Summer student programme

The joint ESRF/ILL International Summer Student Programme on X-Ray and Neutron Science is held every year (usually in September).

The programme consists in a four-week experimental project embedded in a research group at the ESRF or ILL.

The first days of the programme are dedicated to introductory lectures to familiarise students with the principles of neutrons and X-rays:

• Fundamental principles
• Techniques used for their production (nuclear reactor, synchrotron)
• Instrumentation and measurement techniques
• Interaction with matter

The programme continues with the more specific aspects of the application of neutrons and X-rays in a number of different scientific fields, such as:

• Diffraction and structure of materials
• Imaging
• Nuclear and particle physics
• Structural biology
• Magnetism
• Spectroscopy and inelastic scattering
• Soft matter studies
• And other examples of today's scientific questions

For a large part of the programme, students will work on an individual scientific project tutored by one or several scientists of the institutes. These projects are proposed by our research groups and are closely-related to their actual scientific activities. 

The programme concludes with a seminar where all participants give a short presentation of the results they have obtained. 

In addition to the academic programme, several social events and outings are organised throughout the programme to facilitate integration and to discover Grenoble and the surrounding area.

The Programme is open to undergraduate students enrolled in a university of a member country (or scientific associate country) of the ESRF or ILL. 

Applications

Information concerning applications to the Summer Programme is usually published at the beginning of the year. Please check the ESRF and ILL web pages for the announcement. Application files consist of:

• complete CV, including the records of all university marks and exams.
• motivation letter.
• certificate of English language fluency (this may be a TOEFL or an attestation signed by a university lecturer of English language); students who are English native speakers or enrolled in an English language university are exempt from providing this certificate.