Month: November 2017

Preparing For Your First Research Conference

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By: Soumya Kundu, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

Your first research conference will be one of the most exciting experiences of your research career. After spending months working in your lab, this is going to be your first opportunity to meet other researchers in your field outside of your university, catch a glimpse of some of the work being done by peers at other institutions, and maybe even present your own work! However, as with most new experiences, there is always a degree of anxiety that comes with the uncertainty of not knowing what to expect at your first conference. Here, I will offer a few simple pieces of advice that can help you prepare to make the most of this valuable opportunity. Continue reading →

• Apply Now for Summer 2018 Research and Internship Opportunities

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Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research or internship program need to plan ahead. December is the time to gather together all the required elements of the applications, including faculty letters of recommendation. All of the exciting summer opportunities listed below have application deadlines in December or January! Don’t miss the opportunity to get research experience.

DAAD RISE – Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany
Deadline: Applications are due by December 15, 2017; Letters of Reference are due by January 2, 2018 https://www.daad.de/rise/en/
DAAD RISE gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and physics the chance to spend a summer working on research projects with doctoral students at German universities and research institutions. Interested students must first register online between November 1, 2017 and December 15, 2017. Students will then be able to access the internship offers submitted by the doctoral students in Germany prior to completing the application.

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program (MLEF)
Deadline: January 3, 2018; http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/
The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy. It is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Selected undergraduates receive a weekly stipend of $600.

Summer Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SNURF) – University of Vermont
Deadline: January 10, 2018; https://www.med.uvm.edu/neuro/snurf
Two summer research programs will be hosted by the University of Vermont. One is funded by NSF and the other by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Both offer generous stipends and housing. Interested students may apply to only one of the two programs. Details available on the website.

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Deadline: January 12, 2018; https://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at one of 17 participating Dept. of Energy laboratories.

Cold Spring Harbor Undergraduate Summer Research Program 2018
Deadline: January 15, 2018; http://www.cshl.edu/education/urp
The URP program is designed to give students an opportunity to conduct first-rate research under the supervision of senior laboratory staff in the areas of cancer biology, neuroscience, plant biology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics and genomics. Selected students receive room and board in addition to a $5,000 stipend.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships
Deadline: January 15, 2018; http://thinkswiss.tumblr.com/About
ThinkSwiss scholarships support highly motivated undergraduates who are interested in doing research at a public Swiss university or research institute. The scholarship is open to students in all fields. A monthly stipend of approximately $1,050 is provided for a period of 2-3 months.

Summer ORISE Fellowship Opportunities at the CDC
Deadline: January 19, 2018; http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/orise.html
Appointments through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship Program. Undergraduate students majoring in the applied sciences may apply. Biology and chemistry majors are preferred. Stipend of approximately $2,800 per month for undergraduate students.

Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE)
Deadline: January 24, 2018; http://www.mnh.si.edu/NHRE/index.htm
This is a 10-week summer internship program at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. NHRE interns work closely with scientific mentors to complete independent research projects in Earth science, Biology, and Anthropology. Interns will receive a stipend of $6,000 and be provided dorm housing at George Washington University.

Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) – Columbia University
Deadline: January 31, 2018; http://ps.columbia.edu/education/student-life/office-diversity/programs/college-and-post-baccalaureate-students/summer-publ
The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in public health and biomedical science careers. Applicants must have completed at least two years of college. Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Approximately 40 students will be selected to participate. Students will receive a stipend, housing, and round trip travel.

 

Attending Scientific Conferences – Sometimes You Can Be Overdressed

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By: Kavita Sinha, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

A month ago, I traveled to the New England Immunology Conference in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Despite the rain and the fact that my hair, which I had spent over an hour straightening, had returned to its natural curly and frizzy state, I was excited. This conference would be a time for me to meet other scientists in the field and to make important connections. Further, it was the first time that I could showcase some of my research in front of people who did similar work, which would only help to improve my presentation skills. I had planned the perfect outfit, both stylish (in my opinion) and professional. And that’s what I want to focus this blog post on. The outfit.

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Learning to Not Be Afraid to Work Independently

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By: Emily Saccuzzo, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

Getting involved in research can be pretty scary. I remember my first day I was so overwhelmed with all of the different pieces of expensive equipment I didn’t know how to use. It took me a few months of shadowing to even feel confident enough to do anything by myself. So the question is, how do you know when you’re ready?

One common occurrence in our lab is pouring and loading a PAGE gel for analysis. It was something I’d seen done and done with the help of my grad student so many times by the time it came for me to do this by myself. It was a few weeks into my first semester of doing research and I was tasked with both pouring the gel and loading it completely on my own. It seems silly now how nervous I was seeing as how I’ve done it probably a hundred times since then without fail, but I remember being on the verge of shaking I was so scared to do it alone. But guess what, I did it!

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Navigating a Collaborative Group Project

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By: Priscilla Grillakis, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

Getting involved in research was something I had always wanted to do, but was unsure of how to do. In December of my sophomore year, one of my friends from Neag School of Education was approached by two of her Neag classmates to join their research project and apply for an IDEA grant. She mentioned to them that she thought I would be an asset to the project because she thought my Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences major and Spanish minor provided me with a skill set that would complement their educational skill set. I gladly agreed to join their team, and we applied for an IDEA grant that following spring.

While being on an interdisciplinary research team can seem intimidating at first, I would highly recommend it. Being on a team can bring about some challenges, so consider these tips!

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Don’t Be Intimidated – Apply to Fund Your Research Projects

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By: Ariane Garrett, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

“Ariane Garrett is a STEM Scholar double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Spanish. In her freshman year, she was named a Holster Scholar and awarded an IDEA grant for her independent research project, “An Optical System for Analysis of Implantable Medical Devices”. Ariane is continuing her research into this school year focusing on remote monitoring of implantable medical devices using radio frequency powering.”

If you’re interested in getting involved in research or competing for any sort of funding programs (such as IDEA) you’ve probably read some blurbs very similar to this. This short paragraph about my accomplishments thus far sounds pretty fancy. It paints a picture of someone who has everything together, and leaves out all of the ups and downs along the path to the funding and completion of my research project. Every stage of my project (deciding to apply, the application process, and the period after funding) came with it’s own unique set of challenges and worries. The purpose of this blog post is to address overcoming personal doubts at each stage. Continue reading →