For anyone:
UC LEADS program
http://grad.ucsd.edu/degrees/summer-researches/uc-leads/index.html
For those interested in grad school:
http://grad.ucsd.edu/degrees/summer-researches/competitive-edge/index.html
Looking for Research links (also see Q and A below):
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UCSD undergraduate Research Portal
Research for Credit:
Enroll in PHYS 99 (for lower division students) or PHYS 199 (upper division). To enroll in these, you must get a Professor and submit an application by around the beginning of week 2. (You could also do it without credit, that’s fine too, it’s all an invaluable experience)
-link to forms:
https://students.ucsd.edu/academics/enroll/special-enrollment/special-studies-classes.html
-look for phys 99, 199 descriptions:
http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/courses/PHYS.html
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UCSD Faculty Mentor Program (pretty much phys 99,199)
Research over Summer:
-You can apply to REU‘s (held by NSF), (most require 2 letters of recommendation and mostly juniors and seniors get in). They are paid research opportunities at various schools, and provide lodging and everything.
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp
-You can also just contact professors at UCSD asking about summer research, or other universities that are closer to wherever you are staying at over the summer by email. (These will probably be unpaid).
Astrophysics Summer Program
- International Astronomical Youth Camp (July 20 – Aug 9)
http://www.iayc.org/
Q:How do I choose a professor?
A: Go to the physics faculty list, where all the professors are listed with their area of research.
https://physics.ucsd.edu/Research
Also, try asking around your peers or upperclassmen if you know any about who they do research with and what their lab environments are like.
You could could also contact the undergraduate physics advisor (or whatever department you are in interested in) about your interest in research and to get advice about where to look.
Q: How to ask a professor to do research with you?
A: You should read up a little bit about their research beforehand, or at least know their research specialization, then:
-You could email them (from your ucsd email address), expressing your interest in research
-Or if you take a class with a Professor (freshmen take seminars if you want!), you could also ask them about research in person (maybe in office hours, or when you see them).
Q: Is research really for me?
A: You should try it out and if you did and you didn’t like it, perhaps try with another lab / prof, and after all your efforts, you might just like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
–If research is not for you, but you want to stay within the field of physics, you should look into industry jobs / internships!