Current FUSar Lauryn Kortman Image credit: Gretchen Ertl
We develop the individual, so they can develop the future.
The climate crisis is no longer a prediction. It is here. One of the keys to tackle the climate crisis is the clean energy transition. And while solar and wind, among other ways of generating energy, are becoming more common, and we need them right now, we still need something even more efficient: fusion.
Fusion power is in its infancy, but we already have a worker shortage. FUSars is the PSFC’s first plank in bridging this shortage, by actively recruiting undergraduates. We do so by pairing them with passionate mentors, and making fusion research the highest paid job available on campus to undergraduates.
While many or all of the skills students need to be successful can be taught and learned, just being in a lab doesn’t teach undergrads these skills. So we set out to try to teach out students how to:
Communicate about their research with a variety of audiences, both within the Institute and outside;
Use reflection to build self-awareness and deliberateness in how one spends their time and attention. This includes knowing how to set one’s priorities and goals and how to say “no,” and how to structure one’s time to achieve those priorities and goals, including building time for rest, socializing, and other aspects of self-care: how to create personal routines to set oneself up for success
Make the best use of the resources here at MIT, including the library and the librarians;
Build the kind of relationships that make academic research and associated work not only possible, but satisfying and, dare we say it, fun.
Cultivate habits that engender deep work;
Cultivate scientific and intellectual curiosity and the skills necessary to act on them
Gain a genuine understanding of what it takes to work in a lab – not just the skills associated with carrying out the research (e.g., TGS), but how to mentally frame how one goes about that work; learning that success in a lab is not the same as just sitting down and plowing through a p-set;
Take a growth-mindset approach both in and outside the classroom, including how to deal with “failure”;
Be a professional, including how and when to communicate with a supervisor, achieving milestones, and showing up when you say you will.
It’s easy to see why these skills could be helpful to students as individuals, but FUSars has a broader focus: building the fusion workforce of the future. FUSars addresses the fusion workforce shortage at its source, by making fusion the highest paid UROP experience on campus.
FUSars pairs focused lab/research time with a seminar that helps our students learn these important skills. The requirements are simple. To achieve all of the goals above, FUSars has four broad requirements:
Work an average of 10-12 hours each week in the lab for two consecutive semesters (spring and fall)
Pass both semesters of the 3-unit FUSars seminar; the class is P/D/F
Submit a short journal article for peer-reviewed publication or present at a peer-reviewed conference by the end of IAP
Make sufficient progress based on their supervisor’s expectations
FUSars is funded entirely by generous donors, most of whom are MIT alums. These donations allow our program to be the highest paying research opportunity on campus. Here’s how it works: during the program, all students earn $15.50/hour, just like most other UROPs at MIT. After students complete the programs requirements, they earn a scholarship equal to the value of the hours they have worked (up to 260 hours).
In addition to hourly pay and a scholarship, all FUSars have access to up to $4,000 to support their professional development, including travel to conferences and lab supplies.
"I think most of all this program has taught me how to reflect on my work and be mindful about how my behaviors and past experiences can inform my goals.”
"I learned how important relationships with professors are, how to make connections with people I don’t know, and how to upkeep relationships that will allow me to prosper and help me to do the best work that I can.”
"There are two big things I learned in FUSars. The first is that, while flexibility is definitely good for me, and helps relieve pressure, I definitely need structure and accountability to actually get things done. The other is accepting not doing as much as I thought I would. Sometimes, a task is simply harder than had thought it would be.”
"I think, overall, the major lessons that I have learned in FUSars are: i) How to prepare for managing my time as best I can, given many random variables and goings-on in my life, ii) How to navigate difficult situations and find time for myself wherever I can, iii) Understanding the value in learning from other people when leadership is needed, and iv) How to work with others to define goals and objectives for the future.”
"I think MIT, in general, creates an environment where the expectations are notoriously high and people are unable to spend time truly working on themselves. I think this seminar has been useful in trying to emphasize the self, and on the topic of reflections, I suspect that I will be trying to document and record my thoughts and emotions more this summer than ever before. Through all the stress, I think I am becoming more attuned to my sense of being, and hopefully, my labor today will bear fruit for the future.”
1. Read about eligible research projects at the PSFC and decide if you are interested in working on one of them
2. Contact the person listed as a contact in the listing and set up an interview/conversation so that you can learn what you'll need for answering the questions in this application. Keep in mind that you will have to have this interview at least a week before the application is due, so that you will have time to write your application. You can always ask the Course 22 Comm Lab for help.
3. Please pre-register for 22.S097 once preregistration opens; if you are not selected, you can drop it. Class is currently scheduled for Wednesday morning, 10:00-11:30, and will meet in NW17-218.
On Wed. Feb. 8, lunch will be served from 11:30-12:30 in NW-16-213. If we find that this time does not work for the selected students, we will work to find a time that does.
4. Fill out this application.
Q: Is there an information session I can attend?
A: Yes! Additional information will be posted around the first week of classes, and the information session will be held in mid-October.
Q: What is the deadline for applying to FUSars?
A: Sunday, December 1, 2024, 11:59PM. Decisions will be posted by December 13, 2024.
Q: When does FUSars start?
A: he first week of classes of Spring Semester. The day and time of the FUSars Seminar will be decided based on the availability of the students in the cohort. In the past, class has been held on Fridays at noon and on Thursdays, 4-5.
Q: What if I want to do a UROP at the PSFC, but I don’t want to be a FUSar?
A: there are a number of other research projects at the PSFC with spots for undergrads. Please check the UROP listings or get in touch with Rachel Shulman for more information.
Q: How competitive is FUSars?
A: Over the past two cycles, approximately 1/3 of applicants have received offers.
Q: What if I am not accepted as a FUSar, but I still want to do the research?
A: If the spot is still open, and the supervisor wants to hire you, you can apply to do the project as a UROP.
Q: What if I am not accepted as a FUSar, but I still want to take the seminar?
A: We’d love to have you! The class will be more meaningful if you’re also doing research at the PSFC.
Q: The program is both spring and fall semesters - does that mean I am obligated to do research over the summer, too?
A: Nope! You are welcome to stay over the summer, and we’ll even help you find funding, but you are not obligated to stay for the summer.
Q: Can I apply for more than one FUSar position?
A: Please do not apply for more than 2 positions. You cannot actually DO more than one FUSar project, but you may apply for 2.
Q: I have a question that isn’t answered here. What should I do?
A: You can always email Rachel Shulman, Fusion Education Program Administrator, at rshulman@mit.edu.
Q: I am not a student at MIT. Can I still apply for FUSars?
A: We hope to have a summer research program in the future for non-MIT students, but right now only MIT students can be FUSars. Contact the MIT Summer Research Program or the Summer Scholars Program to explore other research opportunities on campus.
Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, NW17
Cambridge, MA 02139
info@psfc.mit.edu
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