Structure and Details of Our Program
Eligibility
This is a federally-funded program and requires that student participants be:
- At least 18 years old by June 3, 2013.
- U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents of the U.S. or its territories.
- Students in good standing at an undergraduate degree program who will not have graduated by the end of this REU program.
Application Deadline
Students should submit their electronic application before Thursday, February 28, 2013. All application materials (including the student application and letters of recommendation) must be received by Sunday, March 3, 2013. A small portion of our applicant pool may be offered an “early decision” option, so we encourage applicants not to wait until the the last moment to apply — sooner is better!.
Recommenders are contacted once a student has submitted their application. Applicants will be notified within a few weeks of the application deadline and will have about a week to reach their decision once notified. Recommenders must use our automated system to submit their recommendation. Applicants may use our system to determine whether their recommendation letters have been received.
Program Dates
The 10-week session will commence on Monday, June 3, 2013 and will end on Friday, August 9, 2013. (We expect students to arrive on Sunday, June 2 to and leave on Saturday, August 10 — student housing includes those dates.)
We recognize that some applicants may not have fully completed their spring term by our start date of June 3. If this is the case, please indicate this issue on your application and we will make every effort to accommodate you in our program (in the past, some students have been able to make arrangements to take their exams early to join our program on time, and some students have joined us a few days late).
Location
The research program will take place on the Harvey Mudd campus. The college is in the city of Claremont on the eastern edge of Los Angeles county. The walkable heart of Claremont (known as “the village”) boasts numerous restaurants, shops, and various entertainments including an independent movie theatre. Grocery stores, from Vons (a.k.a. Safeway) to Trader Joes are also within walking distance north of the college. Claremont is pleasant and safe community, sometimes called “the city of trees and Ph.D.s”—in fact, it was recently the “5th Best City to Live in America” (by Money Magazine).
The city of Pasadena is about 35 minutes away by car, and downtown Los Angeles can be reached in about 50 minutes via the Metrolink light rail system.
Living and Dining Arrangements
The student participants will live in comfortable Harvey Mudd dormitories and will receive a meal plan at the dining hall, both at no charge.
Research Facilities
The students will work in a newly renovated modern research space with work areas, a meeting room, and plenty of computers. The space is about 3 minutes away from the faculty offices.
Social Life
The REU students will live nearby one another, dine together, and participate in a number of planned activities on evenings and weekends. We will arrange trips to nearby attractions such as mountains, beaches, and LA attractions. There are typically about 100 students who spend the summer at HMC engaged in research and there will be many opportunities to meet fun and interesting people. Students will have access to the recreation facilities and gym among other college facilities.
Stipend
All student particants who complete the program will receive a $5000 REU stipend, in addition to complete room and board at Harvey Mudd College.
