The University of Michigan Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (CLASP) is currently seeking a highly motivated, diverse and inclusive cohort of undergraduate students to participate in its summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site program entitled: Program in Climate and Space Science Observation (PICASSO). This program has been funded by the National Science Foundation for the past six summers, and we have applied for the renewal of our program for the Summers of 2024-2026.
As part of the PICASSO program, student participants will engage in the following activities while on campus:
- A mentored-guided research project, the goals of which will be designed with the participation of the students themselves
- Peer-mentoring performed by the department’s graduate students/postdoctoral fellows
- A professional development seminar series (responsible research conduct, technical communication, resume preparation, imposter syndrome, and navigating the graduate application process, among other topics)
- Community-building activities, including community service, which will strengthen their relationships within the REU student cohort
- An end-of-program poster fair in which students will present their work to CLASP Department faculty, staff and students
Participating students will receive a $7000 stipend. In addition, the following costs will be covered as part of our program: (1) travel to/from Ann Arbor, (2) room and board during the program, and (3) costs associated with the registration, room and board and travel for the student’s attendance at a professional conference (AMS, AGU, etc.).
IMPORTANT NOTE: National Science Foundation REU programs are funded using a three-year funding cycle. As noted above, the PICASSO REU program recently submitted a renewal proposal in hopes of continuing to offer our program during the Summers of 2024-2026. Given the proposal review cycle, we will likely receive notification in March/April as to whether our proposal has been accepted for funding. Offers to our program will only be extended if we are fortunate enough to be renewed.
What: For more information, students should visit our website at the following location.
Examples of past PICASSO projects can be found at the following location.
When: Our application deadline is February 15, 2024.
Who: This program is open to rising-sophomores, rising juniors and rising-seniors from any academic discipline who are interested in exploring a potential career in the STEM fields of meteorology, climate, and space sciences. Applicants must be either a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or permanent legal resident.
How: This year, we are using the National Science Foundation’s Education Training and Application (ETAP) online portal to accept applications to our program. Students can access the portal by navigating to our opportunity application site: