International Space Weather Camp (ISWC)

The International Space Weather Camp (ISWC) is an opportunity to learn about space physics in the context of meeting a very practical need — to understand the influence of the Sun on the space and upper atmosphere of the Earth and its related impact on the technological systems and needs of modern society. This is a new, exciting, and emerging discipline called Space Weather, which has attracted the attention of the White House and senior leaders in government because of the importance of ensuring that our technology investments are properly protected against severe Space Weather. Over twenty students from Alabama, Germany, and South Africa participate in a multiple-week series of lectures, hands-on projects, experiments, and excursions as they learn both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of Space Weather and solar and space physics.

The International Space Weather Camp is a partnership between FTPP (UAH), SANSA (Hermanus facility), and the DLR (University of Rostock). Because of the considerable historical ties between Huntsville and the state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern (Germany) in the development of rockets, missiles, and eventually manned space flight, the International Space Weather Camp was created to forge ties and develop communication between these two regions that have had such an impact on the 20th century.

The two primary initiators of the International Space Weather Camp were the Director of CSPAR, Gary Zank, and the former Vice President of Research, John Horack, together with their colleagues at the DLR in Neustrelitz, Wolfgang Mett, Holger Wandsleb, and Wolfgang Schareck (Rektor of the University of Rostock).

Since its launch in 2011, the ISWC reoccurs annually.

The International Space Weather Camp (selected topics course SPA489 and SPA689) covers various aspects related to Space Weather, comprising cosmic ray particle transport theory, plasma physics, solar physics, heliospheric physics, computer simulations for modeling and understanding local Space Weather, and the impact on Earth’s atmosphere, satellites, and space vehicles.

keyvan ghanbari
ISWC 2024 UAH Camp Lead

Dr. Keyvan Ghanbari

This course consists of three parts:

  • June 14th, 2024 ─ Mandatory Online pre-camp Session
  • June 17th to June 28th, 2024 ─ Camp dates at the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus, United States
  • June 30th to July 13th, 2024 ─ Camp dates at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Neustrelitz, Germany

If your application is successful, eligible expenses including airfare, mileage, lodging (in Northern Germany at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA), and tuition for the ISWC course will be covered.

  • NOTE: You will not be able to take another summer class or work during camp dates. Weekend activities are also planned and are mandatory to attend.

Applicant Eligibility

  • Applicants must be a rising junior or senior undergraduate student or a graduate student enrolled full-time in a higher education institution in the southeastern U.S (in a state that is part of NSF EPSCoR), which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
  • Applicants must be pursuing a degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field.
  • Applicants graduating before the internship are not eligible to apply unless they have accepted an offer to become graduate students at an FTPP institution. Freshmen applicants are ineligible.
  • Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Applicants must be 19 years of age by the start date of the appointment.
  • Interns must have health insurance coverage during the internship.
  • Applicants must hold a valid passport and may need to obtain a German visa by the start of the camp in order to travel to Germany. U.S. citizens do not require a VISA to travel to Germany for 90 days or less.

Participant Benefits

  • Successful applicants will be fully funded to participate in the ISWC 2024. Funding will include flights, accommodation (on-campus housing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and in Neustrelitz, Germany), ground transportation, and most meals.
  • Class course credit for participating and completing the camp (SPA489 or SPA689) through the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
  • A stipend of $600 for meals and uncovered expenses.

Intern Responsibilities

  • Students must apply online and be accepted into the ISWC program. Upon acceptance, additional instructions for applying to The University of Alabama in Huntsville and course (SPA489 or SPA689) will be sent to you via email prior to registering for this course.
  • Interns must participate full-time during the course of the camp.
    • Interns must present the results of the summer project to the host institution.
    • Complete a feedback form to help assess the effectiveness of the program.

Key Dates

  • November 30, 2024
    • ISWC starts accepting applications.
  • February 18, 2024
    • Application deadline: Last day for students to submit applications, supporting materials, reference letters, and project preferences.
  • March 2024
    • ISWC makes offers to selected students.
  • June 14, 2024
    • Mandatory Online Pre-Meeting Session on Zoom
  • June 17 – June 28, 2024
    • Camp dates at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
  • June 29, 2024
    • Flight to Neustrelitz, Germany.
  • June 30 – July 13, 2024
    • Camp dates at the DLR (Neustrelitz).
  • July 13, 2024
    • Flight to Huntsville, Alabama (End of the Camp).

Application

  • To start the application process:
  • Please click on Register/Login if you’ve never made an account on FTPP. You will be redirected to the registration/login page. You will need to create an account in order to complete the application. To do so, follow the on-screen instructions and register for an account.
  • If you’re a returning user and you have already logged in, you may click on Apply to be redirected to your student dashboard.
  • Once you’re redirected to the student dashboard, this will display all the projects and your submission status. By selecting a project, you can commence or revise your submission.
  • You have the option to save a draft of your application’s progress and submit it at a later time. To do this, simply click on “save draft”.
  • If you already have an FTPP account, you can access your student dashboard by visiting the “PORTAL” section in the navigation menu.

FAQ

Yes. If you are not logged in, you will need to click on “Register / Login”. On the next page, click on “Register”. Please create an account by filling out the needed information and clicking on “Sign Up”. Once you are logged in, you can fill out an application for any of the internships. You can also check your status of completed applications by visiting the student portal from the navigation bar.

Graduating undergraduates are not eligible unless they are fully enrolled in a Master’s program the following semester.

Yes, foreign students attending schools in southeastern NSF EPSCoR states (see above) can attend. However, students are required to ensure their passports and VISA will allow them for international travel to Germany and back to the United States. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a VISA to Germany if necessary. Please check this website for more information.

The course credit is fully recognized at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. However, it is your responsibility to check if your institution will accept the course for credit.

Yes. Students must obtain their own passport and VISA prior to travel. American Citizens do not require a VISA to travel to Germany for less than 90 days.

Please visit the CDC website for required and recommended vaccines.

Yes, you can bring your car. You may have to pay a $50 summer parking permit fee to park on campus.

Students submit an online application that includes unofficial transcripts in PDF format from their current college, two reference letters, a short essay, and a resume. Accepted students will be notified by March of 2024.

Students will be notified of their selection by email from the following address: nsfepscor@uah.edu. If you are selected, please keep checking your email regularly as additional required forms will be emailed to you from this address.