Los Alamos Summer School in Physics

This page provides general information on the Summer School.

• Stipends: A two-installment stipend of $5000 covers reimbursement of basic living expenses (mainly food) and travel to and from Los Alamos. The initial installment will be paid on the first day of classes, while the second will be paid in the second week of July. Housing and UNM tuition are covered by the school separately and do not come from the stipend.

• Travel: Travel plans are your responsibility, but we strongly recommend that, once admitted, you make your arrangements as soon as possible. Although Laboratory housing, the main commercial area of town, the Laboratory, and the UNM branch campus are all within easy walking distance (2 mi. or less), a bicycle or car will be convenient.

  There is a commuter bus service in Los Alamos that runs every hour on weekdays from 7am to 6pm. Their routes include connections from the downtown area to the Lab. At present there is no charge for this service, but this may change by the summer.

  
  

• Housing: The housing arrangements are made by the School with the costs covered in addition to your stipend. As with all all Lab and University student housing, the rooms will be shared (2/room). The following items will be supplied by UNM at no extra charge:
  1. Two twin beds;
  2. Table with two chairs;
  3. Small sofa;
  4. One desk;
  5. Chest of Drawers;
  6. Sofa table;
  7. Shower Curtain.
  Jacks for telephone and modem hookups, as well as wireless internet connections, will be available. Phones and computers are not provided and are the student's responsibility. Basic cable TV service is provided, but not the TV sets. However, the School has a limited quantity of older sets available. Kitchenware is not provided by UNM, but again, the School has a reserve of basic items for loan at no charge. Students are responsible for their own laundry.

  If you do not wish to use the Lab apartments, you must seek accommodations on your own. In general, the School can only subsidize housing in Lab accommodations.

  IMPORTANT! Please plan to arrive no earlier than June 6. Housing will NOT be available before then.

• Temporary Mailing address: Each UNM apartment has an associated US Postal Service mail box located on site. During the first few days, you'll need to go to the PO and have this box transferred to you. After this, all personal mail should be addressed to you at this PO box. In the time between leaving your present address and occupying the UNM apartment, you may have mail forwarded to the UNM-LA Graduate Center:

  Name

  Los Alamos Summer School

  c/o Center for Graduate Study

  University of New Mexico - Los Alamos

  4000 University Drive

  Los Alamos, NM 87544

  As indicated this is only a temporary address but should help in bridging the time.

• Insurance: You are responsible for your own insurance; we strongly recommend some coverage. You can purchase UNM insurance for the summer at a cost of about $250. If you are not covered by a health insurance plan, notify us.

• Weather: Los Alamos is at a high elevation, about 7,000 feet. Nights will be cool while days can be hot so bring both warm and cool clothes. Summer is the rainy season. Rain gear will be needed. If you plan to hike in the mountains, please bring a good pair of hiking boots as well as plenty of non-breakable water bottles. Also note that afternoon lightning storms are common, so plan on being finished with hikes by early afternoon.

• Course: You will be enrolled as a non-degree UNM student for 3 credit hours in Physics 452 or (if you are within 10 hours of graduation with a bachelor's degree) Physics 501. The course will normally be graded on a credit/no credit basis (you can elect to take it for a letter grade). Also, you must decide if you want to take it for graduate credit. IF YOU WANT TO TRANSFER THE CREDITS, FIND THE PROCEDURE FOR YOUR INSTITUTION BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE! Making these arrangements ahead of time is especially important if you are an undergraduate. UNM can provide an official transcript at the end of the summer for a cost of $5.00.

• Identification: All students MUST bring either a current US passport or an official birth certificate. The birth certificate must be from a state office and notarized. Hospital certificates cannot be used.

• Mentors: We will send a list of mentors and projects in the latter part of May. You'll be asked to rank these projects by order of preference. Your project assignments will be given the first few days of the School. We shall also send a class roster at that time.

• Preparation: Students sometimes ask how they should prepare for coming to the school. Since the mentored projects and lectures are self-contained, the best advice is to devote all your time to finishing your present courses and take a mental rest between the end of your classes and the beginning of the Summer School. We'll have more than enough work for you upon arrival. There will also be plenty of time to enjoy the area.

• Negotiable Funds: Remember to bring some funds with you in easily negotiable form such as cash, travelers' checks, or major credit card. Bank cards or personal checks drawn on out-of-county banks may not work in Los Alamos.

• Taxable Income: This is a question we are asked repeatedly about the Summer School stipend. We do not have a definitive answer since this will vary with individual circumstances. First, UNM will NOT withhold taxes nor issue a W2 or comparable tax form. Second, the total income you receive must be reported to federal and local agencies. Under certain circumstances, part or all of stipends may be exempt from taxation. This depends on interpretation of certain tax codes and personal situations. This makes it impossible for us to give any general advice on this matter except to consult a tax expert or local IRS representative.