The Erich Vogt First Year Summer Research Experience (FYSRE)

The Erich Vogt First Year Summer Research Experience (FYSRE, pronounced phyzzer, as in physics) is a program offering summer research experiences to budding academic stars at UBC after their First Year Physics courses. Awardees will receive an opportunity for paid work experience in Physics or Astronomy research at UBC or TRIUMF.

This award honours Dr. Erich Vogt (1929-2014), one of the most distinguished Canadian nuclear physicists of his generation. For over thirty years, Erich Vogt taught bright and eager First Year Physics students.  The FYSRE awards give outstanding first year students an opportunity to gain work experience in paid summer research positions.  Other such research opportunities usually give preference to second and higher year students.

UBC first Year students can apply for a FYSRE award by January 31st, 2024 for a subsidized summer research position analogous to the NSERC USRA program: if approved, the student's summer salary will be shared between the supervisor and the FYSRE grant. This program requires a student to work at least 14 weeks between May 1st to August 31st and to be paid a minimum of $7,448 (this number might change in dependent on 2023 BC minimum wage).

For those interested in contributing to the fund, please contact PHAS Communications Coordinator Kirsty Dickson (communications@phas.ubc.ca; 604-822-0596) or donate online directly.

Information for Supervisor

This program requires a student to work at least 14 weeks between May 1st to August 31st and to be paid a minimum of $7,448 (or equivalency to B.C. minimum wage rates). The subsidy is $3,500. The supervisor will need to cover the difference and applicable taxes/fees/benefits; this can come from any source that permits such expenditures. All wages are paid out of the project supervisor’s account and a portion of the cost will be reimbursed at the end of the student’s tenure. If the supervisor and student agree to go past 14 weeks, then the supervisor would pay the additional $532/week minimum for anything beyond the 14 weeks.

Eligibility

As a requirement for the program, you should have completed 2 semesters of first year physics including labs by the time you start the summer position, and plan to enter a Physics or Astronomy (or a combined majors/honours degree including Physics or Astronomy) or Engineering Physics program in your second year of study. You must obtain a cumulative average of at least A- over the first year of university study. The research experience is expected to be a full-time position. The selection process includes an interview. The applicant must be a UBC student (UBC-V or UBC-O).

Applicants must have first-class standing (an average of 80% or above).

Before submitting an application

We encourage you to take a bit of time to look into research in our department and drop in on faculty members with whom you might like to work. You can explain that you are interested in applying to FYSRE and would like to find out if they have possible summer research projects (this is excellent practice for future job searches!). If they do have a project available and are interested in hiring, make sure to mention this in your personal statement (this is part of your application package). It is, however, not a requirement; if no potential supervisor has been identified by the time of application, we will help match you with potential supervisors if you are awarded.

General information on the Physics and Astronomy research being carried out at UBC can be found on the departmental Website: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/research-areas

Application Process

*The application cycle for Summer 2024 is open!

To apply, submit the following components in your application package by Wednesday, January 31, 2024 to communications@phas.ubc.ca.. Application related questions should be directed to Kirsty Dickson at communications@phas.ubc.ca.

  1. The application cover sheet
  2. An unofficial copy of the transcript
  3. A curriculum vitae (CV)
  4. A personal statement indicating your research interests. This statement should not be longer than 1 page.
  5. If there are faculty members whose research really interests you, feel free to list them. This is not required; we will help recipients match to a suitable supervisor. 
  6. Two letters of reference. This letters should be sent from the referees directly to us by email to communications@phas.ubc.ca. At least one reference letter should be from a UBC faculty member. The other reference letter could be from a supervisor in a previous job or volunteer activity.

Completed application package (electronic only) should be submitted to:

Kirsty Dickson
communications@phas.ubc.ca

If you have any concerns or questions, please email communications@phas.ubc.ca for more information.

 

List of Recipients

Click on names for more information:

2022

2021

Read more: Department Announcement

2020

2019

2017

2016

2015

2014