On the value of undergraduate research

A snippet from http://walterwendler.com/2012/12/our-universities-undergraduate-research/

In our forward-looking universities, good undergraduate students contribute to faculty insight every day. The best faculty members crave the chance to work with engaged undergraduates. They know the secret: In enlivened teaching, you always get more than you give. And that is good for everyone.

STEM Symposium at Emory University

Emory University STEM Research and Career SymposiumOpen to students interested in a PhD or MD/PhD, PREP, or Postdoctoral Fellow positions.

April 3-5, 2013
Emory Conference Center 

Convened and organized by Laney Graduate School, the symposium will bring faculty advisors and their students from diverse backgrounds to the Emory campus for two days of shared research presentations and for networking, mentoring, and recruitment. Participants will include outstanding undergraduates intending to pursue the PhD or MD/PhD degree and graduate students seeking postdoctoral opportunities. Faculty Advisors are also encouraged to attend and learn about the opportunities Emory offers. 

Eight students will be selected to give oral presentations and the other students will present their research in a poster session. There will be ample opportunity to visit with faculty and students of the participating programs, including over 25 training grant programs (see list to the right). Breakout sessions will cover topics relevant to students at this stage of their career and advisors of such students. 

Trainees from diverse backgrounds (to include ethnicity, race, economic status, disability, educational experience, first generation status, and in some cases, gender) are eligible to apply for diversity travel awards that will provide for travel and housing for the student and possibly her/his advisor.  See instructions below for eligibility.

For full details, see http://gs.emory.edu/about/special/stem_rc_symposium.html

Opportunities at the CDC in Atlanta, GA

12/19/2012 - CDC/ATSDR Summer Environmental Health Internships Application Period Now Open!
Do you know an undergraduate or graduate student with a passion for the environment and an interest in public health? Do you know a student who is looking for a summer internship at CDC/ATSDR? Do you know teachers or organizations that work with students interested in the environment?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please take a moment to pass along this announcement for summer internships at the National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR) offer paid 10-week summer internship programs for students who are passionate about the environment, interested in human health, and curious about how they are linked. During the course of the internship, students are introduced to environmental health at the federal level through collaborative projects, experiential learning opportunities, environmental health presentations, journal clubs, field trips, brown bag lunches, and mentoring relationships at NCEH/ATSDR.  Interns will be based at NCEH/ATSDR's Chamblee Campus.

For more information, please visit the program web sites:

Collegiate Leaders in Environmental Health (www.cdc.gov/nceh/cleh)
            -Open to all undergraduate students who are enrolled in school fulltime and will be a rising junior or rising senior by fall 2013.
            -Application deadline: January 30th, 2013
            -Contact: CLEH@cdc.gov

Summer Program in Environmental Health (www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/SUPEH)
            -Open to students who are enrolled fulltime in EHAC-accredited Environmental Health programs as a rising junior, senior, or graduate student.
            -Application deadline: February 15th, 2013
            -Contact: EHInternship@cdc.gov

Graduate Environmental Health program (www.cdc.gov/nceh/geh)
            -Open to graduate students who are currently enrolled in a degree granting program. Students graduating in Spring 2013 are eligible for this opportunity.
            -Application deadline: February 27th, 2013
            -Contact: GEH@cdc.gov

Announcement Point of Contact: CLEH@cdc.gov

Canopy with Wheelchairs and Tardigrades - summer research

NOT FOR THE TIMID: A UNIQUE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY 

In the Canopy with Wheelchairs and Tardigrades is a National Science Foundation Research Opportunity June 1 – August 11, 2013 at Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas, for undergraduates with or without ambulatory disabilities. It is a fast paced, tree climbing, data collecting, rapid analysis, and results-oriented internship. 

Students will be professionally trained to ascend into the canopy where they will define the taxonomy and distribution of tardigrades (water bears) and the herbivory of insects on a North American deciduous forest. It offers students of all abilities equal opportunity to conduct cutting edge ecological analysis in a world impacted by climate change. The project also includes data presentation, publication and networking with scientists, as well as a stipend, housing, and allowances for food and travel. 

To learn more and apply online before the Friday, March 1, 2013 deadline, visit www.bakeru.edu/canopy.

In case you've never heard of tardigrades, they. are. awesome.

CASE conference @ University of Florida

Deadline extended through January7, 2013

The University of Florida HHMI Science For Life Program, in collaboration with the College of Fine Arts, invite you to participate in the 2013 Creativity in the Arts and Sciences Event (CASE) to take place Saturday, January 26, 2013 at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom and McGuire Pavilion. 

We are seeking undergraduate students from Emory University, Furman University, Louisiana State University, Morehouse College, and the University of Florida interested in displaying (1) scientific research posters; (2) original artwork, including 2D and 3D visual art or; (3) musical, dance and theatre performances. Participants may compete for the Science for Life Undergraduate Creativity Award within one of three categories; science poster, art, or collaboration project. This monetary award can be used to attend  scientific meetings, professional conferences, workshops, art exhibitions or similar opportunities, as well as to purchase lab or art supplies. When applying, you will be asked to describe how you intend to use your award and also whether you intend to compete for an award. 

The deadline for applications is December 3, 2012.  Due to space and time limitations, all arts and previous science students interested in participating should submit an application and will be notified if space is available. Your application will be reviewed by the CASE Committee within the field of the material submitted and you will be notified by December 10, 2012 as to your acceptance. Information on CASE and the application can be found at http://sfl.aa.ufl.edu/case.   

CASE Award amounts are as follows: 

SCIENCE CATEGORY PRIZE AMOUNT: Two first place prizes will be awarded in the amount of $1,250, two second place prizes in the amount of $750, and four third place prizes in the amount of $250 

ART CATEGORY PRIZE AMOUNT: Two first place prizes will be awarded in the amount of $1,250, two second place prizes in the amount of $750, and two third place prizes in the amount of $500 

COLLABORATION CATEGORY PRIZE AMOUNT: One first place prize will be awarded in the amount of $1,250, one second place prize in the amount of $750, and one third place prize in the amount of $500. 

Questions? Please read the guidelines at http://sfl.aa.ufl.edu/case or check out the FAQ to common questions. If the question is still not answered, science students are directed to contact Grace Burmester (graceb@ufl.edu) and art students are asked to contact Jennifer Hodges (jhodges@arts.ufl.edu).  

Penn State summer research

We are pleased to announce The Penn State College of Medicine Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Programs for 2013.  These programs bring undergraduates to our campus for a “summer-immersion” in biological research and an orientation to a career in biological sciences.  Any student that will not earn a  BS or BA by May 2013 is welcome to apply, although for the SURIP, the typical intern will be between their Sophomore and Senior year of undergraduate studies.  The SURIP would be most appropriate for students considering applying to PhD programs in the Biological/Biomedical Sciences and is not intended for students who will apply to medical school.  There is no clinical shadowing component to the internships.

Our goals are to provide a meaningful educational experience for undergraduates to prepare them for careers in cutting edge fields and to increase the pool of students considering graduate education in the life sciences. Participating faculty have a strong interest in mentoring young scholars as an integral part of their academic experience.  Each student accepted into these programs will be matched to one of these faculty mentors for a ten-week laboratory research experience.

Integral to our programs are twice weekly research/career seminars, a capstone presentation experience, and additional introductory experiences related to the professional culture of biological research.  Research interns will have the opportunity to live on our campus, and will receive a stipend to cover their living expenses during the summer.  The majority of our interns choose to live on campus and those that do so find living on campus a very positive experience.  In light of the fact that the budget for several of the programs does not permit us to cover the housing costs beyond the first month, we encourage you to make interested students aware of any small grant programs at your institution that might help interns offset the costs of on campus housing. 

For more information and an online application form you may access our website at http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/summerresearch/home.  

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS OPENS ON DECEMBER 12 and CLOSES AT 12 PM ON FEBRUARY 11, 2013.

UMBC posts list of summer programs

Thanks to UMBC for assembling a list of summer programs, with application deadlines!

Go to http://www.umbc.edu/undergrad_ed/research/opportunities/summer.html

and under the green SURF NIST application icon, click on the spreadsheet link to download an Excel spreadsheet.

Summer research at Boston University

Research opportunities available in biology, chemistry, psychology, engineering and computer science:

Each summer, 10-20 outstanding students conduct full-time research in a BU lab. Normally, 2-3 positions are reserved for Boston University students, who act as peer mentors to the other participants. All remaining positions are offered to students from other colleges and universities, particularly those without plentiful research opportunities. 

SURF is designed to encourage graduate education in the sciences for talented undergraduate students, especially those from minority groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences: African-American, Hispanic, Native American/Native Alaskan, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian/Polynesian, Asian (excluding Asian Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Thai).

See details at http://www.bu.edu/urop/surf-program/about/

Mount Sinai Summer Research

"Mount Sinai School of Medicine, located in New York City, offers summer research internships to outstanding undergraduate students who are planning to pursue an MD/PhD or a PhD and who are interested in doing research at a leading biomedical institution. The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at Mount Sinai is a 10-week program that begins in June every year. 

This year SURP will begin on June 10, 2013. SURP fellows receive intensive research training in a cutting-edge biomedical laboratory, thus gaining an insider’s perspective into Mount Sinai graduate programs and academic life. The fellowship includes free housing and a $3,500 stipend."

For details, see http://www.mssm.edu/education/graduate-school/degrees-and-programs/summer-undergraduate-research-program

NASA Internship galore

Multiple programs at multiple locations and all are... stellar!

Check them all out at http://www.waspacegrant.org/for_students/student_internships/nasa_and_national_internships.html

Student Educational Enrichment Program (SEEP) at the GA Health Sciences University

SEEP is a 7-week program that aims to "increase the number of underrepresented physicians in the workforce, train culturally competent physicians and create a diverse academic and medical community".

SEEP has two versions:
- non-residential, for high school students
- residential, for college students and recent graduates (some positions available to non-GA students)

Note that  "High school students who are selected for participation in SEEP will be responsible for their daily transportation to and from the program. College SEEP is a residential program primarily for Georgia residents; however, a limited number of non-Georgia residents will be considered for participation."

For additional information, visit http://www.georgiahealth.edu/careers/specop/apply.html

Summer STAR Program

The Summer STAR Program at the Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly the Medical College of Georgia) offers

9-weeks of biomedical research
exciting, interactive and informative workshops

For additional information and application materials, go to http://www.georgiahealth.edu/gradstudies/star/

Great resources: science writing and mentoring

Last week, Dr. Rick McGee (Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment & Professional Development, Northwestern University) spend two days at Emorys, sharing his research on mentorship and alerting us to many great online resources for young scientists.

One such resources is the Collaborative Learning and Integrated Mentoring in the Biosciences (CLIMB) website.

In particular, check out the communication section of the CLIMB website. It has several tutorials that do a very nice job of walking you through the basics of clear sentences, the anatomy of a great paragraph, and very specific tips about writing NIH-style proposals. There's also tips for oral presentations.

Posters on the (Capitol) Hill [Nov 1. deadline]

From the Council on Undergraduate Research:

CUR is calling for students to submit an abstract of their research that represents any of CUR's disciplinary divisions (Arts and Humanities, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Science, Physics/Astronomy, Psychology, and Social Sciences). In order to ensure proper review of applications, the above are the only disciplines that may apply. Should your research be inter-disciplinary, or in a subject not listed above, please select the division that most closely describes your research, if applicable.

Abstract submissions will only be accepted by using our on-line submission form. Prior to submitting the form, students should gather the contact information for all co-authors, advisors and sponsors (if applicable), prepare a short vitae/resume, and poster abstract. A document listing the information required for submission can be found by visiting: http://www.cur.org/conferences_and_events/student_events/posters_on_the_hill_information_for_submission/

For more information, and the link to submit an application, please visit: http://www.cur.org/conferences_and_events/student_events/posters_on_the_hill_call_for_abstracts/. Please note that CUR membership is required to submit an application. Either the student’s home institution must have an institutional membership, or a faculty mentor or undergraduate research coordinator appearing on the submission must have an individual membership. We will not review incomplete applications or applications that do not satisfy the membership requirement.

Please be sure that both portions (the electronic application and the electronic recommendation letter) are submitted by November 1, 2012. Please encourage your students to submit. This is a highly competitive program, which makes for a very exciting experience for the students and their faculty advisors alike.
For more information about the Posters on the Hill program, please visit http://www.cur.org/conferences_and_events/student_events/posters_on_the_hill/ 
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,

Robin Howard
Senior Director
Membership Services, Operations and Information Technology
Council on Undergraduate Research
734 15th St, NW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20005
http://www.cur.org/
robin@cur.org
(202)783-4810x203
(202)783-4811 fax

SURE 2012 Research Poster Awards

A Celebration of Undergraduate Research

Distilling ten weeks of hard work, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) poster session showcased the work of 92 of our summer research fellows. Working full-time in research laboratories across 29 departments, SURE fellows also attended science career-related meetings and completed research ethics training. The session was open to the Emory community, and peers, lab mates, faculty mentors and administrators turned out to support our young scientists. SURE 2012 included 67 Emory students and 32 visiting students; including Emory, 26 colleges and universities (16 out of state) were represented.

SURE Poster Session, Coca Cola Commons, Dobbs University Center,  

Emory University, August 2, 2012. 

Since its inception in 1990, SURE has been primarily supported through consecutive awards from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Pat Marsteller (Director of the Center for Science Education, Emory College). To date, SURE has trained over 1,400 participants. Augmenting our HHMI support, SURE 2012 added positions through our collaborations with from the Atlanta Center for Translational Research in Endometriosis (ACTRE); the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI); the Clare Boothe Luce Foundation; The Center for Chemical Evolution; Concerned Parents for AIDS Research (CPAR); Emory's Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS); the Emory Scholars Program; and NASA, NSF and NIH awards to faculty mentors. SURE is a team effort that relies on the coordinated work of dozens of individuals across the University and ultimately succeeds through the support of our faculty members.

Drs. Wilfried Rossoll and Claudia Fallini (left) joyfully capture team member Ananya Mishra (right). Ananya's successful National Fragile X Foundation summer research fellowship application helped support her work.

Presenters receive written poster feedback from graduate student and postdoctoral fellow judges, per guidelines discussed earlier in the program. In choosing award winners, the judges were instructed to consider the poster's technical score in the context of overall presentation quality. Elevator talk and chalk talk activities served as a warm-up to the poster session, and emphasized the importance of communicating science to varied audiences.

SURE 2012 Poster Awards

We are thrilled to announce SURE 2012's poster awards. Student names appear in bold, while PIs are underlined. Congratulations, all! 

First Place:  Susanna Brantley, Emory College 

JAK/Stat signaling in the D. melanogaster cellular immune response.
Susanna Brantley, Nathan Mortimer and Todd Schlenke

Second Place: Xiya Zhu, Emory University

Selective stabilization of synaptic inputs onto motoneurons

by postsynaptic trkB receptors.

Xiya Zhu and Arthur English

Third Place: Kylee Martens, Emory University  

Characterizing the seizure phenotype of an Scn3a mutant

Kylee Martens, Ligia A Papale and Andrew Escayg

Honorable Mention:  Kelly E. Bennett, Georgia Gwinnett College 

Inorganic phosphate regulated proliferation and transformation
Kelly E. Bennett, Laura M. Garneys and George R. Beck, Jr.

Honorable Mention: Mengshi (Helena) Dai, Emory University

The long-term memory adf-1mutant (nalyot) and its role indendrite regulation in 

activity-dependent plasticity and memory formation

Mengshi (Helena) Dai, Christina K. Timmerman and Subhabrata Sanyal

Honorable Mention: Scott Danielson, Emory University

Targeting excess PI3K signaling to rescue increased protein synthesis 

and audiogenic seizures in a FXS mouse model

Scott W. Danielson, Christina Gross, and Gary Bassell

Honorable Mention: Jessica Elinburg, Emory University

A cure in coordination chemistry? Synthesizing [AuIII(phen)(curc)] 

as a potential chemotherapeutic drug

Jessica Elinburg, Neha Ahuja, and Cora MacBeth

Honorable Mention: Rashad Jabarkheel, Emory University 

PI4KIIα dimerization dependent upon AP-3 sorting motif and kinase domain

Rashad Jabarkheel, Pearl V. Ryder, and Victor Faundez

Honorable Mention: Min Kim, Emory University

Characterization of the HIV-1 antiviral activity of human tetherin isoforms

Min W. Kim, Jason E. Hammonds, Hin Chu and Paul Spearman

Honorable Mention: Phillip Rauscher, Emory University

Effect of adjacent rubbery layers on the physical aging rate of polymer glasses

Phillip Rauscher and Connie B. Roth

Honorable Mention: Abhinav Sharma, Emory University 

Characterization of biomarkers in breast cancer cells using quantum dots and 

detection of brain tumor cells using SpectroPen

Abhinav Sharma, Brad Kairdolf and Shuming Nie
[Abhinav was supported by the Petit Scholars Program]

Honorable Mention: SongJun Son, Emory University (Oxford College)

Microwave-assisted aynthesis of 4 and 4’ substituted 3,5-diphenylisoxazoles

SungJun Son and Nichole Powell

Research Professionals Fair @ Emory [April 20]

Date:   April 20, 2012
Time:  9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Place:  Student Activity and Academic Center (SAAC)

One of our goals at Emory is to create a world community by engaging society through research. This goal is achieved by recruiting and retaining the best research employees possible.The 2012 Research Career Fair is designed to provide professionals within the research community an opportunity to learn more about research careers at Emory. Applicants are able to meet face-to-face with representatives from various Emory research departments.

For additional information, see the Emory 2012 Spring Research Fair Website, which includes a FAQ (pdf).

Collegiate Inventors Competition

OBJECTIVE: Introduced in 1990, the Collegiate Inventors Competition has recognized, rewarded, and encouraged hundreds of students to share their inventive ideas with the world. The Competition promotes exploration in invention, science, engineering, technology, and other creative endeavors and provides a window on the technologies from which society will benefit in the future.

ELIGIBILITY: Students must be enrolled (or have been enrolled) full-time in any U.S. or Canadian college or university at least part of the 12-month period prior to the date the entry is submitted. In the case of a team (maximum of four students), at least one member of the team must meet the full-time eligibility criteria.  The other team members must have been enrolled on a part-time basis (at a minimum) sometime during the 24-month period prior to the date the entry is submitted. 

Finalists receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington DC to present their project to the judges. Undergraduate awards range from $500-$2,500. Graduate awards range from $1,000-$5,000.

Deadline: June 15, 2012

For details, see http://www.invent.org/collegiate/overview.html

Undergraduate Fellowship in Computational Neuroscience: From Cells to Systems and Applications

Emory and Georgia Tech have partnered to support a two year training Fellowship for top students interested in Computational Neuroscience research, beginning in their junior year. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, Fellows will receive a stipend of ~$11,000/year for research conducted with one of 18 Program Faculty at Emory or Georgia Tech whose labs are modeling or analyzing neural data.

Fellows will also complete a training curriculum designed to enhance quantitative skills and learn about Computational Neuroscience. Joint activities between campuses include courses, a biweekly Methods Clinic, and an Annual Retreat. Details can be found at the program website, which is http://compneurosci.college.emory.edu. For questions please contact Prof. Dieter Jaeger at djaeger@emory.edu

Deadline to apply: 11 PM, Monday, April 16, 2012.

To apply, please email djaeger@emory.edu with

1) statement of interest,

2) resume,

3) copy of in unofficial college transcript (3.5/4.0 GPA required),

4) planned personalized schedule for Computational Neuroscience Curriculum.
Curriculum for Emory students must include Introduction to Neurobiology (NBB 301) and the accompanying Computer Lab (NBB 301L); choice of one of the following research methods courses, Computational Methods for the Life Science OR Mathematics for Neuroscientists; choice of one of the following graduate level courses, Introduction to Computational Neuroscience (Emory IBS534) OR
Introduction to Neural Coding (GT BMED8813); Introduction to Research Careers (taught at Emory); and 2 years of research (including 2 lab rotations). Fellowship research is eligible for the Emory Honors Program and for class credit.

Anthropology @ American Museum of Natural History

The Anthropology Internship Program offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in anthropology, museums or related fields. Anthropology interns work on projects relating to the collections or to the ongoing research interests of the curatorial staff in the museum or in the field. The department's collections and research are focused on North American, Mexican/Central American and South American archaeology and ethnology; Asian, African and Pacific ethnology; and Biological Anthropology. In addition, internships are awarded in collections management, archives and conservation. Applicants should be enrolled in or have recently graduated from an academic institution. Acceptance to the internship program is competitive. The number of interns accepted in any given session varies and is based on staff projects. 

Internship application deadlines:
• April 1 - for summer session (June to September)
• August 27 - for fall session (September to December)
• December 1 - for spring session (February-May)

For details, see http://research.amnh.org/anthropology/about/internship

Veterinary Internship @ FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine

The Windows to Regulatory Research Internship Program offers academically superior undergraduate, graduate, and professional students hands-on experiences conducting basic and applied research as well as performing in-depth technical reviews of data applicable to animal health and food safety.

Application Deadline: March 23, 2012

For details and materials, go to
http://imperialvalleynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12025&Itemid=2
and scroll down to "Veterinary Medicine Student Internships"

The NIMBioS Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) provides undergrads in math, biology and related fields the opportunity to conduct research in teams with UT professors, NIMBioS researchers, and collaborators on projects at the interface of math and biology.

Deadline: February 17, 2012

http://nimbios.org/education/reu?utm_source=January-February+2012+Newsletter&utm_campaign=Jan-Feb+Newsletter&utm_medium=email

Environmental and Earth Systems Research at Biosphere 2

The Biosphere 2 REU provides 10 undergraduates an opportunity to conduct guided research in environmental and earth systems science at a leading and unique research institution. Students will receive stipends of $5,000 for the 10-week research internship, housing on the Biosphere 2 campus, $500 to cover travel costs to and from Tucson, AZ and a food allowance. The program runs from the beginning of June to mid-August. Students will be selected from across the country to participate in the program. They will conduct research in Biosphere 2, in labs on the University of Arizona Campus, and potentially in the desert and mountain ecosystems in southern Arizona....

For additional details, see http://www.b2science.org/earth/outreach/reu

Application Deadline: February 29, 2012.

Atlanta: Neuroscience opportunity--extended Feb 17 deadline

See their website at www.cbn-atl.org/education/NETwork.shtml

Clare Booth Luce Fellowship at Emory University

Thanks to a generous grant from the Clare Boothe Luce Program, up to eight female Emory students in Computer Science, Chemistry and Physics will be supported as Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars. The program is designed to help diversify the field of physical science research by encouraging more women to pursue research careers. This award includes stipends for each student's time in research during the academic year, summer research stipends, a research expense account and networking & mentoring opportunities throughout the program.

For eligibility criteria and deadlines, see http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/research/sire/cbl_scholars/index.html

Sensing and Signaling: summer research at U. Tennessee

The BCMB Department at UTK will once again offer a special summer program for undergraduates interested in research. The aim of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) is to provide hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate students majoring in the sciences, with an introduction to cutting-edge research in the broad area of “Sensing and Signaling”. The team of REU investigators represents a multidisciplinary ensemble of Cell Biologists, Geneticists, Biochemists, and Biophysicists who are taking modern approaches to the analysis of how signals are perceived and transduced in myriad biological systems....

For additional information, visit the program website at http://www.bio.utk.edu/bcmb/summer/reu.html

Program Dates: June 4 - July 27
Application Deadline: rolling reviews until March 30, 2012

Math summer research opportunities

The Eph Log has a great post that lists a series of programs for math folks, from secondary math education majors to students with a certain number of calculus courses, to biomath... check it out!

Penn State College of Medicine Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program

The program brings undergraduates to our campus for a “summer-immersion” in biological research and an orientation to a career in biological sciences.  The typical intern will be between their Sophomore and Junior year or between their Junior and Senior year of undergraduate studies.  Students who will have a BA or BS prior to the start of the internship on June 1 should not apply.  SURIP 2012 would be most appropriate for students considering applying to PhD programs in the Biological/Biomedical Sciences and is not intended for students who will apply to Medical School.  There is no clinical shadowing component to the internship.

Our goals are to provide a meaningful educational experience for undergraduates to prepare them for careers in cutting edge fields and to increase the pool of students considering graduate education in the life sciences. Participating faculty have a strong interest in mentoring young scholars as an integral part of their academic experience.  Each student accepted into this program will be matched to one of these faculty mentors for a ten-week laboratory and research experience.

Integral to our program are twice weekly research/career seminars, a capstone presentation experience, and additional introductory experiences related to the professional culture of biological research.  Research interns will have the opportunity to live on our campus, and will receive a stipend of $3,000 each to cover their living expenses during the summer.  The majority of our interns choose to live on campus and those that do so find living on campus a very positive experience.  In light of the fact that the budget for the SURIP program does not permit us to cover the housing costs beyond the first month, we encourage you to make interested students aware of any small grant programs at your institution that might help interns offset the costs of on campus housing.  

For more information and an online application form you may access our website at http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/summerresearch/home. APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS OPENS ON DECEMBER 1. 

We encourage you to place a link to our program in the appropriate departmental web sites and to forward this information to a career services/internship office at your institution to distribute this announcement as efficiently as possible.  If you are aware of undergraduates who would benefit from this experience, please inform them of this program’s availability.  APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS CLOSES AT 12 PM ON FEBRUARY 6, 2011.

Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics (SIBS) at Emory

The Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics (SIBS ) is an innovative program for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in statistics, mathematics or science, and who would like to learn about the field of biostatistics. Over the course of approximately six weeks, students will engage in a comprehensive program of coursework, field experiences, hands-on data collection and analysis activities, and interactions with researchers and scientists in the fields of medicine and public health. Students will also learn about graduate school and career opportunities in biostatistics.

We are looking forward to hosting the SIBS program at Emory in 2012, and have put together an interesting, engaging, academically rigorous but fun set of SIBS activities. We encourage you to learn more about our program, and about sister programs at other institutions, by downloading the brochure and clicking the other links below.

The 2012 program will take place from June 11 to July 18. We will begin taking applications in December 2011.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and beginning graduate students majoring in mathematics, science, or other quantitatively oriented areas of study are eligible. In addition, college graduates considering graduate school are also eligible.
Applicants must be American citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

The SIBS program covers the cost of: University fees and tuition, University-provided housing and meals,  Program-sponsored field trips and extracurricular activities.

http://www.sph.emory.edu/cms/departments_centers/bios/bios_training/sibs.html

Summer research at the University of Missouri

Attached please find information and an application for our 2012 summer program. Please distribute to student applicants, as you deem appropriate. If you wish to direct students to a website with additional information, a list of our summer programs and an application for guest students can be found at http://www.undergradresearch.missouri.edu/programs-jobs/programs/index.php

Applications and letters of recommendation are due on Friday, February 10th.

Students can also check out photos and information from our 2011 Summer Program at
http://musummerinterns2011.wordpress.com

Rieser Fellowship: intersection of science, global security and public policy

The Rieser Fellowships support undergraduate students who want to pursue projects that
explore issues at the intersection of science, global security, and public policy. Any undergraduate student studying at a U.S. college or university is eligible to apply.

http://www.thebulletin.org/files/Rieser_Fellowship_Application_2012-2013.pdf

Deadkline:  February 1, 2012

Application requirements:

Please attach a 1-2 page essay describing a significant, specific aspect of nuclear security, climate stabilization, or biotechnology safety to be explored in your project. 

Please also attach a 1-2 page outline of a research project, based on the essay, to be undertaken during the Fellowship  period, including a final product for possible use by the Bulletin or publication on the Bulletin’s website. Because the Bulletin is an independent publisher and forum for experts, policymakers, and citizens, part of the final Fellowship product should address possible ways to deepen public understanding of the topic. 

The proposal should include a detailed budget, including anticipated expenses for equipment, travel, research, materials, and other major costs, as well as other sources of support (both requested and received). 

Smithsonian: summer research opportunities for underrepresented minorities

The Office of Fellowships and Internships offers internships and visiting student awards to increase participation of U.S. minority groups (U.S. Citizens and U.S. permanent residents) who are underrepresented in Smithsonian scholarly programs, in the disciplines of research conducted at the Institution, and in the museum field.

This program is designed to provide undergraduate and beginning graduate students the opportunity to learn more about the Smithsonian and their academic fields through direct experience in research or museum-related internship projects under the supervision of research and professional staff members at the Institution's many museums, research institutes and offices.

Smithsonian fields of research include:
- Animal behavior, ecology, and environmental science, including an emphasis on the tropics
- Anthropology, including archaeology,
- Astrophysics and astronomy
- Earth sciences and paleobiology
- Evolutionary and systematic biology
- History of science and technology
- History of art, especially American, contemporary, African, and Asian art, twentieth-century American crafts, and decorative arts
- Social and cultural history of the United States
- Folklife

Deadline: Feb. 1, 2012

http://www.si.edu/ofg/intern.htm#iofg

Biomedical research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

2012 Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Ten Week Program - May 27, 2012 - August 3, 2012

Go to http://www.umassmed.edu/summer for detailed program information and on-line application. 


Application deadline: March 12, 2012. Generous stipend, housing, travel and related expenses provided. Participants are required to live in dormitory housing provided.

University of Michigan: research in many areas

A multitude of summer research programs at the University of Michigan!

http://orsp.umich.edu/funding/2012undergrad.html

Biophysics, biology, chemistry, physics, optics, nanotech, information technology, biomedical research

Southern California Earthquake Center

There are 2 SCEC internship programs offered to undergraduate students who are interested in earth sciences and/or its related fields:

USEIT (Undergraduate Studies in Earthquake Information Technology)Work as a team to develop technical tools for scientists, educators, and policy makers to communicate important concepts about earthquakes, faults, seismic hazard mitigation, and earthquake risk reduction.
Term & Location: Summer, University of Southern California
Candidates: Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors from all majors 

SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience)Conduct primary field, laboratory, and/or theoretical research under the supervision of leading scientists in the fields of geophysics, earthquake geology, seismology, tectonics, and geodesy.
Term & Location: Summer, various SCEC institutions
Candidates: Undergraduate juniors and seniors in earth sciences or related fields. 

Applications are being accepted now!  

To apply, visit: http://www.scec.org/education/college/internships/application.php

Internships at the National Zoo (year-round)

The Communications Office of Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) invites applicants for editorial internships with Smithsonian Zoogoer magazine, a 40-page, four-color, bimonthly magazine that focuses on natural history and wildlife conservation.

 In addition, the office produces various other publications, conducts public relations for FONZ, and manages the Zoo/FONZ website.

The internship provides excellent experience, and previous interns have found their published clips useful in securing permanent jobs. ...

Dates, Hours, and Deadlines 

The intern is required to work 30 to 40 hours per week for about 12 weeks; starting and ending dates are flexible. 

The summer internship begins in May. The deadline to submit an application is February 15.
The fall internship begins in September, and the deadline to submit an application is June 15.
The spring internship begins in January. The deadline to submit an application is October 15. 

For additional information, see http://nationalzoo.si.edu/UndergradInternships/FONZ/Zoogoer.cfm

Summer Research with the NIH

Remember to visit NIH's Training Programs page at https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/sip for a list of opportunities that are open to you as soon as this summer, but also later in your career.

Summer research: Astrobiology & Planetary Science

The SETI Institute is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2012 REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program in Astrobiology and Planetary Science. Undergraduate students in fields such as astronomy, biology, geology, chemistry, and physics are invited to apply to spend 10 weeks in the San Francisco Bay area working on a scientific research project in the field of astrobiology or planetary science. Students receive a stipend, travel, and living expenses. Applications are due by February 1, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.seti.org/reu or contact Cynthia Phillips, phillips@seti.org, 650-810-0230.

See their flyer here: http://www.seti.org/sites/default/files/reu_2012_flyer.pdf

Summer research in engineering @ GA Tech

SURE is a ten-week summer research program designed to attract qualified minority students into graduate school in the fields of engineering and science. The SURE 2012 program dates are May 29 to August 3. Approximately thirty students of at least junior-level undergraduate standing are recruited on a nationwide basis and paired with both a faculty and a graduate student mentor to undertake research projects in the College of Engineering, College of Sciences, Packaging Research Center, the Georgia Tech Lab for New Electronic Materials (NSF MRSEC) and the Center for Chemical Evolution. The students are housed on campus, and in addition to a $600 travel allowance, are provided with a meal plan and a $5,000 stipend. Aside from their own research projects, the participants are provided with a series of seminars and field trips to expose them to the various topics of interest, both at Georgia Tech and in the Atlanta area.

for details, see http://www.sure.gatech.edu/index.html

Graduate Degrees and Future Income

Grad School Math: Which Degrees Are Worth the Debt talks about income gains for those with graduate degrees relative to those with undergraduate degrees. But there are differences by discipline:

But not all degrees are created equal. Based on an analysis of Census data, Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce determined that the payoff from a graduate degree can vary wildly, from a 1% salary bump to a 190% wage explosion. And the degrees that deliver most bang for the education buck may surprise you... 

The big winners are health and medical preparatory programs, from which graduate or professional degrees can increase salary by 190%. Similarly, social sciences (134%), zoology (123%), molecular biology (115%), public policy (107%), biology (106%), biochemical sciences (101%), chemistry (93%), pre-law (81%) and physiology (78%) majors can all expect to get a major dividend from pursuing graduate or professional degrees. 

The above article links to Georgetown's The Economic Value of College Majors report.

And here's their latest report titled Hard Times: College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings.