Student Opportunities

Your advisors, the professors and department staff are all great resources. They can help you maximize your college experience.  

We also have a handbook, available to current students on The Hub, to help guide you. This is a valuable resource that will help succeed in the program and in your future career.  

Research opportunities  

Talk to your professors and peers about what they’re working on. Find something that excites you! 

A few of our ongoing research projects.  

• Joe Carson carries out observational studies of extrasolar planets and circumstellar disks, and develops imaging instrumentation for medical applications. (Astronomy and Astrophysics)  
• George Chartas studies black hole accretion and outflow. A collaborator in the international LSST project. (Astronomy and Astrophysics) 
• Ashley Pagnotta studies variable stars, such as novae and supernovae, using observations across all wavelengths to understand their past and future behavior, and what it tells us about our universe. (Astronomy and Astrophysics) 
• Alex Brummer works in physical and mathematical oncology, leveraging principles from ecology and techniques from computer vision and data science to understand cancer biology. (Physics)  
• Narayanan Kuthirummal (NK) is interested in the spectroscopic, acoustic, and microscopic characterization of photonic materials, nanomaterials, and aerogels. (Physics)  
• Alem Teklu uses acoustic and microscopic techniques to characterize metals, alloys, composites, thermoelectrics, and nanocrystals. (Physics)  
• Mike Larsen is interested in atmospheric microphysics with an emphasis on radiative transfer, aerosol activation, ice nucleation, cloud particle growth, and raindrop interactions. (Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics)  
• Lee Lindner is interested in coastal meteorology with an emphasis on sea breeze, hurricane surge, sea fog, coastal flooding, synoptic climatology, and hurricane climatology. (Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics) 

The NIH SC-INBRE program provides for approximately 15 students per year to perform cutting-edge biomedical research with CofC faulty for 10 weeks each summer. These students come from the departments of biology, chemistry, physics and psychology and are mentored by our faculty on projects that include biochemistry, biopolymers, microbiology, molecular biology and neuroscience. - Jim Deavor, former campus director for SC-INBRE

Outside Research  

The National Science Foundation has a paid summer program called Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). You will participate in research at major research institutions across the country. There are several disciplines to choose from. Some of our past students have studied: 

• atmospheric sciences 
• chemistry 
• earth sciences 
• engineering 
• mathematical sciences 
• ocean sciences 
• physics 
• materials research 
• astronomical sciences 
• materials research science and engineering centers 
• science and technology centers in materials and physics 

Many of our students find paid research positions in the summer. Other students apply for external summer research opportunities.  

Explore SURF grants and get paid to conduct summer research.  

Explore SSME’s summer research award program  

Internships  

Internships are often available within industrial settings. You may participate in an internship for course credit. You’ll want to talk to the department chair for more information.  

Part-time Jobs  

During the year, we’re often looking for lab assistants in both the astronomy and physics labs. You may also find a job as a teaching assistant, research assistant or tutor.