APS/IBM Research Internship for Undergraduate Women

The American Physical Society and IBM co-sponsor a research internship program for undergraduate women. The goal is to encourage women students to pursue graduate studies in science and engineering.

Award

The internships are salaried positions typically 10 weeks long at one of three IBM research locations (San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, or Yorktown Heights, NY), and include in addition a $2,500 grant, plus the opportunity to work with an IBM mentor. The Watson lab has a full range of research, as does the Almaden lab, and the Austin lab focuses on software and systems. Research areas of the internship are individually chosen so as to optimize the match between the skills and interests of the student, and the ongoing research programs of the laboratory. Read more information about the sites and their research:

IBM Research
Almaden Research Center
Watson Research Center
Austin Research Laboratory

The starting and ending dates are chosen so as not to conflict with the student's school schedule. Assistance in finding and renting housing will be provided. Applications for summer 2008 will be due February 1, 2008, and notification of results will begin in early April.

  Find more information in Frequently Asked Questions.

Eligibility

• Must be female with sophomore or junior standing at a US college or university at the time of application
  
• Must be majoring in chemistry, physics, materials science or engineering, computer science or engineering, chemical, electrical, mechanical engineering
  
• Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
  
• No citizenship restriction.
  

Selection Procedure

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee at IBM/Almaden and selected based on their commitment to and interest in their major field of study.

Application Procedure

The application process consists of an online application, which is submitted through an IBM server; two letters of recommendation, which are to be emailed directly from the recommenders to the internship chair; and a paper supplement (official transcript), which is submitted to IBM via postal mail.

The online application requires:

• Completing the student application form (on the IBM server)
• Uploading your Essay (250 words) describing your interest in research and how this opportunity would advance your goals.
• Uploading your Resume (1-3 pages)
• Uploading a page listing all of your college technical courses (math, science, computer science, engineering) with the school year in which they were taken and the grades awarded

Acceptable formats for the essay, resume, and course list are PDF, PostScript, and Microsoft Word.

If you have any problem submitting your application electronically, please use your "back" button to return to the application and try again; if after at most three such tries you still have difficulties, please e-mail Barbara Jones at bajones@almaden.ibm.com as soon as possible.

Additional Information (required)

• Two letters of recommendation sent by e-mail to IBM at apsibmin@us.ibm.com. At least one letter must come from a faculty member at your current college/ university, preferably in a field related to your major.
• Official copy of your transcript, including fall semester 2007 grades, sent directly by US mail to IBM. 

  Dr. Barbara A. Jones
  Chair, APS/IBM Research Internship for Women
  Dept. GFBA/D01
  IBM Almaden Research Center
  650 Harry Road
  San Jose, CA 95120-6099

Applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2008

Please do not contact APS about the status of your application.  Questions about the program should be directed to Barbara Jones at bajones@almaden.ibm.com