There are many fine opportunities for undergraduate physics majors to work in off-campus research environments.

These experiences serve to complement on-campus research activities and to expose students to a broad range of research settings, projects, and equipment. A majority of Wellesley physics majors spend at least one summer or semester working on an off-campus research project. There are a number of well-established summer research programs throughout the United States that encourage, and fund, undergraduate participation.

The National Science Foundation sponsors many programs through the Research Opportunities for Undergraduates (REU) program in physics and related fields, such as engineering, materials science, atmospheric science, and astronomy at universities, colleges, national laboratories, and industrial laboratories.

Many Wellesley physics majors have participated in the highly-regarded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD. The NIST program specializes in providing hands-on research experiences in atomic, molecular, optical, radiation and chemical physics.

Off-campus research opportunities during the academic year are made possible through Wellesley's long-standing exchange program with MIT. Wellesley students are eligible to participate in MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), in which students work with MIT faculty on research-based intellectual collaborations. In addition, several Wellesley students have participated in research activities at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, which have turned into employment opportunities after graduation.

Talking to fellow students and faculty members is also a great way to find out recent student research experiences.