Info for 2024 WMF Interns

CONGRATULATIONS on being accepted into the 2024 WMF Research Intern Program!
Below you will find information about your internship.

Your responsibilities as a WMF student intern

  • Attend a program informational session in January 2024. Two different evening dates and times will be offered. You need to attend one of the sessions. Details will be emailed to you.
  • Respond to emails from your faculty/graduate mentor in a reasonable amount of time (within 24 hours). Make sure you have a good line of communication with your mentor/graduate student advisor/laboratory tech. As a part of a research group, you should feel welcome to ask questions! Also, make sure to take notes.
  • Be respectful of your mentor, graduate students, and laboratory personnel they are offering up their valuable time to help you succeed in your research career.
  • Work on your research project with the end goal of presenting your findings at the annual WMF Research Symposium. Faculty mentors should be aware of this, but remind them that you want to participate!
  • Complete a Project Summary and submit this along with photos in the form emailed to you in fall 2024 (more information below).
  • Attend webinar professional development opportunities if offered by Space Grant.

Upon selection into the program

Spring Semester Items

  • Email your faculty mentor when you return from break to begin setting up a research schedule for the semester.
  • The spring semester stipend of $700 will be deposited into your student account by early February. Note that both forms (see above) must be completed to receive the stipend.

Fall Semester Items

  • Re-confirm your participation: Complete the emailed form re-confirming your participation in WMF for the fall semester.
  • The fall semester stipend of $700 will be deposited into your student account by late September. You must reconfirm your participation to receive the fall semester stipend.
  • Participate in the WMF Research Symposium. We HIGHLY encourage all WMF students to present their research at the WMF Symposium in November of their fall semester.
  • Submit your Project Overview. We require you to submit a very short synopsis of your research that highlights your work over the past year. You will submit your project overview + photos using a form emailed to you in late October. This needs to be submitted by December 1st, 2024. Please see the requirement asking for a photo of you, and one of you in the lab/field/computer or other related to your research.

The following information will be asked for in the form:

    • Project title & authors
    • ~3 sentences on the importance of your research; this can include your research question(s).
    • 2-3 sentences on methods
    • 3-4 sentences on results and interpretation of your work
    • 1 Figure related to your research and a figure caption.
    • Headshot/selfie
    • Photo of you in the lab/field work/at your computer working on your research.

Webinar Series

Each semester we try to provide 1-2 webinars that provide practical information that may include how to: conduct research, look for references, or create posters/lightning talks. We also try and include opportunities to talk with and ask questions of previous WMF students and other undergraduate/graduate students. We will email you updates on the dates/times of these webinars. All webinars will be hosted via Zoom and links will be provided in advances of the sessions.

Can I take credit hours for my time as a WMF student?

  • You may NOT also receive credit for the time you spend as a WMF intern.
  • However, if you want to work more than the 5 hours required for WMF, you may receive credit for additional time (>5 hours/week) that you spend working in your lab.

Potential Faculty Mentor Issues

If issues arise with your faculty mentor, please do not hesitate to contact the PA Space Grant office or the director of this program Dr. Erin DiMaggio (dimaggio@psu.edu). Potential issues might include:

  • Your advisor (or graduate student mentor) has not given you a research project in a reasonable amount of time.
  • You are only cleaning glassware/doing other lab tasks and not making progress on a research project.
  • Your advisor is not responsive to emails or phone calls.
  • You are being pressured to work more than 5 hours per week.
  • You are asked to complete tasks that you are not comfortable with in the laboratory.
  • Your advisor has created uncomfortable working conditions.
  • You are asked to fulfill other requirements that are not part of this program as a requirement for interning (e.g., take 15 credits of classes in order to intern in a specific lab).
  • Any issues that you think needs to be brought to our attention.

Potential Personal Issues

If personal issues arise and you need to discontinue your participation in the WMF research internship program please reach out to Dr. Erin DiMaggio at dimaggio@psu.edu. We will work to find the best solution for your situation.