Information for Summer Students Coming to Socorro

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Information for Summer Students Coming to Socorro

We are pleased that you have accepted our offer of a summer appointment, and look forward to having you join our astronomical community. We are conducting exciting research at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and we trust your summer here will be a rewarding one. This document contains information to help make your transition to Socorro as pain- and worry- free as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact Anna Kapinska (phone: 575-835-7155 or email: ) with questions or concerns.

General Information

General information of interest for all summer students, regardless of assigned site, is collected in at https://science.nrao.edu/opportunities/student-programs/NRAOstudents_summer. This includes information on start dates, stipends, travel reimbursement, your research assignment and schedule, and the opportunity to present your research at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

Getting Here

Socorro, NM is the location of the Very Large Array (VLA) and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) Science Operations Center (SOC) where you will be working during the summer. Socorro is located about 75 miles south of Albuquerque, NM just off of I-25. Maps are available to the Science Operations Center in Socorro, NM. The VLA site is about 45 miles west of Socorro on the plains of St. Augustin. The closest airport to Socorro is Albuquerque (ABQ).

Please review the NRAO travel reimbursement policy before arranging your travel plans; often one of our administrators will help in arranging your travel. Details are given in your acceptance letter, and can be found on-line at https://science.nrao.edu/opportunities/student-programs/NRAOstudents_summer#Travel.

Short Term Housing

The NRAO Guest House can be reserved for short term lodging while you secure or can move into long-term housing for the summer. NRAO will reimburse you up to $300 for short term lodging either at the NRAO Guest House or a local motel, either at the beginning, at the end of your stay or a combination of days.  Please note that the summer months are peak usage times for the NRAO Guest House and local motels. If you will need to stay at the NRAO facility for a few days upon arrival, you should submit the Visitors Registration form as soon as possible. The form can be found at https://science.nrao.edu/about/socorro/nrao-nm-visitor-registration

Long Term Housing

You will need to secure a place to live over the summer. It is often advantageous to do this remotely.  There are several possibilities:

  1. New Mexico Tech student housing is usually available to us.  The student apartments (Ben D. Altamirano Apartments) are furnished and a description of what you can expect will be available on NMT's Residential Life page. The apartments are walking distance to the Pete V. Domenici Science Operations Center, where you will work. This has to be arranged by your summer local coordinator. The campus accommodation costs around USD900-1100/month.
  2. In past years some students have opted to rent houses together to share resources and expense.  Housing in Socorro is generally cheap compared to metropolitan areas, with two bedrooms around $750/month.
  3. Occasionally people have rooms to rent or sublet, with a single bedroom typically around $500/month.
Selected and confirmed summer students are normally contacted by Socorro local summer coordinator () around April with detailed information on accommodation available for the upcoming summer. Also note that NRAO has a small supply of used furniture etc. which can be borrowed for the summer on first come first served basis. If you find a place remotely that you want to know more about, we can arrange to go by and check out that it meets some minimum level of acceptability.

Local Information

You can find on-line information about Socorro, and things to do in Socorro, at the following websites:

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.