Summer Physics Camp for Young Women Application Closes Today

Free program offers high school girls an opportunity to get into STEM at Los Alamos National Labs

Students watch a science demonstration at the 2017 Summer Physics Camp for Young Women. | Courtesy LANL

By Leah Cantor

Today is the last day to apply for the 2019 Summer Physics Camp for Young Women, a two-week camp held from June 10-21 this summer at the Pojoaque Valley High School.

The free summer program is a collaboration between Los Alamos National Laboratory, the New Mexico Consortium, and Pojoaque Valley and Los Alamos public schools. Students who complete all program activities will receive a stipend upon completion.

"The best part of the program is that it gives young women from Northern New Mexico the chance to meet some of the most successful women scientists and engineers in the state," says coordinator Josefina Salazar. "Having a personal connection to these professionals really gets the students excited about math, physics and other STEM fields, and gives them an idea of what kinds of paths they can pursue once they graduate."

The camp includes hands-on laboratory experiments and the chance to tour Los Alamos National Laboratory research facilities, including the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies and the New Mexico Consortium Biolab. At the end, students also receive guidance in applying to internship programs at the labs.

The application remains open until 5 pm today, Monday April 15, though Salazar mentions that students who still want to apply but do not have the time to gather all of the necessary materials should call her at 665-0987 to see what options may still be available, and to get info for next year.

Interested applicants must have completed algebra 1 and must send in a letter of interest, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, and a transcript to lanl-physics-camp@lanl.gov.

For more information, contact program coordinator Salazar at 665-0987, or visit the program website.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.