HRP student Brian Aguilera ’19 (CLAS) working with his UConn Health mentor, Dr. Mallika Ghosh, Center for Vascular Biology.
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 2019, here is the key information:
Summer 2019 opportunities are now posted on theHRP website. There are 31 opportunitiesthat range from public health to biological modeling, biomaterials to neuroscience, genetics to psychiatry. The application deadline for these opportunities is 11:59pm on Monday, February 4, 2019.
All of these opportunities are slated tocontinue into the 2019-20 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 2019 HRP opportunities, studentsmust plan to graduate no sooner than May 2020.
Further details and answers to frequently asked questions are available on theHealth 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 summerand academic year schedule.
Interested in spending the summer engaged in an exciting research project? Although February is fast approaching, there is still time to apply for summer research opportunities in a variety of areas 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 1, 2019. 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.
Amgen Scholars Program at California Institute of Technology
http://sfp.caltech.edu/programs/amgen_scholars
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience – University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Deadline: February 1, 2019 http://medicine.buffalo.edu/education/undergraduate/sure.html
The School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences offers a summer undergraduate research program for students in their junior year (at the time of application). Offers extended to only 6-8 students; $3,500 stipend and housing provided.
Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP)
Deadline: February 2,2019 https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip
This program, sponsored by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), is targeted at undergraduate biomedical engineering students who will be between their junior and senior years in summer 2019. This program is a subprogram of the Summer Internship Program (SIP). Students will participate in biomedical research projects under the direction of scientists at NIH laboratories in Bethesda, MD.
UCSD MSTP Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program Deadline: February 4, 2019 http://mstp.ucsd.edu/surf/Pages/default.aspx
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 – State University of New York Upstate Medical University Deadline: February 4, 2019 http://www.upstate.edu/grad/programs/summer.php
This 10-week summer research program is for students majoring in chemistry, biology, or a related field. Applicants should be between their junior and senior years (in Summer 2019) and have a strong interest in pursuing post undergraduate study. Students should be specifically interested in pursuing a PhD, MS, MD, MD/PhD, DNP, DPT, MPH, or PA. $3,500 stipend and housing provided.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program – UT Southwestern Medical Center Deadline: February 9, 2019 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 9, 2019
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.
Montgomery Summer Research Diversity Fellowships in Law and Social Science Deadline: February 15, 2019
http://www.americanbarfoundation.org/research/Fellowshipopportunities/SummerResearchDiversityFellowshipsinLawandSocialScience.html
The American Bar Foundation sponsors a program of summer research fellowships. The summer program is designed to introduce students from diverse backgrounds to the benefits of a research-oriented career in the field of law and social science. Open to students who will have completed at least two years of undergraduate study by the time the fellowship begins. Selected students will receive a stipend of $3,600.
Building Diversity in Biomedical Sciences – Summer Research Program at Tufts University School of Medicine Deadline: February 15, 2019 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.
Materials Research Science and Engineering Center REU at Northwestern University Deadline: February 15, 2019 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.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship Deadline: February 15, 2019 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 2018 are eligible to apply. Stipend of approximately $600/week for 10-12 weeks and institutional housing provided.
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences REU Program Deadline: February 15, 2019 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, 2019 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 $5,250 stipend and university housing. Students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences are encouraged to apply.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Internship Program Deadline: February 15, 2019 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.
Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in summer and fall 2018. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.
PUBLICATIONS
Keara Frawley ’18 (ENG) was first author on a recent publication from Dr. Seok-Woo Lee’s lab and her paper is featured in the journal cover:
Frawley, K.G., Bakst, I., Sypek, J.T., Vijayan, S., Weinberger, C.R., Canfield, P.C., Aindow, M., & Lee, S. (2018). A Nanoindentation Study of the Plastic Deformation and Fracture Mechanisms in Single-Crystalline CaFe2As2. The Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, 70(7). doi: 10.1007/s11837-018-2851-y
William Hunt ’19 (ENG) was a co-author on a recent publication from Dr. Kevin Brown’s (Biomedical Engineering) research group:
Brown, K.S., Allopenna, P.D., Hunt, W.R., Steiner, R., Saltzman, E., McRae, K., & Magnuson, J.S. (2018). Universal Features in Phonological Neighbor Networks. Entropy, 20(7), 526; doi: 10.3390/e20070526
Craig Mendonca ’18 (CLAS) worked in the Gene Therapy Center in Dr. Guangping Gao’s lab at UMass Medical School. Craig was a co-author on a recent publication from this research internship:
Wang, D., Li, J, Song, C.Q., Tran, K., Mou, H., Wu, P.H., Tai, P.W.L., Mendonca, C.A., Ren, L., Wang, B.Y., Su, Q., Gessler, D.J., Zamore, P.D., Xue, W., & Gao, G. (2018). Cas9-mediated allelic exchange repairs compound heterozygous recessive mutations in mice. Nature Biotechnology, 36. doi: 10.1038/nbt.4219
Kathleen Renna ’20 (CAHNR), an undergraduate in the Health Research Program, and Yue (Jacky) Yang ’19 (ENG), a 2018 SURF student, were co-authors on a recent publication based on research conducted with Dr. Ephraim Trakhtenberg at UConn Health:
Rheaume, B.A., Jereen, A., Bolisetty, M., Sajid, M.S., Yang, Y., Renna, K., Sun, L., Robson, P., & Trakhtenberg, E.F. (2018). Single Cell Transcriptome Profiling of Retinal Ganglion Cells Identifies Cellular Subtypes. Nature Communications, 9(1). doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05134-3
SUMMER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Jiana Baker ’20(CLAS) conducted research in Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar’s lab in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn Health through the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Summer Research Fellowship Program. Jiana presented her work “Novel Polymer-Nanotube Composites: Small Molecule Drug Delivery Systems for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration” at the HCOP poster session.
Claudia Fernanda Pena-Sulantay ’20 (ENG) spent her summer in Nove Hrady, Czech Republic, engaged in a research project at the Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology (CNSB). Her work on the project “Structural and functional analysis of the yeast K+ translocation system(s) encoded by TRK1 and TRK 2 genes” was part of the REU program in Molecular Biophysics sponsored by Princeton University.
Tanya Miller ’20 (CLAS) engaged in structural biology research at the Laboratory of Structural Biology which is part of BIOCEV, the Biotechnology and Biomedicine Center of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Vestec, Czech Republic. She was supervised by Dr. Cyril Barinka during the 5-week summer program.
PRESENTATIONS
Jiana Baker '20 (CLAS)
Alexandra Liberti '19 (ENG)
Amanda Johnson '19 (ENG)
Kalea Coles '19 (CLAS) with her faculty mentor, Dr. Csizmadia (HDFS)
Vinayak Mishra '21 (CLAS)
Nathalia Hernandez '20 (CLAS)
Fawaz Mohsin '21 (ENG, BUS)
Veronica Pleasant '19 (CAHNR)
Helenrose Iannitti '19 (CAHNR)
Lauren Engels '19 (CAHNR)
Galaxy Community Conference-Bioinformatics Open Source Conference – June 25-30, 2018 – Portland, OR
Peter Richter ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient Collecting Data for Association Genetics: Tripal Plant PopGen Submit Pipeline
American Society of Animal Science – Canadian Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting and Trade Show – July 8-12, 2018 – Vancouver, British Columbia
Lauren Engels ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient The Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition on Fetal Brain Development
Helenrose Iannitti ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition during Gestation on Oxidative Stress in Offspring Muscle
Veronica Pleasant ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient The Effects of Maternal Milk Production on Dairy Calf Growth and Health
SACNAS 2018 – The National Diversity in STEM Conference – October 11-13, 2018 – San Antonio, TX
Vinayak Mishra ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Cellular Response to Biodegradable Stent in Vascular Bioreactor
Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting – October 17-20, 2018 – Atlanta, GA
Amanda Johnson ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient Assembly of Compact Neurostimulator Circuit Board for Neuroprosthetic Applications
Alexandra Liberti ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient Characterization of Tissue Response in Rodent Spinal Cords by Immunofluorescence Staining
Fawaz Mohsin ’21 (ENG & BUS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Vascular Laser Thermolysis of Blood Vessels Varying in Size
Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Annual Meeting – November 3-7, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Skyler Sklenarik ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Behavioral Biases in People at Risk for Problematic Gambling and Pornography Use
Nathalia Hernandez ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Observational Learning in Rats: Effects of Number and Quality of Observations
Kyrstyn Jenkins ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Evaluating Mechanisms of Reward Enhancement by Nicotine in Humans
National Council of Family Relations Annual Conference – November 7-10 – San Diego, CA
Kalea Coles ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Child Birth Weight and Reading Skills: A Moderation by Race
SENTAC Conference – November 30-December 2, 2018 – Houston, TX
Anika Makol ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Pediatric Nasal Burns During Operative Cautery; Are Aural Speculums More Protective than Nasal Speculums? – A Retrospective Chart Review
With the SURF 2019 application cycle underway, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight some updates and changes to this year’s SURF program. SURF continues to offer students from across the academic disciplines the opportunity to focus full-time on a research or creative project for 9-10 weeks over the summer.
Updates for 2019
New Application Management System
We are using the UConn Quest Portal, a new application management system powered by SurveyMonkey Apply, to collect, process, and review SURF applications for summer 2019. This new system will allow students to complete the various components of the SURF application in the most appropriate order for them and to make edits as needed prior to submission of their application.
Quest Portal. Students intending to apply to SURF should initiate an application in the Quest Portal as early as possible at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/surf/. The Quest Portal User Tips page addresses common user questions related to Requesting a Recommendation, Modifying a Complete Task, and Submitting an Application. Additional help documentation is available within the system by selecting the “I” icon in the top right corner.
Letters of Recommendation. As before, two letters of recommendation are required for the SURF application.
Student applicants must request recommendation letters through the application system by entering the name and email address of the faculty members who have agreed to write letters on their behalf. The system will send the recommenders an individual link for recommendation submission.
Faculty recommenders will receive an email from the Quest Portal on behalf of the student who is requesting a letter of recommendation. Both first and second recommenders will submit their letters through the portal by uploading a PDF file. Faculty who are serving as the project supervisor (1st recommender) will also be asked to answer a series of research compliance questions.
Application Reminders (See the full application outline here)
Budget reminders. Students should visit the Budget Policies and Samples page for detailed guidance about allowable expenses (now including maximum dollar amounts for expenses like poster printing) and examples of budgets that show the appropriate level of detail.
Student requesting stipend as part of a Plan A or Plan C budget should be careful to use accurate stipend language as noted on the Budget Policies page.
Faculty advisors of students conducting laboratory research: Please work with your advisee to ensure s/he has accurate information about the costs of lab supplies that can be procured through university purchasing channels and contracts.
Timeline reminders. Student should visit the Sample Timeline page for guidance on developing a detailed timeline. The SURF proposal timeline should clearly indicate start and end dates, the anticipated number of project work hours each week, and a week-by-week listing of planned project milestones.
Research Compliance reminders. Students and faculty should note that research compliance approvals are complex and take significant time. Please plan accordingly. While the necessary approvals are not required at the application stage, students should be aware that SURF funding will not be disbursed until all necessary compliance documents have been submitted to OUR, and that SURF awards will be rescinded if documentation is not received by the stated deadline. Both faculty and students are reminded to take care in reading the series of questions concerning biological materials as this category encompasses a wide range of items.
ESTA Requirement/Documentation of Safety Training
Students proposing SURF project work that will take place in a setting with hazards such as a lab, theater, or studio will be required to complete the Employee Safety Training Assessment (ESTA) with their faculty mentor to determine which safety training courses are required in order to work where hazards are present.
Student applicants will be asked about completion of the ESTA in the Research Compliance section of the application. We encourage students to complete the ESTA with their faculty supervisor prior to submitting their application.
Information on how to document completion of the ESTA and completion of the indicated training/registration for upcoming training is available on OUR’s Safety Training page.
SURF Mailing List. Students planning to apply for SURF can sign up for the SURF Mailing List to receive helpful application tips via email.
We look forward to another excellent set of SURF applications this year! The application deadline is Monday, February 4, 2019. We encourage all students to make use of SURF Office Hours to seek feedback on their draft materials and to ask any questions they might have about the program or the application. SURF Office Hours are scheduled for 1/22, 1/25, and 1/28. Full detail about times and location can be found in the sidebar on the main SURF webpage.
Are you interested in accents or phonetics? Are you great with computers or music theory? This position involves assisting with research into the intonation patterns of various accents, specifically finding pitch relationships in particular speech utterances. There is also an opportunity to attend regular meetings with a faculty mentor and discuss relevant literature and research experiences in order to foster your education in the field.
This opportunity can be taken for course credit, or as a Work Study position (only for students with a federal Work-Study award), and runs in Spring Semester 2019. Students earning course credit can negotiate weekly hours (3 hours for 1 credit, 6 hours for 2 credits, 9 hours for 3 credits). Work-study students work 8-10 hours per week.
The role includes:
* Helping to recruit volunteer speakers of specific accents and request accent samples
* Assisting with recording sound samples from on-campus volunteers
* Orthographic (not phonetic) transcription of spoken samples from sound files
* Analyzing sound samples for fundamental frequency and musical interval relationships using appropriate software (e.g. Adobe Audition). Take screenshots and annotate with appropriate information. Record and organize this data.
* Assist in gathering and organizing related literature for review
* Read and summarize related literature
* Undergo online CITI Program Training Course (if required by IRB). This is online and takes less than 2 hours.
* Perform miscellaneous duties as directed
Student Qualifications
Skills/Qualifications required:
* Have excellent computer skills
* Have excellent communication skills
* Have great organizational skills and motivation
Preferred qualifications:
* Experience/education in any or all of phonetics, accents, linguistics, speech, music, sound engineering, computer science.
How to Apply
Please email your application to jennifer.scapetis@uconn.edu and include:
* Cover Letter (please write about why you would be good at the job and why it interests you)
* Resume
* References (Email or telephone numbers)
Looking to fill this position ASAP. Open until filled.
Mentor: Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer, Assistant Professor
Department: Drama
Email: jennifer.scapetis@uconn.edu
Timing: Spring 2019
Campus: Storrs
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get valuable research experience this summer. Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research program should be preparing applications and requesting letters of recommendation now! Check out the following summer research programs with late January and early February deadlines.
NORC Summer Intern Program – University of Chicago Deadline: January 18, 2019 http://www.norc.org/WorkingAtNORC/Pages/internship-programs.aspx
This 9-week paid summer internship is designed for upper level undergraduate students with an interest in social science research. The program introduces interns to the design, implementation and analysis of large surveys. Students will have the opportunity to learn the principles of survey research from leading practitioners while exploring recent innovations in data collection techniques and the integration of survey data with other types of data.
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies – Summer REU Program in Translational Ecology Deadline: January 25, 2019 http://www.caryinstitute.org/students/reu-program
Cary Institute’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides the opportunity for 8-12 students each summer to conduct ecology research at a world-class institute. Students selected for this 12-week program receive a $6,600 stipend, a $900 food allowance and housing in an Institute dormitory.
NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) – Bay Area Environmental Research Institute
Deadline: January 30, 2019 https://baeri.org/sarp/
This 8-week summer internship program is targeted at rising seniors with a strong background in any of the physical, chemical, or biological sciences, mathematics or engineering and an interest in applying their background to the study of the Earth system. Research areas include atmospheric chemistry, air quality, forest ecology, and ocean biology. SARP participants will acquire hands-on research experience using one or more NASA Airborne Science Program flying science laboratories. $5,000 stipend and housing provided.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) Deadline: January 31, 2019 https://crissp.research.chop.edu/
The CHOP Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) is committed to educating and training future leaders in the biomedical sciences, with a special emphasis on advancing laboratory, clinical, behavioral and translational pediatric research. Summer stipend of $4,000 and housing provided.
Summer Internships in Science and Technology (SIST) – Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) Deadline: February 1, 2019 http://diversity.fnal.gov/sist/
Fermilab’s SIST program offers 12-week summer internships in science and technology. Internships available in physics, engineering (mechanical, electrical and computer), materials science, mathematics and computer science offer a chance for students to conduct research with Fermilab scientists and engineers.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program – Gerstner Sloan Kettering
Deadline: February 1, 2019 http://www.sloankettering.edu/summer-undergraduate-research-program
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering sponsors a 10-week summer research program for undergraduate students who are interested in the biomedical sciences. This is a competitive program that accepts 20 students. Applicants must have research experience. $6,000 stipend and housing provided.
SAO REU Summer Intern Program (contingent on funding by NSF)
Deadline: February 1, 2019
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/opportunities/reu//overview.html
The SAO Summer intern program is a research experience for undergraduates where students work on an astrophysics research project under the supervision of an SAO or Harvard scientist. Undergraduates interested in astronomy, astrophysics, physics, or related physical sciences are encouraged to apply. The 10-week program takes place at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Deadline: February 1, 2019 http://www.stjude.org/poe
This program provides a short-term training experience in either laboratory research or clinical research. Students will be matched with a faculty mentor and will participate in the mentor’s ongoing research projects. Qualified students with an interest in cancer research are encouraged to apply. $400/week stipend provided to selected students.
NSF-REU Internships in Astronomy – Maria Mitchell Observatory
Deadline: February 1, 2019 http://www.mmo.org/get-involved/internships/reu
Six REU internship positions are available for qualified undergraduate astronomy and physics students. These positions provide students the opportunity to conduct independent research supervised by a senior staff member of MMO. $2,000 per month stipend and housing provided.
REU Program in Solar and Space Physics – University of Colorado Boulder Deadline: February 4, 2019 http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/education/reu/
This 10-week summer REU program targets students with an interest in solar and space physics. Students work under the direction of scientists from one of a number of participating institutions, including Colorado’s Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics and the High Altitude Observatory. $500/week stipend and housing provided.
Undergraduate Summer Fellowship Program in Vision Science, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester Deadline: February 4, 2019
http://www.cvs.rochester.edu/training/undergraduate/fellowships/index.html
Rising juniors and seniors with an interest in neuroscience, cognitive science and biomedical science are encouraged to apply for this summer of supervised laboratory training. $4,000 stipend and on-campus housing provided.
SENS Research Foundation (SRF) Summer Scholars Program
Deadline: February 4, 2019 http://www.sens.org/education/research-opportunities/srf-summer-scholars-program
This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct biomedical research under the guidance of a scientific mentor. Paid positions are available at a number of research institutions including Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Stanford University and Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Full descriptions of each research project can be found at the website link above.
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! Check out the programs below and consider if any would fit with your research goals and interests.
DAAD RISE – Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany
Deadline: Applications are due by December 15, 2018; Letters of Reference are due by December 22, 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, 2018 and December 15, 2018. Student application materials must be submitted by December 15, 2018, with letters of reference due December 22, 2018.
Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program (MLEF) Deadline: December 17, 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.
Summer Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SNURF) – University of Vermont Deadline: January 6, 2019;https://www.med.uvm.edu/neuro/snurf
Two summer research programs will be hosted by the University of Vermont’s Department of Neurological Sciences. 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.
Summer Research Experience Program in Cancer Science – Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Deadline: January 10, 2019; https://www.roswellpark.org/education/summer-programs/college-students
This 10-week summer research program is open to students who are college juniors or junior-equivalents (credit-wise) at the time of application and who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree towards a biomedical research career. Areas of research include, but are not limited to: cancer biophysics, tumor immunology, cancer genetics, molecular pharmacology. Selected students will be working in a Roswell Park department alongside professional researchers and graduate students.
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) Deadline: January 10, 2019;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 Department of Energy laboratories.
Cold Spring Harbor Undergraduate Summer Research Program 2019 Deadline: January 15, 2019; https://www.cshl.edu/education/undergraduate-research-program
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 $5,500 stipend.
ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships Deadline: January 15, 2019; 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 $1,600 is provided for a period of 2-3 months.
Summer ORISE Fellowship Opportunities at the CDC Deadline: January 18, 2019; 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 $2,900 per month for undergraduate students.
Arecibo Observatory REU Summer Program Deadline: January 25, 2019 (online application); February 1, 2019 (supporting documents); http://outreach.naic.edu/ao/reut
Students selected for this 10-week summer research opportunity will work with staff scientists at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico on projects related to ongoing research or instrumentation development. Applicants must be a US citizen or permanent resident and must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program during Fall 2019. Strong candidates will be students majoring in astronomy, physics, computer science, and electrical engineering. Stipend of $450 per week.
Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) – Columbia University Deadline: January 31, 2019;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.
Summer Undergraduate Program in Engineering Research at Berkeley (SUPERB)
Deadline: January 31, 2019; https://eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/research/superb
The SUPERB Computer and Information Science and Engineering program provides undergraduates with the opportunity to work on research projects focused on using Big Data. This 9-week program is open to rising juniors or seniors who have completed some upper division course work in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. Stipend of $4,500, housing, meals, and $600 travel allowance provided.
We are seeking motivated, fluid undergraduate research assistants to assist in data collection for an MRI brain study of parent-offspring similarities in language, reading, and math. Gain valuable experience and methodological skills while helping to understand how language is processed in the brain. Research assistants should commit to 6-9 hrs/week (2-3 PSYC 3889 credits) for Fall 2018-Spring 2019.
Student Qualifications
Required qualifications:
– Reliable
– Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
– Availability to assist in weekend data collection
Preferred qualifications:
– Experience working with children age 8-11
How to Apply
Email roeland.hancock@uconn.edu with a CV/resume. Include any relevant coursework, skills or experience, and a short statement of why the position interests you.
Mentor: Roeland Hancock, Assistant Professor
Department: Psychological Sciences
Email: roeland.hancock@uconn.edu
Timing: Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Campus: Storrs
Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in spring 2018. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.
AWARDS
Congratulations to Colby Buehler ’18 (ENG), Sydney Carr ’18 (CLAS), Vince Pistritto ’18 (CLAS, SFA), and Daniel Wackelin ’18 (ENG), the undergraduate recipients of 2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! They are among the 12 UConn students and alumni who won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships this year. Three other talented undergraduate researchers, Amy Robinson ’18 (ENG), Nicholas Russo ’18 (CLAS), and Nicholas Oliveira ’18 (ENG) received Honorable Mention recognition.
Naseem Sardashti ’18 (ENG), an undergraduate research in the Health Research Program working under the guidance of Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar, was awarded 3rd place at the 2018 Northeast Bioengineering Conference for her and her team’s work on the synthesis of hybrid skin models for product evaluation.
PUBLICATIONS
Jamasia Williams ’20 (CLAS), a participant in the Work-Study Research Assistant Program, was a co-author on a recent publication based on research conducted with Dr. Molly Waring:
Waring, M.E., Jake-Schoffman, D.E., Holovatska, M.M., Mejia, C., Williams, J.C., & Pagoto, S.L.(2018). Social media and obesity in adults: a review of recent research and future directions. Current Diabetes Reports, 18:34. doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-1001-9.
EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS
Spring 2018 included a series of art exhibitions and screenings by the following undergraduate students:
Matthew Bilmes ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient Exit: A Short Film
Kiana Cao ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient An Examination of Immigration: A look into Buddhism, Community & Refugees
Yanlin (Eva) Hu ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient CHU: A Solo Exhibition of Ceramic Sculpture
James Keth ’19 (SFA, CLAS) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient The Khmer – A Personal Journey: On being Cambodian American
Austin MacDonald ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient & UConn Co-op Legacy Fellow Prodigal: The Sentinel’s Garden
Emy Regan ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient Clementine: The Adventures at Foxhead Manor
PRESENTATIONS
Joint Mathematics Meetings – January 10-13, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Rajeshwari Majumdar ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Applications of Multiplicative LLN and CLT for Random Matrices
Anthony Sisti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Black-Scholes Using The Central Limit Theorem
Plant and Animal Genome XXVI Conference – January 13-17, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Madison Caballero ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Designing a Genotyping Array for Genomic Selection in Loblolly Pine
Alexander Trouern-Trend ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Comparative Genomics of the Juglandacea
Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR)
Conference on Electronic and Advanced Materials – January 17-19, 2018 – Orlando, FL
Hope Whitelock ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Real Nanoparticles Have Curves: Exploring the Polar Phase Transition Topology in Superellipsoidal Nanoparticles
International Stroke Conference – January 23-26, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA
Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR) – ISC Junior Investigator Travel Award recipient
Oral presentation: Restoration of MiRNA MiR-181c-5p–Rescue From the Detrimental Effect of Social Isolation in the Mice Subjected to Ischemic Stroke
Ocean Sciences Meeting – February 11-16, 2018 – Portland, OR
Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS)
Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Investigating Dissolved Gas Concentrations and Alkalinity in a Long Island Sound Time Series
International Neuropsychological Society Conference – February 14-17, 2018 – Washington, DC
Debra Tomasino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Informant Report of Cognitive Functioning in Geriatric Depression: Correlates with Objective Cognitive Tests and Structural Imaging
Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting – February 22-25, 2018, Baltimore, MD
Caroline Brooks ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Cross Sectional Time Series Analysis on the Impacts of Race on Homeownership
Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS) A Healthy Food Inventory of Waterbury, CT
Eastern Psychological Association Meeting – March 1-3, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Allison Arnista ’18 (CLAS) & Kyrstyn Jenkins ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Evaluating Mechanisms of Reward Enhancement by Nicotine in Humans
Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS)
Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient The EEG Mu Rhythm and Language Abilities in 18- and 24-Month-Olds
Morgan Livingston ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Longitudinal Outcome of Attention Modification Training for Social Anxiety
Adam Mealy ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Longitudinal Stability of Hostile Attention Allocation, Attention Bias, and Hostility Symptoms
Michelle Padua ’18 (CLAS) & Skyler Sklenarik ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Behavioral Biases in People at Risk for Problematic Gambling
Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting – March 16-18, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Benjamin Redenti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Risk Stratification System for Use in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) and Correlation with Adverse Events During Hospital Admissions
Margaux Verlaque-Amara ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Impact of State-By-State Adoption of Key Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Provisions on PED Patients
American Chemical Society National Meeting – March 18-22, 2018 – New Orleans, LA
Caroline Anastasia ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Multicomponent Flexible Film of Organometallic Polymers with Polyimide as High k and Low Loss Dielectric
Northeast Writing Center Association Conference – March 24-25, 2018 – Worcester, MA
Joseph Greenwald ’18 (BUS), Daniel Johnson ’18 (CLAS), & Kaylee Thurlow ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Cracking the Code: A Method for Designing and Implementing a Writing Center Honor Code
Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) & Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Assessing Our Practice: A Writing Center Fellow-To-Fellow Support System
Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) and Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS)
Anneliese Lapides ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Reassessing Our Responses to the Everyday Language of Oppression
Sierra Rice ’18 (ED) – OUR Travel Award recipient Hosting a Regional Middle and High School Conference: A Practical Model
Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting – March 24-27, 2018 – Boston, MA
Roisin Healy ’19 (CLAS) & Jonathan Serino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Understanding “Thunder” is More Difficult than “Rainbow” when Performing a Concurrent Auditory Task
Northeast Bioengineering Conference – March 28-30, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Garrett Soler ’18 (ENG) An Economical & Ergonomic Hydrocephalus Software System
New England Science Symposium – April 8, 2018 – Boston, MA
Brian Aguilera ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient CD13 Promotes Tunneling Nanotube Formation and Cell-cell Communication in Human Endothelial Cells and Mouse Primary Macrophages
Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Scientific Sessions – April 11-13, 2018 – Newark, NJ
Courtney Lopiano ’18 (NUR) A Battle on Opiates: The NICU Nurse’s Perspective on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting – April 20, 2018 – Hartford, CT
Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR)
Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient What Type 1 Diabetes Nutrition Advice is Being Shared on Twitter and Who is Sharing It?
Experimental Biology Conference – April 21-25, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Jordyn Dickey ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Analysis of Physiology and Neurobiology (PNB) 2265 Course Redesign
The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the selection of 59 undergraduate students to receive SURF Awards in support of their summer undergraduate research projects.
Click here to view the full list of Summer 2018 SURF awardees.
Congratulations, SURF awardees! Your academic achievements, curiosity, initiative, and motivation were evident in your applications. You have an exciting summer of deep engagement with the process of academic inquiry ahead of you. We look forward to hearing about all you learn and discover!
We thank the faculty members who supported SURF applicants in a range of roles: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members. SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. This program would not be possible without the support and participation of the UConn faculty!
OUR also extends thanks to SURF supporters in the UConn community. We are grateful to the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and to the Deans of the Schools and Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; Engineering; Fine Arts; Nursing; and Pharmacy, who all contributed funding to the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. This collaborative funding effort ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of undergraduate research endeavors. We are grateful to all of our program partners for making intensive summer research opportunities available to students seeking to enrich their undergraduate experience in this way.
Once again, congratulations to the recipients of 2018 SURF awards, and good luck with your summer projects!
With the SURF 2019 application cycle underway, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight some updates and changes to this year’s 
