Research work for Carleton students is available. During the academic year students can arrange to do research through Special Project (P/A-356) courses. Special Projects are individual projects in experimental, theoretical, or computational physics and astronomy or observational astronomy. Available projects are often related to faculty research interests or to the development of course-supported materials, such as new laboratory exercises. For more information on this year's special project topics click here.

During the summer the faculty in the Physics & Astronomy Department offer research opportunities for undergraduate colleagues. Note that these summer research positions are only made available to Carleton students. A summer stipend is paid to the undergraduate research colleague at the college's going rate for a ten-week period. These stipends are funded through individual grants that the faculty have obtained to carry out their research or through general grants made to the college that support student-faculty research such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant.

During the Summer of 2009 a limited number of research positions will be available. Information on the positions for can be found here.

To apply for a position students should talk to the professor with whom they wish to work by February 15. At a minimum, students will be required to do a special project with the professor during spring term. Some professors require more than one term of acedemic year research and therefore identify there summer hires early in the acedemic year.