Current Students

Stay connected to Department News!

We post news, opportunities, scholarships and other important information. Contact Kristy Mardis at kmardis@csu.edu for access to our Google group list:

• Chemistry
• Physics & Engineering

Peer Mentoring and Support
Tutoring in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering courses is conducted by Learning Assistants and the CSU Learning Assistant Center (LAC).  For more information on the Learning Assistant Center, view walk in hours, etc. please visit their page, Click here. 

Should you attend office hours? Yes! You should ... check out the video to learn why. 

 

STEM Navigator
To support STEM students at CSU, we have a STEM Navigator. The Student Navigator can help students with:

• Working through resume/CV/cover letter creation and editing (for job applications, internships, scholarships, and research opportunities)
• Mentoring and advice on how to approach careers in STEM and STEM-adjacent fields
• Connecting with academic advisors and with other services at CSU (career center, counseling, veteran affairs, etc.)

 

Internship Partnerships

Our majors have taken on internships all over the world including Argonne National Laboratory, Rochester Institute of Technology, CERN - Switzerland, the University of Arkansas, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and many more. 

We maintain internship partnerships with the University of Arkansas, the University of Illinois - Chicago, Argonne National Lab, CERN, and others. 

The department compiles information about potential internships in the city and the nation.  We post opportunities for various internships on our Google group list serves (Chemistry, Physics & Engineering)- make sure you are on these lists so you don't miss out!   

Career Highlights

Majoring in Chemistry, Physics and Engineering Studies prepares you for a wide range of career choices and advanced degree options in these and related disciplines. 

Have you ever wondered how your major might help you after you graduate? See this new academic major report for the state of Illinois! This tool contains useful data on how graduates from different majors are doing in the labor market: How much money are they earning? What industries are they working in? How much debt do they graduate with? What occupations are they likely to hold? Whether declaring an initial major, or switching majors, use this tool to better inform you of your choices!

Here is an example of what some of our majors have gone on to, after CSU:

• Acceleration Operator at Fermi Lab
• High School Science Teaching in Chicago Public Schools
• Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University
• Graduate School in Biomechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech
• Scientist at STAT Analytics 
• Dentist at Woodlawn Dental Gallery
• Pharmacist at Chicago area hospital
  

Members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter have access to the organization's national employment service. In addition, CSU's Career Center provides valuable assistance in finding a career that best suits each student.

Here are other career resources:

Chemistry

• NOBCChe
• ACS

Physics & Engineering

• NSBP and NSBE
• AIR, APS, AAPT
• Career Toolkit (by the National Society of Physics Students)
• Physics Today Jobs

General

• CSU Career Development Center

Clubs and Student Life

While at CSU, consider joining our science student organizations:

• Society of Physics Students (SPS): SPS is a way for physics students to connect at CSU and nationally.  In previous years, SPS has done activities such as attending the SPS Congress and visiting High Schools to do interactive physics presentations.  Check out the feature article on CSU here.   
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE): NOBCChE works toward building successful diverse global leaders in STEM and advance their professional endeavors by adding value to their academic, development, leadership, and philanthropic endeavors throughout the life-cycle of their careers.    
• National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP): NSBP is the largest and most recognizable organization devoted to the growth, development, and advancement of the African-American physics community.
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE): NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. Check out the CSU NSBE site!

NSBE's mission is "to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."

NSBE has more than 18,000 members, and it is the largest student-managed organization in the country. The organization is comprised of more than 270 chapters on college and university campuses, 75 Alumni Extension chapters nationwide and 75 Pre-College chapters. These chapters are geographically divided into six regions.

The following are the objectives of the organization:

1. 1. Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines.
   2. Strive to increase the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
   3. Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and to obtain professional engineering registrations.
   4. Promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for Blacks and other minorities in that profession.
   5. Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Black Engineers.
      
      New and innovative project ideas are generated and implemented throughout the year on the chapter, regional and national levels. Some of NSBE's present activities include tutorial programs, group study sessions, high school/junior high outreach programs, technical seminars and workshops, a national communications network (NSBENET), two national magazines (NSBE Magazine and the NSBE Bridge), an internal newsletter, a professional newsletter (The Career Engineer), resume books, career fairs, awards, banquets and an annual national convention.

Honor Societies and Scholarships

• Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics, to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels, to promote an attitude of service, and to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics.  Awards in Chemistry include the ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry, the PolyEd Award in Organic Chemistry, Herbert E. Smith Memorial Award, and many others. 
  
  
• Scholarships from the Center for STEM Education and Research, the National Science Foundation, the Illinois Space Grant Consortium and other programs, are available to support students to complete their STEM degrees.  Check out the university scholarship page for more opportunities.