Carnegie Astrophysics Summer Student Internship Program (CASSI)
This summer's CASSI program will take place from June 16 - August 22, 2025
The application for summer 2026 will be available at this site in December.
Information for 2025 CASSI Participants
Research
Using data from Carnegie's telescopes or state-of-the-art simulations, students will have the chance to work on topics such as exoplanets, early galaxies, black holes, and dark matter. Students also focus on engineering projects, improving the scientific instruments on our telescopes.
Previous Projects
Mentoring
CASSI interns are paired with broader mentoring teams to help support their development during their time at Carnegie and beyond.
Our Faculty & Postdocs
A Community of Scholars
One of the goals of CASSI is to increase participation and retention of under-represented groups in astronomy. We encourage scholars from all backgrounds—especially those under-represented in science—to apply. With program support, students build a strong intern community with lasting bonds that extend well beyond the summer. Interns are also immersed within the life of our larger community of scholars, providing both a sense of belonging, as well as a true sense of the style of academic careers. CASSI interns also organize an annual outreach program for Upward Bound high school students where they share their expertise on college with potential first-generation college students, magnifying the impact of the program beyond the interns themselves.
Learn More
A Community of Scholars
CASSI interns participate in a wide range of programs during the summer aimed at improving their scientific communication. These range from writing and poster workshops to short weekly oral presentations of their work. The program culminates in a symposium where all students present the results of their research program to the Observatories community. Upon successful completion of the program, all students will also be given the opportunity to attend the American Astronomical Society meeting the following January to present their research.
Contact the CASSI Director
Director of the CASSI Program, Gwen Rudie, is a Staff Scientist at Carnegie who specializes in observational studies of distant galaxies and the diffuse gas which surrounds them, called the circumgalactic medium. She is also a Project Scientist for the Magellan Infrared Multi-object Spectrograph (MIRMOS), a near-infrared multi-object spectrograph and integral field unit to be deployed at the Magellan 6.5-meter telescopes at Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. Rudie is deeply committed to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in science, leading multiple programs at the Observatories. She was also a member of the Carnegie Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the Carnegie Climate Survey Working Group.
Email GwenMore Information
- AstroBetter: A blog with lots of useful resources for the astronomer.
- Astrobites: write-ups about astronomy papers by grad students for undergraduates
- AAS Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy
- AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy
- AAS Committee for Sexual Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy
- Women in Astronomy blog
- Astronomy in Color blog
- Working Group on Accessibility and Disability
- Guide to reading astronomy papers and participating in astronomy seminars
- The Carnegie Observatories Help pages. (For technical info specific to our campus.)
- Local information about Pasadena.
- Approachable Experts.
CASSI News Highlights
Scientists at the Observatories were committed to continue bringing students into the Carnegie community despite the global pandemic.
In 2019, the program was opened for the first time to students from colleges and universities throughout Southern California..
By the end of the summer, the students gained the skills and confidences to be capable of discussing their work with peers and professionals.
Hubble Fellow Johanna Teske reflects on the Observatories' partnership with Upward Bound.
