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School of Physical and Chemical Sciences

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  1. School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
  2. Astronomy Unit
  3. Teaching
  4. Summer Student Research Programme

Summer Student Research Programme

The QMUL Astronomy Unit offers the opportunity for undergraduate students, both internal to QMUL and external (from other universities), to join our research groups over the summer to take part in, and contribute to, the research being done by the different groups.

Research in the AU falls under three main themes: Cosmology & Relativity, Extrasolar Planets & Planet Formation, and Space & Astrophysical Plasmas, and each year we offer opportunities for students interested in these areas.

The places are funded, meaning that students will receive a salary (currently point 7 on the QMUL salary scale).

Each year, there will be events organised for the cohort of internship students to meet each other, interact, learn about each other's projects, and experience what working on cutting-edge research topics in a leading research group is like.

A (non-exhaustive) selection of possible projects:

  • Using the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter spacecraft to explore the near-Sun plasma environment (Dr Christopher Chen)
  • Understanding space/astrophysical processes through laboratory plasma experiments (Dr Christopher Chen)
  • Improving space weather predictions through incorporating plasma physics processes (Dr Christopher Chen)
  • Comparing spacecraft observations of shockwaves across the Solar System from Sun to Uranus and beyond (Dr Heli Hietala)
  • Identifying small-scale structures near shockwaves in spacecraft observations (Dr Heli Hietala)
  • Machine learning for early universe inflation (Dr David Mulryne)
  • Finding primordial black holes in numerical simulations (Dr David Mulryne)

The deadline for applications this year is 27 March 2025. You will need to apply by this deadline to be considered for a position. However, feel free to contact any potential supervisor to discuss the projects at any point before the deadline. For the application you will need a CV (detailing your academic achievements/experience and any other relevant expertise), a grade transcript, and a statement of interests (including which project(s) you are interested in). To apply, please follow the links below (if you wish to be considered for multiple projects you will need to apply to each one):

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