Astronomy REU at the University of Wyoming

Program Overview


The University of Wyoming and the National Science Foundation sponsor a 10-week program in 2026, from May 18 through July 24. Each student will be trained to use our 2.3 meter telescope and to analyze both ground- and space-based astronomical data.  Frequent seminars will cover recent breakthroughs in astronomy, computational techniques, preparing for graduate school, best practices for written and oral presentations, and responsible research conduct.  A unique aspect of the Wyoming REU program is that all students will work together as a team on a single project. 

 

reu program information

Learn more about the REU Program at the University of Wyoming using the links below.

student using telescope

Each participant will be awarded a stipend of $700/week, housing, a meal allowance, and travel funds for getting to and from Laramie as well as the January 2027 annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

During the summer of 2026, our program will characterize supermassive black holes by carrying out nightly spectral observations of a sample of them on our 2.3m telescope.

Situated between two mountain ranges and lying at an elevation of 7,200 feet, Laramie's location provides excellent outdoor opportunities in the Rocky Mountain West. Previous REU participants have gone on hiking, climbing, biking, rafting, camping, and nature/wildlife photography excursions.  Destinations typically include Grand Tetons National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and local mountain ranges in southern Wyoming and northern Colorado.  Laramie's unique cultural flavor combines elements of the rugged rural west with the cosmopolitan aspects of an intellectual center.  By car, Laramie is approximately two hours from Denver.

We are awaiting final confirmation of funding from the NSF for the Summer 2026 program.

 

Apply Here for REU

 

Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible.

We hope you are excited about our REU program, but note that students who apply to multiple programs have a much higher rate of being accepted somewhere.  Here is a link to a list of those sites:

 

See Other REU Sites

Inquiries may be directed to physics@uwyo.edu

Application deadline: 15 February, 2026