Getting Here
Coordinated Arrival and Departure Dates
We expect students to spend the entire internship at STScI. We realize that academic schedules vary significantly, and that course schedules may not coincide for every student. Unfortunately, we must limit students to a single starting date in June. This is being done so that students can fully participate in the experiences that we offer.
Travel to Baltimore
All of your travel to and from STScI must be coordinated through the Institute. You may not book your own travel. Ordinarily we will cover the cost of round-trip transportation to and from Baltimore.
Visas
Students that are non-U.S. citizens will need a visa to work in the U.S. regardless of where their school is located. Once you are accepted our Human Resources Department will contact you and provide assistance in obtaining a work visa.
What can be Expected during Your Stay
Directed Work with your Supervisor
Most of your time at the Institute will be spent working on a directed research, outreach, or support project with your supervisor. The range of work done is large and so no one example is sufficient, but the immediate goals are:
- To give you hands-on experience with professional-level work in the sciences and space mission support.
- To expose you to the techniques and software relevant to your area of interest.
- To complete a portion of a project sufficient to lead to a significant result or to have a significant impact to the astronomical community or the public.
Students are expected to give a short presentation at the end of the internship on what they have accomplished during their time here.
Talks
Students will have the opportunity to attend lectures on a variety of topics related to space astronomy, Hubble, and James Webb Space Telescopes several times per week. The scheduled talks, usually 2 per week are aimed at the student audience and its interests. Some will be on topics related to careers, some on our missions at STScI, some on the practices of professional astronomers and other professionals on our staff, and some on the research done by our scientific staff.
Career Guidance
What does it take to continue a career in astronomy? STScI has a very broad range of professionals engaged in astronomy in the broadest sense, and you will have an opportunity to learn about what they do and their career paths. We will discuss your options, from graduate school in astronomy and post-doctoral fellowships, to alternatives such as careers in computer science, project management, and education and outreach.
Extra-curricular Activities
Students are encouraged to use their free time to get to know one another and to explore Baltimore and the surrounding region. In recent years we have organized an outdoor trip together (such as backpacking or canoeing). Students have also visited Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and other places in the mid-Atlantic region. A guided tour of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt MD will also be planned.