Interested in becoming a University of Arizona NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Intern or Mentor? Here is how it works:
Applications
- Potential Interns: Before the application due date, interested undergraduates that meet the eligibility requirements for this opportunity must submit an online application. Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the University of Arizona NASA Space Grant Steering Committee.
- Intern Advisors (2nd-year interns): Undergraduate students who have already completed a UArizona Space Grant internship and have not graduated from the UArizona may apply for a second year as an Intern Advisor:
The idea of appointing student advisors is modeled after a successful effort at UC Berkeley. Space Grant Intern Advisors are students that have completed year-long internships and who are seen to possess leadership qualities and help administer the UArizona Space Grant Undergraduate Research Internship Program (while continuing their Internship program research).
Each Intern Advisor is assigned a subset of incoming Space Grant Interns/Mentors. They are asked to build relationships and maintain contact with these interns and mentors with the goal of helping to ensure that internships are proceeding well for all parties. Intern Advisors also help define and set up lunch talks, learning/networking opportunities, and social events for the new interns and mentors.
- Potential Mentors: Before the application due date, faculty and professionals interested in mentoring motivated undergraduates submit online applications defining potential research, research & development, science writing, science policy, or science education project to be offered for student intern participation. There tend to be more mentor applications than internship opportunities. Nevertheless, the selection process is entirely student merit-based. It is only after the highest-ranked students are selected that the process of matching interns to the most suitable mentor application begins.
Intern Application Review/Award
- Review Process and Ranking Criteria: In mid-July, the Space Grant Steering Committee (made up of ~10 faculty and professionals from almost every discipline at the UArizona, as well as participants from local industry) review all intern applications. The Committee ranks intern applications based on the content and quality of the applicant's responses to three open-ended questions. GPA, motivation for applying, interest-level, potential, and involvement (work, volunteerism, other activities) are also considered. Experience is NOT a factor in the selection process as the internship is designed to provide first research opportunities.
- Award: The highest ranked (~25-30) student applicants are awarded NASA Space Grant Internships to work with faculty or professional mentors for the forthcoming academic year. Interns may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year (August – May) and will be paid an hourly wage of $12.50.
Mentor Review & Matching
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- Matching Interns to Mentored Projects: After the intern selections are made, the process of matching the top applicants to the most suitable mentored project begins. The Steering Committee evaluates foremost the interests indicated on a student's application. Experience and skills are also considered in making the match. Some limiting factors (e.g., ability to travel off campus) are also considered. The goal is to provide a new and rich experience to the student applicant.
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- Will I know my mentor?: Most students have no previous experience with any particular faculty member. However, some applicants (students and mentors) identify each other as desirable research/work partners prior to applying and so-indicate in their applications. If the student is highly ranked and is awarded an internship, they may be matched with that proposed mentor. Please note: having established such a potential mentor/student match in advance has no bearing on the evaluation. Student awardees are selected first, and entirely based on their own merit irrespective of the mentor applications.
Requirements for Interns & Mentors
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- What is required of an intern?: Curiosity, motivation, professionalism, good communication, and a commitment to learn and contribute are a must.
Internships begin with an orientation that takes place at the start of the academic year early in the Fall semester, and culminates with a statewide Undergraduate Research Symposium at the end of the spring semester. These two meetings are mandatory. Several weeks in advance of the symposium, each intern is required to submit a brief abstract summarizing internship work for the formal symposium book of abstracts, and an associated PowerPoint presentation. Interns must present this PowerPoint at the Symposium. Interns are also asked to complete tracking forms at the orientation and an online program evaluation at the end of the first semester. Attending the orientation, symposium, and submitting the few noted deliverables represents your commitment required by NASA Space Grant. All other commitments are defined and agreed upon by you and your mentor when you establish your working relationship at the beginning of the academic year.
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- What is required of a mentor?
Mentors commit to providing interns the opportunity to broaden their educations with a rich, hands-on experience with the full process of inquiry and discovery. Whatever the internship emphasis – research, research & development, science writing, science policy, or science education – the mentor will work to provide an environment where the intern can learn and experience the research process from start to finish. In some cases, interns will join existing projects. In others, the project will evolve as the student's interests and skills and the mentor's needs come together. The mentor acts as a guide, encouraging the intern to understand the discovery process, learn the fundamentals necessary to succeed, and ultimately drive the experience. Mentors attend an orientation at the beginning of the year if they have not done so in the past. They assist in preparing the intern for the statewide Undergraduate Research Symposium at the end of the spring semester, including the brief abstract and PowerPoint presentation. Mentors are invited to participate in some Space Grant-organized activities during the year and to attend the Symposium at the end. Like the interns, mentors are asked to complete an online program evaluation at the end of the first semester. The day-to-day interaction between the intern, the mentor, and the mentor's team (where applicable) are defined and agreed upon by the intern and mentor as part of establishing a working relationship at the beginning of the academic year.
How is this funded?
This internship is funded by the NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, and whenever possible, through the generous contributions of mentors. The UArizona NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Research Internship program works hard to engage the largest number of students possible. Each year, we are able to extend internship opportunities to a larger group of undergraduates through much appreciated financial assistance provided by mentors who are able to full-fund or split-fund their interns. Interns may work up to 20 hours per week (receiving an hourly wage of $12.50 plus 1.8% ERE). In 2020, interns averaged 13 hours of work per week from August - May. Thus, full-funding an intern at $12.50 per hour for 30 weeks at 13 hours per week amounts to $4,963, while split-funding an intern amounts to $2,481.
Please note that cost-share is not considered in either the ranking/selection of interns or in the process of matching those students to mentor projects.