration of their employment.
Types of Opportunities
Astrophysics Research Projects: Students will have the opportunity to contribute to our astronomers and scientists’ research through statistical analysis and physical interpretation of astronomical data, coding, or the application of other skills. Specific topics change year to year based on the selection of mentors, but may center on solar system objects, extrasolar planets, stars and stellar populations, galaxies and the intergalactic medium, cosmology, and black holes.
Engineering Projects: STScI staff members work with astronomers who use the space telescopes, and in calibrating and archiving their data for the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST), one of the first and biggest archives for astronomical data. Students may work with physicists and mechanical engineers on instrumentation and testing; software engineers and computer scientists on internal and external software tools; flight operations staff on the creation and testing of scripts to operate the science instruments onboard the telescopes; or scientists to analyze large volumes of data.
Instrumentation Projects: Students will be part of a team that prepares raw data from the Hubble or James Webb Space Telescopes for scientific analysis. Each scientific instrument (e.g., cameras and spectrographs) has a team of scientists, analysts, and engineers who calibrate and characterize the raw data from their instruments. Interns can gain a deep understanding of how instruments onboard a space telescope are operated and how to process the resulting data to enable precise scientific measurements.
Public Outreach Projects: STScI brings the science and wonder of NASA observatories (including the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes) to the world in the form of news, outreach, and informal education products. Public outreach roles include helping with image processing, science writing, astronomical artwork, video production; the development of citizen science projects, Google Sky, and iOS applications; and contributing to applications for the astronomical community.
Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements:
The Space Astronomy Summer Program primarily serves college undergraduates from the U.S. and other countries between their junior and senior years. We also accept exceptional undergraduate students in earlier years and beginning graduate students. If you think you would benefit from our program, we encourage you to apply.
Nine to 10 weeks is a short time to complete a project. We have found that students who have a strong background in astronomy, mathematics, and/or physics; hands-on experience with astronomical data and analysis; research experience; the ability to work independently; confidence in their limits; and are not afraid to ask for help are the most successful. However, none of these qualities or skills is a requirement.
As we review applications, we are looking for bright, motivated individuals who can take full advantage of this unique opportunity.
Application Process:
Please review the application information here.
The selection process takes approximately six weeks. In addition to assessing applicants, we also match their skills and interests to the available projects and supervisors. You will not be able to review the status of your application during our review process. Please be patient. If your question is urgent, please contact saspinfo@stsci.edu.
We contact candidates based on the email address listed in the application; please monitor that account. Please accept or decline our offer by the deadline listed, which is approximately five business days after we send the letter at the beginning of March.
If you accept, a member of our Human Resources department will ask you to send additional information and then begin working with you to coordinate your visa if needed. [Interns, even those working virtually, must be physically residing in and legally eligible to work in the U.S.] This staff will also answer any additional questions you may have and put you in contact with your project mentor.
Each year we receive hundreds of complete applications like yours and the majority of them are very good. There is simply more demand for the opportunities we offer than we can supply. If you are not accepted, we encourage you to consider applying again next year.