If you have questions, contact Charita Cadenhead and your questions will be responded to promptly and added to our list of FAQ’s.
What are the requirements for eligibility?
National Science Foundation participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the US or its possessions. Women and minorities (African American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Hispanic, and Native Pacific Islanders) are encouraged to apply. A participant must be undergraduate when the program starts in May of each program year and must be returning to school as an undergraduate in the fall of the program year.
How are students selected to participate in the program?
Selection is based on applicant’s academic standing supported by student’s transcript, a brief statement of interest, and a faculty reference.
How are students paired with mentors?
Although participants cannot pre-select a mentor, they do take an active part in the student/mentor selection process. On the first day of the program in the afternoon, and on Day 2 in the morning, faculty members will make presentations to the REUs regarding available research projects. You can see a sample of possible projects here. All REUs are required to attend presentations of all mentors, no exceptions.
During the presentations, students should make notes and compile of list of top three mentor choices. After the presentations on Day 2, arrangements will be made for participants to meet with their top three faculty choices.
After meeting with top three choices, each participant will meet with the REU Program Director and REU/mentor pairing will take place at that time. Selection of a mentor is then based upon mutual interest. Every effort will be made to pair participants with their top choice, but that is not always possible. Only under extenuating circumstances will more than one REU participant be placed with a mentor.
Is housing provided for students participating in the program?
Yes housing is provided with some restrictions/exceptions applied. All dorms have a NO SMOKING and NO ALCOHOL policy. Housing options are at the discretion of the University.
Does the Program Pay for Travel?
Yes. If you attend college outside of the Metropolitan Birmingham area, the program will pay for your travel expenses (car, air, etc), whichever is less. If you drive, you will only be reimbursed for mileage, NOT GAS. Travel expense is based on transportation from you home institution’s city and state. For example if you attend college at Tennessee State but your permanent home is in Cleveland, OH, we will pay your transportation from TN and back to TN. The program does not pay for daily commute.If you will be traveling by public transportation, it is advised that you check rates for advance reservation to ensure the lowest fares available. In some cases, best rates may be available if your make your reservation at least 21 days in advance but rates may vary.
How much is the stipend?
Participants receive a $6,000 stipend for the 10-week period. The stipend is typically paid in equal payments every two weeks for a total of $6,000 (but may change from year to year at the discretion of UAB Payroll). Participants must sign up for direct deposit. Payroll checks cannot be picked up and cannot be mailed to a campus address.
How can we find out more about Birmingham and things to do in the area?
You’ll find that info here.
Receiving Mail
Should you wish to give anyone your mailing address while you are here, please use the following:
For U.S. Postal Service Mail, the mailing address is:
University of Alabama at Birmingham
College of Arts and Sciences
1720 2nd Avenue S, ESH 4100
Birmingham, AL 35294-1170
For Expedited Delivery (FedEx, UPS, etc), the address is:
University of Alabama at Birmingham
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Physics
920 14th Street South, ESH 4100
Birmingham, AL 35294-1170
Please note that if you order from Amazon.com and are an Amazon Prime member, your package may not arrive in 2 days. Packages are delivered to shipping and receiving and then sent to final campus destination address.
