CUWiP
Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics
APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP)

CUWiP FAQs

COVID-19 Disclaimer

Some sites may require that you are vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated or do not wish to disclose your status, please contact the CUWiP team.

About

What is CUWiP?

The APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) are three-day regional conferences for undergraduate physics majors.

The primary goal of the CUWiP conference is to help undergraduate women continue in physics by providing them with the opportunity to experience a professional conference, information about graduate school and professions in physics, and access to other women in physics of all ages with whom they can share experiences, advice, and ideas.

The typical CUWiP program includes research talks, panel discussions about graduate school and careers in physics, workshops and discussions about women in physics, student research talks and poster sessions, and laboratory tours. View programming for past CUWiP events.

How do you pronounce CUWiP?

Most people say "Cue-Wip."

Eligibility

Do I need to have research to present in order to attend the conference?

No. While we encourage you to present a poster if you have been involved in research, you are welcome to attend the conference and participate in the activities.

I attended last year; can I come to this year’s conference, too?

The content of each year’s conference will not be exactly the same as the previous year’s, and you are welcome to apply to attend again. However, if more students apply than we can accommodate, preference will be given to students who have never attended a CUWiP.

I am a local student. Do I need to apply?

Yes, all attendees must apply by the deadline.

I'm a student from Canada. Can I apply to a US site?

Students from Canada are encouraged to apply to the Canadian site, but may apply to closer US sites if desired. However, Canadian students accepted to US sites are not eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses from the conference or for waiver of the registration fee. Please contact the US site closest to you for more information.

I am a student in a country other than the United States or Canada. Can I apply for CUWiP?

Please contact CUWiP for more information.

I'm a community college student. Am I eligible to apply to CUWiP?

Yes, undergraduate students at any US college or university are strongly encouraged to apply.

I'm a high school student/grad student/postdoc/faculty member. Am I eligible to apply to CUWiP?

Only undergraduate students who will be over 18 at the time of the conference may apply to CUWiP. If you are not an undergraduate student and would like to attend to chaperone your students, volunteer to be speaker or serve on a panel, please contact the site directly.

I am transgender/gender-fluid/genderqueer/non-binary etc. Can I attend this conference?

Yes, students of all genders and gender identities are welcome to attend this conference. If you have questions or concerns about the housing for this conference, please contact us via email.

Application & Registration

Who can attend? Do I need to be a physics major to apply?

Any undergraduate student attending a US college/university may apply to attend CUWiP. You must be over the age of 18 at the time of the conference. High school students are not permitted to apply. For more information, see our application page.

It is very important to complete all parts of the application and to write a thoughtful Applicant Statement. If conferences are oversubscribed, priority will be given to applicants who:

  1. Are undergraduate physics or engineering physics majors.
  2. Have never attended an APS CUWiP.

There is no formal application or registration process for non-undergraduate students and interested faculty and mentors. We encourage you to email the site you would like to attend directly for details about attendance and participation.

What’s the difference between "application" and "registration"?

You apply to attend a CUWiP conference, the CUWiP leadership directs you to a site, the site reviews your application and you are accepted or declined according to the priorities listed on this webpage. The application is free! View deadline details on the CUWiP homepage.

After you have been accepted, you will need to register to confirm that you will actually be attending and provide specifics, such as special accommodations and dietary restrictions. There is a one-time registration fee of $45, which helps offset some of the cost of the conference, including all lodging and meals. If necessary, the registration fee can be waived. To request a fee waiver, please contact CUWiP.

Why can I not apply to a specific site?

As CUWiP is so popular, we need to carefully balance the loads across the sites to minimize travel costs and maximize the number of students who can attend CUWiP. Please do not book travel until you receive an acceptance email from and complete registration for a specific site.

Do I need to book my travel before registering?

No, but you should have an estimate of the cost. If you are traveling by air, or long distance train or bus, and your travel cost is not covered by your department, your travel agenda and cost must be approved by the conference organizers before you book your travel. Due to the limited nature of our travel funds, we ask that you find the most economical means of transportation to and from the conference. For example, reach out to others in your department and see if carpooling is an option.

What will increase my chances of being accepted to the conference?

First, make sure you submit your application by the deadline.

Second, make sure you put some thought into why you want to attend and what you want to get out of the conference. Please answer all questions on the application fully and honestly. Offering to present a poster or volunteering to assist in planning CUWiP will not improve your chances of being selected to attend.

Cost & Funding

How much does the conference cost?

Students who are accepted to attend the conference must pay a one-time registration fee of $45, which helps offset some of the cost of the conference, including all lodging and meals. Lodging (for non-local students) and food will be covered by the conference; you do not need to pay for your hotel room or food at the conference. We expect that your travel expenses will be covered by your home department or college. However, if they are not able to cover these expenses, travel funding is available. Please see the site you are assigned to for further details.

If you cannot afford the registration fee and your department/college is unable to help, you may request a fee waiver by emailing women@aps.org for the appropriate form. The request takes approximately 48 hours to review. You must request a fee waiver before registering. The deadline to request a fee waiver is Monday, December 11, 2023, at 5:00p.m. ET. Please do not wait until the last minute to request the waiver and/or to register. For more information on fee waivers, contact CUWiP.

Please note that the deadline for students to cancel registration and receive a refund is Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Any cancellations beyond that date are non-refundable.

How do I know the amount my department will contribute to my travel funding?

Please talk to your department chair, manager, or director of undergraduate studies before registering for CUWiP. You might ask an academic advisor, faculty member you know, or other mentor for guidance about who to ask if you are unsure. You can also contact CUWiP if you would like guidance in asking your department for travel funds.

My institution would like to cover the registration fee for me and/or other students in my department. Is there an option to do this?

We now offer a payment option for departments who would like a secure way to prepay the registration fee for their students. Please contact CUWiP for more information.

Payment requests must be submitted by Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 5:00p.m. ET.

Travel & Hotel

How do I arrange travel?

Students are responsible for arranging their own travel to the conference. We encourage students to coordinate with other attendees from their institution. Please contact your school’s department chair or faculty member if your department is reimbursing you for travel costs. If your department cannot fund your travel, please contact the site you have been assigned directly.

Can I come late? Can I leave early? Can I skip things that I’m not interested in?

Because your travel costs are reimbursable, it is expected that you will attend all of the conference events as scheduled. If you have special circumstances, please contact your site or email CUWiP to discuss them.

Where do I stay during the conference?

Check with your specific site for more information.

How can I get to and from the airport?

Check with your specific site for more information.

When will I get reimbursed for travel?

If you are being reimbursed by the conference (rather than by your department): after the conference, you can submit the reimbursement form that will be provided to you. Reimbursement will be mailed to you within the month. For more details, please contact us.

Miscellaneous

What if I have dietary restrictions?

We request dietary restriction information on the registration form. If you believe your dietary needs are unusual, please contact your site.

What should I wear to the conference?

The conference has no dress code, and we encourage students to be comfortable. You may wish to look at photos of previous conferences to see what students typically wear. We ask that you prepare for rain and possible snow conditions.

Will there be resources available for attendees with disabilities?

We request information on disability status/accommodations on the registration form. Please contact your site before you register if you have any concerns.

What are the guidelines for posters?

Please check with your site for further details.

What if I need child care?

Please contact your site to discuss your needs.

What are gender pronouns?

A gender pronoun is the pronoun that a person chooses to use for themselves. For example, if Xena's pronouns are she, her, and hers, you could say "Xena ate her food because she was hungry." She, her, hers and he, him, his are common examples of pronouns. Some people call these "female/feminine" and "male/masculine" pronouns, but many avoid these labels because, for example, not everyone who uses he feels like a "male" or "masculine."

There are also lots of gender-neutral pronouns in use. Here are a few you might hear:

  • They, them, theirs (Xena ate their food because they were hungry): This is a pretty common gender-neutral pronoun.... And yes, it can in fact be used in the singular.
  • Ze, hir (Xena ate hir food because ze was hungry): Ze is pronounced like "zee" can also be spelled zie or xe, and replaces she/he/they. Hir is pronounced like "here" and replaces her/hers/him/his/they/theirs.
  • Just my name please! (Xena ate Xena's food because Xena was hungry): Some people prefer not to use pronouns at all, using their name as a pronoun instead.
  • Never, ever refer to a person as “it” or “he-she” (unless they specifically ask you to). These are often used as offensive slurs.

Why should I consider using my pronouns?

CUWiP seeks to be a safe space for all participants. By asking for gender pronouns, we are ensuring that we don’t accidentally misgender any of our participants or make harmful assumptions based on appearance. Even if you have never considered this in relation to yourself, we encourage you to include your pronouns. At the same time, we understand that not everyone is comfortable stating their pronouns; not stating your pronouns is completely acceptable.

CUWiP 2024

Applications closed October 23, 2023

Learn more about the 2024 conferences

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NSF logoUS Department of Education logo These conferences are supported in part by the National Science Foundation (PHY-1346627, PHY-1622510, and PHY-2012033) and by the Department of Energy (DE-SC0011076). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Department of Energy.