The APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) are three-day regional conferences for undergraduate physics majors. The 2017 conferences will be held January 13-15.

The primary goal of the CUWiP conference is to help undergraduate women continue in physics by providing them with the opportunity to experience a professional conference, information about graduate school and professions in physics, and access to other women in physics of all ages with whom they can share experiences, advice, and ideas.

The 2017 program at Rice University will include research talks, panel discussions about graduate school and careers in physics, workshops and discussions about women in physics, student research talks and poster session, and laboratory tours.

For the last decade, Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) has worked to help undergraduate women thrive in physics by providing them a unique opportunity to engage with and learn from other women in physics at all stages of their physics careers. At CUWiP, budding physicists will experience a professional conference, learn about graduate school and professions in physics, and share invaluable experiences, advice, and ideas with other women.

Any undergraduate may apply. It is very important to complete all parts of the application and to write a thoughtful Applicant Statement. In case conferences are oversubscribed, priorities will be given to applicants who:

1. Are undergraduate physics majors
2. Have never attended an APS CUWiP
3. Are applying to attend the conference that is geographically closest to their expected location January 13-15, 2017.

No. You apply to attend a CUWiP conference (the one closest to you), and you are accepted, wait-listed or declined according to the priorities listed above. Application is free, and the deadline is October 16, 2016, midnight ET. After you have been accepted, you then register with the conference to which you have been accepted (you may be assigned to a different conference depending on the number of applications) to confirm that you will actually be attending.

Students who are accepted to attend the conference must pay a one-time registration fee of $45, which helps offset some of the cost of the conference, including all lodging and meals. If you cannot afford the registration fee and your department/college is unable to help, you may request a fee waiver if you are accepted to attend (but before you register) by submitting a statement attesting to your financial need and verifying that department or university funds are not available. Food and lodging (for non-local students) will be covered by the conference. We expect that the students home departments will cover the costs of travel, but some travel funds are available if needed.

You need to talk to your department chair, manager, or director of undergraduate studies before registering. Contact us if you would like guidance in asking your department for travel funds.

No. While we encourage you to present a talk or a poster if you have been involved in research, you are welcome just to attend the conference and participate in the activities.

First, make sure you submit your application by the deadline. Second, make sure you put some thought into why you want to attend and what you want to get out of the conference. Please answer all questions on the application fully and honestly. Offering to present a talk or a poster will not affect your chances of being selected to attend.

No, but you should have an estimate of the cost. If you are traveling by air and your travel cost is not covered by your department, your airfare must be approved by the conference organizers before you book your travel. Due to the limited nature of our travel funds, we ask that you find the most economical means of transportation to and from the conference.

The content of this year’s conference won’t be exactly the same as last year’s, so you can attend again. However, if we receive more applications than we can accommodate, preference will be given to students who haven’t attended before.

Yes, all attendees must register by the deadline.

Because of the high demand of students and travel costs of those who are not in our region, we will only be able to accept students who will be in the region at the time of the conference. This conference is not intended to be a graduate school visit.

Because your travel costs are not reimbursable, it is expected that you will attend all of the conference events as scheduled. If you have special circumstances, please contact us to discuss them.

Students will be accommodated at the Wyndham Hotel in the Houston Medical Center. Please visit our Travel & Accommodation page for more information. If you are driving to the conference, you may park at the Wyndham Hotel free of charge. Do not make your own reservations.  We are getting a special rate.  Students will be assigned double rooms (let us know if you have a roommate preference).

We will help you with travel between airports and Rice, by organizing shuttles, or pointing you to commercial services. If you plan to fly, please contact us before making your reservation.

After the conference, you can submit the reimbursement form that will be provided to you. Reimbursement will be mailed to you within the month. For more details please contact us.

We will request dietary restriction information on the registration form. If you believe your dietary needs are unusual, please contact us and we will work to accommodate you.

The conference has no dress code, and we encourage students to be comfortable. There will be a plated banquet on Saturday evening, and many students enjoy dressing up for this event.

Students will have the option to present their research at a poster session and 10-minute talks. You can participate in one or the other, or both. Please see our Presentation Guidelines for more information.