The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and Green Bank Observatory (GBO) provide state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by scientists from around the world. We are also involved in cutting edge astronomical research, and in the design, development and manufacture of radio astronomy instrumentation and telescopes; NRAO receivers are deployed from the South Pole to beyond the Moon.  The NRAO has facilities for radio astronomical research in New Mexico and Virginia, and coordinates summer programs with the GBO in West Virginia.  NRAO is a partner in operating the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. Our site in Socorro, New Mexico, hosts the NRAO Very Large Array (VLA) and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). Charlottesville, Virginia, is the site of NRAO Headquarters as well as the North American ALMA Science Center, located on the Grounds of the University of Virginia (UVa), and the NRAO Technology Center which houses the Central Development Laboratory, a leading center for radio instrumentation and radio telescope design. The GBO is located in Green Bank, West Virginia and is the site of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the world's largest fully steerable single aperture telescope. Maps and directions to the sites are found at http://www.nrao.edu/directions/.

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What is Radio Astronomy?

Radio astronomy is the study of astronomical objects through radiation emitted at radio wavelengths (wavelengths longer than about 1mm, or frequencies lower than about 300 GHz). For more information, the NRAO has an introduction to Radio Astronomy; JPL has produced a useful Primer, and MIT Haystack Observatory has an instructive Radio Astronomy Tutorial. Two on-line courses on Radio Astronomy are available: Essential Radio Astronomy by J.J. Condon and S.M. Ransom of NRAO and Physics728, Radio Astronomy by Dale Gary (NJIT dept. of Physics).

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What are NRAO Summer Student Research Assistantships?

The NRAO has conducted a summer student research program since 1959, with over 1000 participants to date. Each NRAO/GBO summer student conducts research under the supervision of an NRAO or GBO staff member at one of three sites (Socorro, New Mexico; Green Bank, West Virginia; Charlottesville, Virginia), on a project in the supervisor's area of expertise. The project may involve any aspect of astronomy, including original astronomy research, instrumentation, telescope design, astronomical site evaluation or astronomical software development. Supervisors choose their own student candidates from all applications received, and the site to which a summer student is assigned depends on the location of the supervisor who chose them. Students are encouraged to review the webpages of NRAO staff and GBO staff for an idea of the types of research being conducted. On their application, students may request to work with a specific staff member or to work on a specific scientific topic, or to work at a specific site.

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The program runs from 10-12 weeks over the summer, from late May to mid-August. At the end of the summer, participants present their research results as a short talk and submit a written report. Often, these projects result in publications in scientific journals. Financial support is often available for students to present their summer research at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society, generally at the winter meeting following their appointment.

• The NRAO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is for undergraduates who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. It is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
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• The National Radio Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program for undergraduate students (1st-beginning 4th year) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and are enrolled in an accredited U.S. undergraduate program (including community college). The NAC program aims to increase the number of women and underrepresented minority students entering, and remaining in, STEM areas that support the field of astronomy (e.g., science, engineering, computing, EPO, and more), by providing research experience and long-term mentoring and cohort support. Summer research experiences range from 8-12 weeks, and can take place at one of the NAC partner sites. For more information, see go.nrao.edu/nac.
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• The Undergraduate Summer Student Research program is for undergraduate students or graduating college seniors who are citizens, are from an accredited U.S. Undergraduate Program, or otherwise eligible to work in the United States. This program can supports students who do not meet the REU guidelines, such as graduating college seniors and some foreign undergraduate students.
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• The Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING) program is a collaboration between the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and AUI to expose traditionally underrepresented minorities to radio astronomy science and engineering. The undergraduate students selected for the program will be located in Green Bank, WV, where they will be partnered with an astronomer or engineer engaged in cutting-edge research. As part of this program, the PING students will also have an intensive education outreach experience, serving as instructors and mentors for middle school students during a 2-week physics/astronomy research camp.
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• The Graduate Summer Student Research program is for graduate students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, enrolled in an accredited U.S. Graduate Program, or otherwise eligible to work in the United States.