Month: January 2020

• Summer Research Programs Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

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Undecided about how to spend your summer? Consider an undergraduate research program or research internship hosted by a research institute or university. Many summer research programs and internships, including those listed below, are still accepting applications, some through early March. There is still time to prepare a personal statement, gather application materials, and secure letters of recommendation.

REU in Mathematics at California State University-San Bernardino 
Deadline: February 12, 2020
https://www.math.csusb.edu/reu/index.html
Students in this 8-week program execute guided independent and collaborative research in the fields of Geometry and Knot Theory. The program is designed for students majoring in mathematics. $4,000 stipend and housing costs are provided.

Bioarchaeology of Bronze Age Social Systems REU – University of South Alabama/Quinnipiac University
Deadline: February 12, 2020
https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/artsandsci/syansw/anthropology/reu/
This REU is jointly run by the University of South Alabama and Quinnipiac University. The research projects focus on bioarchaeological analysis of two skeletal collections from the United Arab Emirates dating to the Umm an-Nar period. $500/week stipend, housing, field trip fees and some meals covered by the REU.

Maryland Sea Grant REU Program
Deadline: February 14, 2020
http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/topics/research-experiences-undergraduates/research-experiences-undergraduates
Fifteen students are selected to conduct marine research on the Chesapeake Bay at one of two University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences laboratories. The program is designed for students majoring in marine science, ecology, environmental science, biology and chemistry. Preference given to students who are rising seniors. $6,000 stipend and housing costs are provided.

Molecular Biology REU – The Ohio State University
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://molgen.osu.edu/research-experience-undergraduates
This NSF funded research program is hosted by the Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and the Division of Biochemistry at Ohio State. Selected students will receive a $6,000 stipend and univeristy housing. Students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences are encouraged to apply.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Internship Program
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://serc.si.edu/pro_training/internships/projectmenu.aspx
This 10-week program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to work on independent research under the direction of a SERC mentor. Research areas include environmental chemistry, marine and estuarine ecology, molecular ecology, and terrestrial ecology. Stipend $550/week.

Robert Frederick Smith Internship Program – Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://nmaahc.si.edu/connect/osp/robert-frederick-smith-fund-internship-and-fellowship-program
Internship opportunities through this program focus on digital imaging, media preservation, digital preservation of personal and community objects, collections information management, and recording and preserving oral histories. Interns will be located onsite with the National Museum of African American History & Culture and offsite at select African American museums, museums of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other institutions dedicated to preserving African American history and culture. Stipend $600/week. 

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography – University of Rhode Island
Deadline: February 21, 2020
https://web.uri.edu/gso/academics/surfo/
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Oceanography program is a 10-week research experience designed for science, math, and engineering students and primarily targets students who are completing their junior year. The program emphasizes the quantitative aspects of Oceanography; many projects involve fluid dynamics, marine geophysics, or numerical/physical modeling. $6,000 stipend.

Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) Undergraduate Summer Research Internship – Virginia Tech
Deadline: 5pm, February 21, 2020
https://maop.vt.edu/Undergraduate_programs/summer_research.html
This program provides undergraduates from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Wide variety of academic disciplines; $3,000 stipend, free on-campus room and board. Applicants should be rising sophomores and juniors.

American Student Placements in Rehabilitation Engineering (ASPIRE) REU Program – University of Pittsburgh
Deadline: February 28, 2020
https://www.herl.pitt.edu/education/undergrad
ASPIRE is a 10-week research program that focuses on rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. Students indicate their top three projects choices on their application. Selected students receive a $4,750 stipend and on-campus housing.

Brookings Institution Internship Program
Deadline: February 28, 2020
https://interns-brookings.icims.com/jobs/intro?hashed=-435682078
The Brookings Internship Program provides undergraduates the opportunity to learn new skills by working with Brookings’ staff in a variety of research areas – Economic Studies, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, Governance Studies and Metropolitan Policy. Three types of internships are offered – paid, academic for credit, and external sponsorship.

Nanotechnology for Health, Energy, and the Environment – Stony Brook University
Deadline: March 1, 2020
https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/cie/reu/
This summer REU program is targeted towards undergraduates with an interest in the application of nanotechnology and nanomaterials to various societal needs. Undergraduate STEM majors who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study are eligible to apply. $6,000 stipend, lodging and meals provided.

Dangremond Museum Studies Internship – Connecticut Historical Society
Deadline: March 6, 2020
https://chs.org/support-ct-historical/volunteer/dangremond-museum-studies-internship/
This internship offer undergraduates the opportunity to gain exposure to and experience in the daily operation of a history museum, library, and research center. Selected interns will work closely with museum professionals to gain a deeper understanding of the museum, library and history fields. Interns must complete 250 hours of work. $1,700 stipend.

INSPIRE U2 REU Program – Spelman College
Deadline: March 15, 2020
https://sites.spelman.edu/inspireu2-reu/
The Increasing Statistical Preparation in Research Education for Underrepresented Undergraduates (INSPIRE U2) program is designed to expose rising sophomore female students to statistical programs and analytical techniques with the goal of increasing student interest in advanced degree programs in the quantitative fields. Select students will received a $4,000 stipend, room and board.

• Health Research Program – Opportunities for Summer 2020

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HRP student Grace Nichols ’20 (CLAS) using software to measure response rates of mice with hopes of understanding Tinnitus. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the next phase of the Health Research Program (HRP). This program offers a pathway into undergraduate research for students with interests in health and/or the biomedical sciences. By facilitating connections between UConn Health researchers and UConn undergraduates, the program aims to involve more students in research at UConn Health.

For students interested in participating in this program for Summer 2020, here is the key information:

  • Summer 2020 opportunities are now posted on the HRP website. There are 30 opportunities that range from psychiatry to biological modeling, biomaterials to neuroscience, genetics to public health. The application deadline for these opportunities is 11:59pm on Monday, February 3, 2020.
  • All of these opportunities are slated to continue into the 2020-21 academic year. Continuation is contingent on satisfactory progress over the course of the summer and both student and faculty mentor interest in continuing the placement.
  • To be eligible for Summer 2020 HRP opportunities, students must plan to graduate no sooner than May 2021.
  • We do not expect that UConn shuttle service between Storrs and Farmington will be available during summer 2020 or in academic year 2020-21. Applicants should consider how they plan to travel to and from Farmington this summer and during the academic year. Further information about transportation options is available in the HRP FAQ.

Further details and answers to other frequently asked questions are available on the Health Research Program website. Students are encouraged to peruse the posted opportunities and begin preparing application materials for any placements of interest. We urge students to take care to consider the time commitment and schedule options involved in a given opportunity to ensure that they can accommodate these demands in their summer and academic year schedule. 

Research Assistant for Thermodynamic Foundations of Biological Behavior

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Opportunity Description

This research project investigates bio-like properties and behaviors of non-living, self-organizing, physical systems called dissipative structures. The project aims at identifying core physical principles which underwrite biological capabilities by studying non-living bio-analogues. The primary system we study is an electrically driven dissipative structure (as an example watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxoZ0hHN12I).

We braid together concepts from psychology, cognitive science, kinesiology, physics, chemistry, and thermodynamics for a rich interdisciplinary methodology. This project is thus well-suited for undergraduates studying either the life-sciences or the physical sciences, and ideally an interest in both. Our projects for the near future include topics of evolution, learning, and social coordination. As an undergraduate research assistant, you would aid primarily in conducting experiments, as well as potentially designing and building experimental apparatuses. Ideally you will also learn some rudimentary data analysis tools in Matlab, R, or both (programming facility in other languages is also very welcome).

You would receive training to use the experimental systems, aided by a graduate student mentor, as well as a short survey of relevant research articles for conceptual background. Once you have developed some facility with the system, you would begin to run assigned experiments and collect data on your own. You would be expected to coordinate primarily with your graduate student mentor, and secondarily with your faculty mentor. The time-commitment is flexible and negotiable, likely not exceeding 10 hours a week. The assistant position is minimally for a semester, though renewal for future semesters is possible and ideal. The assistantship would begin at the start of the Spring 2020 semester. RAs will receive research course credits as compensation for their work.

Student Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications (but not required):
– Undergraduate-level physics knowledge (especially Thermodynamics and Electricity & Magnetism)
– Experience with programming languages (ideally Matlab and/or R)
– An interest in conducting future research
Required Qualifications:
– Good, consistent, work ethic
– Genuine interest in the topic (though you don’t need specific knowledge or experience)
– Desire to learn new concepts, experimental methodologies, and analysis tools

How to Apply
Please email Ben De Bari at Benjamin.de_bari@uconn.edu and include a brief description of why you’re applying for this position and an up-to-date resume. Strong applicants will go through a brief interview process with the graduate student (Ben De Bari) and faculty (James Dixon) mentors.

Mentor: James Dixon, Professor, Psychological Sciences
Mentor email: james.dixon@uconn.edu
Timing: Ongoing
Campus: Storrs

• Interested in a Summer Research Opportunity – Apply Now

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Interested in spending the summer engaged in an exciting research project? With February fast approaching, now is the time to prepare your materials and request letters of recommendation in order to apply for summer research opportunities including those listed below with February deadlines.

Amgen Scholars Program 
The Amgen Scholars Program, a competitive summer program providing undergraduate students the opportunity to work full-time on independent research projects under the guidance of a research scientist, is hosted at thirteen institutions in the United States. Each host institution has its own application process; visit the links below for information on each institution’s program. The application deadline for all programs (except Caltech) is February 3, 2020. Applications for the Caltech program are due February 15th. Amgen research is conducted in fields including biochemistry, bioinformatics, biotechnology, chemical and biomolecular engineering, chemistry, immunology, medical pharmacology, microbiology, molecular biology, molecular genetics, molecular medicine, molecular pharmacology, neurobiology, neuroscience, pathology, physiological psychology, physiological science, statistics, and toxicology. Funding levels vary by program but most include a stipend (between $3,500 and $6,500), a housing and/or meal allowance, and travel expenses.

UCSD MSTP Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program
Deadline: February 2, 2020
https://reumanager.com/mstp-surf/
The Medical Scientist Training Program at UC San Diego is designed for students interested in learning about a career as a physician-scientist. The program features an 8-week research project, weekly seminars, and a physician-scientist clinical shadowing experience. Students from groups underrepresented in health-related sciences and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. $3,200 stipend and room provided. 

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program – UT Southwestern Medical Center
Deadline: February 3, 2020
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/graduate-school/programs/non-degree-programs/surf.html
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program at UT Southwestern’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is designed for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. career in biomedical research. Applicants to this 10-week program must have completed their sophomore year in an undergraduate science degree program. $4,000 stipend.

Quantitative and Physical Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (QP-SURF) Program – UT Southwestern Medical Center
Deadline: February 3, 2020
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/graduate-school/programs/non-degree-programs/qp-surf.html
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program at UT Southwestern’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is designed for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. career in biomedical research. Applicants must be enrolled in a physics, computer science, mathematics, biomedical engineering, or chemistry degree program and have completed their sophomore year. $4,000 stipend.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship
Deadline: February 5, 2020
http://www.whoi.edu/main/summer-student-fellowship
The Summer Student Fellowship provides undergraduates with an interest in ocean sciences, oceanographic engineering, mathematics, or marine policy with a meaningful first-hand introduction to research in those areas. Students who have completed their junior year prior to the start of fellowship period in summer 2020 are eligible to apply. Stipend of approximately $650/week for 10-12 weeks and institutional housing provided.

Hartford Hospital Summer Student Pre-Med & Research Program 
Deadline: February 7, 2020
https://hartfordhospital.org/health-professionals/education/residencies-fellowships/summer-student-pre-med-research-program
This 10-week program offers pre-med students an introduction to research methodology, patient treatment, and ethical issues in medicine. Applicants must be pre-med students completing their junior year as of May 2020. $3,400 award for selected students.

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center REU at Northwestern University
Deadline: February 14, 2020
http://mrsec.northwestern.edu/undergraduate-opportunities/
REU students will have the opportunity to contribute to a research project led by a center faculty member expanding their science and engineering experience. Students with an interest in nanomaterials and majoring in a science or engineering field are encouraged to apply.  Participants receive a $4,500 stipend, a travel allowance, and on-campus housing.

BIT SURE: BIoTechnology-based Sequencing-based Undergraduate Research Experience at North Carolina State University
Deadline: February 14, 2020
http://biotech.ncsu.edu/pages/nsf-reu/
The BIT SURE program funds ten undergraduates to work on research projects that utilize next-generation sequencing (NGS) tools. This 10-week program includes a professional development component. $5,500 stipend and housing provided.

Maryland Sea Grant REU Program
Deadline: February 14, 2020
http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/topics/research-experiences-undergraduates/research-experiences-undergraduates
Fifteen students are selected to conduct marine research on the Chesapeake Bay at one of two University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences laboratories. This 12-week REU is designed for students majoring in marine science, ecology, environmental science, biology and chemistry. Preference is given to students who are rising seniors. $6,000 stipend and housing costs are provided.

Robert Frederick Smith Internship Program, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://nmaahc.si.edu/connect/osp/rfsinterns
These 12-week summer internships offer undergraduates the opportunity to work on research projects that focus on digital imaging, media preservation, digital preservation of personal and community objects, collections information management, and recording and preserving oral histories. Interns will be located onsite with the National Museum of African American History & Culture and offsite at select African American museums, museums of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other institution dedicated to preserving African American history and culture. Stipend of $600/week.

Building Diversity in Biomedical Sciences – Summer Research Program at Tufts University School of Medicine
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://sackler.tufts.edu/admissions/nonDegreePrograms/BDBS
The Building Diversity in Biomedical Sciences (BDBS) Program offers a 10-week, mentored research experience for students interested in pursuing a PhD or MD/PhD.  Participants in the program also receive training in written and oral communication of scientific data and learn about careers in biomedical science through workshops. Stipend of $4,000, on-campus housing and travel expenses within the US are provided.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences REU Program
Deadline: February 15, 2020
http://www.bigelow.org/education/reu/
This highly competitive, 10-week REU program pairs students with scientist mentors for a hands-on, independent research experience. Student applicants should have a minimum of one year of basic biology and at least one earth or ocean science course. Housing and $5,000 stipend provided.

Molecular Biology REU at the Ohio State University
Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://molgen.osu.edu/research-experience-undergraduates
This NSF-funded research program is hosted by the Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and the Division of Biochemistry at Ohio State. Selected students will receive a $6,000 stipend and university housing. Students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences are encouraged to apply.