Internships, Scholarships & Fellowships
The Department of Physics & Astronomy offers scholarships and awards to outstanding
students. LSU's online scholarship system, Blackbaud Award Management, helps students in their scholarship search. This system will enable them to search
for and apply for various opportunities funded by the LSU Foundation. Students can log in with their myLSU credentials to
view a list of P&A-related opportunities. For information about all scholarships at
LSU, visit the Financial Aid & Scholarships website.
Internship Opportunities
- NASA Internship Programs
- American Astronomical Society - Internships & Summer Jobs
National Fellowships & Scholarships
- NSF REU Programs at various universities
- The Fermilab Summer Internship Program
- Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Scholarships & Internship Programs
- National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) Internship Programs
- American Physical Society (APS) - Scholarships & Internships
- American Association of Physicists in Medicine - Fellowship Program
- Scholarships for Women in STEM
Graduate Scholarships
Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund
Charles E. Coates’ legacy of dedication to graduate study has been preserved over the years by the commitment, achievement, and high caliber of each class of graduate students. Their achievements could not be realized without the assistance of the Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund, established in 1964 in memory of Dr. Charles E. Coates. During his tenure, he served as head of the Department of Chemistry, dean of the Audubon Sugar School, and chair of the Graduate Division.
The Coates Fund assists full-time doctoral students in chemical engineering, chemistry, physics & astronomy with their research through four awards: outstanding dissertation, conference travel, research travel, and scholar research. For questions, please contact Shane Stadler (stadler@lsu.edu).
The award amount is $1,000. Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in Physics & Astronomy at LSU and must have graduated in the calendar year prior to the award. The award will be announced at the annual Department Award Ceremony at the end of the spring semester. The dissertation will be judged on:
- Clear and accessible writing, particularly in the introduction and conclusion sections
- Importance of the work as supported by the citation record for articles resulting from the thesis and nomination letters from the advisor and the committee.
The highest ranked dissertation will be submitted for the College of Science Outstanding Dissertation Award and the University Dissertation Award. If the dissertation does not receive one of those awards it will be awarded the Coates Scholarship. If it receives the College or University award, the next-highest-ranked application will receive the Coates Award.
Application Deadline
February 2 by 4:00 pm (CST) for dissertations successfully defended anytime in that year. Note: Submissions will also be used for the Pinkie Gordan Lane Graduate School dissertation award, Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School Awards.
Application Procedure
- The student must fill out the application form below and submit all the additional materials outlined in the form.
- Please submit applications electronically – via the online link below.
The award reimburses up to $1200 of eligible travel expenses for travel from July to June next year. Students may receive this award once during their Ph.D. studies. The travel must be to a national or international conference at which applicants are presenting the results of their doctoral research in the form of an oral presentation or poster. Applicants must be both the first author and presenter of the research and have the recommendation of their major professor. Applicants must be Ph.D. students in the Physics & Astronomy Department.
Application Deadline
There are two annual deadlines for these awards:
- December 1: for travel from July 1 through December 31.
- April 10: for travel from January 1 through June 30.
Application Procedure
- The student must fill out the application form below and submit all the additional materials outlined in the form.
- Please submit applications electronically – via the online link below.
Award Procedure
- Students selected for the award must provide confirmation of the acceptance of their paper (oral or poster) from the conference and a copy of the final abstract and author list before travel will be reimbursed by the Coates Memorial Fund.
- Students are responsible for following all LSU procedures for travel authorization and reimbursement.
Research Travel Awards of up to $2,400 are made to students who need extended research time at other institutions or venues. Travel must be directly related to the student’s proposed and approved research, and all expenditures must follow University regulations. This award is available only to Ph.D. students who have successfully completed the general examination in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Students may receive this award once during their Ph.D. studies. Selection criteria include proposal content, the major professor’s recommendation letter and the overall scope of the proposal.
Application Deadline
Applications submitted by April 10 will receive full consideration for research travel during the next fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). After April 10, applications will continue to be received and reviewed until an award is given.
Application Procedure
- The student must fill out the application form below and submit all the additional materials outlined in the form.
- Please submit applications electronically – via the online link below.
Award Procedure
- Students selected for the award must turn in a one-page summary of their trip.
- Students are responsible for following all LSU procedures for travel authorization and reimbursement.
Charles E. Coates Scholar Research Grants are unrestricted awards made from the Dr. Charles E. Coates Memorial Fund Research. These competitive awards are made to support promising doctoral research by superior graduate students in Physics & Astronomy. Each award is for $5000/year, with a possibility of a second year of funding. A maximum of one award will be active in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at any one time. Funds will be placed in restricted accounts; expenditure categories will follow accepted University regulations. Accounts will be established in the major professor’s name, but expenditures must be directly related to the Scholar’s proposed and approved research. Annual award amounts or frequency may increase, based on future availability of funds. This award is available only to Ph.D. students who have successfully completed the general examination in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Students may receive this award once during their Ph.D. studies. Selection criteria include proposal content, major professor’s recommendation letter and overall scope of the proposal.
Application Deadline
- Applications are due December 1 for awards in the spring semester, and April 10 for awards starting during the next fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Application Procedure
- The student must complete the application form below and submit all additional materials outlined in the form.
- Please submit applications electronically – via the online link below.
Award Procedure
- Funding for the second year is contingent on receipt of a satisfactory progress report. The progress report is a one-page summary of research progress and outcomes, along with a summary of expenditures. The report should be signed by the major professor and the student.
- Unused funds cannot be carried over from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, and no-cost extensions are not allowed.
- The research award will end if the student is no longer registered as a full-time Ph.D. student in good standing in Physics & Astronomy at LSU. The student should be enrolled full-time in dissertation research courses only and receive a grade of S for each course.
- The research advisor and student are responsible for following all LSU procedures and rules for use of the award funds.
- A final progress report is due within 30 days of completion of the award. The report should be signed by the major professor and the student.