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Summer Research programs

I've compiled a list of summer research programs, in many different fields of chemistry, biochemistry and biology, for sophomore and junior students interested in participating in an extramural research project. Note that most of these positions have deadlines of Feb 1 or March 1; thus it's important to get an early start on your job search. These positions are quite competitive; you should apply to several programs (not just a few) to assure being offered a position.

Note that not all REU directors send us updates; therefore even if a program listed here is out of date you should still check it out because most programs run annually.

Here's a link to "Landing an Internship" from the folks at Academic Superstore.

These sites have lists of opportunities similar to this one:

  • National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates–The NSF sponsors summer programs for students completing their sophomore and junior years in the following areas: biological sciences, computer and information science and engineering, education, earth sciences, ocean sciences, polar programs, mathematical and physical sciences, chemistry, materials science, mathematics and physics.  These programs are very competitive (there might be 200 applicants for 10 openings), so apply to a large number of institutions to ensure getting an offer.
  • The Chemistry Internet Resource for Research by Undergraduate Students (CIRRUS) has resources for students carrying out chemistry research; they also have links to summer programs.
  • Winthrop University has a great web page with links to many other sites.  Click on "Summer Research" on the home page.
  • Yale University has compiled a list of summer research opportunities.
  • About.com offers a page with many links to other pages on summer research opportunities in biology.
  • This site is maintained by a psychology department, but there is an extensive list of medically-related summer internships.

I've listed the next series of opportunities by category; each is followed by a list of links to the specific site that describes the summer program.

Chemistry
  • The American Chemical Society compiles a list of internships, research, and other work opportunities in their "Directory of Experience Opportunities" which comes out every year. Our department usually receives a copy in November. You are welcome to stop by and peruse it or you can search the Directory on-line or call the ACS at 202-872-6166 to obtain a hard copy.
  • The University of San Diego has a list of summer research opportunities at their institution in all fields of science.
  • California Institute of Technology
  • University of California, Santa Cruz, has internships in chemistry and biochemistry.
  • The University of Southern California has an REU program in the Chemistry Department. Housing, meals, medical coverage, and travel costs are covered, plus there is a $3500 stipend. Research areas include inorganic/biochemistry, physical/theoretcial and organic/materials chemistry. Application deadline is 15 February 2008. There is another REU program associated with the USC Nanocenter.
  • Lawrence Livermore Labs has summer internships in chemistry, physics, and mechanical, chemical civil or materials engineering.
  • The Chemistry Department at Colorado State University has an REU program.
  • University of Connecticut has an REU program in chemistry at their Storrs campus. Research areas include synthetic organic and inorganic, polymer, organometallic, analytical, bioorganic, biophysical, chemical education and physical chemistry. Deadline is 28 March 2008.
  • The University of Connecticut has several REU programs during the summer. In addition to the chemistry program, they also have a program in polymers and pharmaceutical science. Students must be chemistry, chemical engineering, or polymer science majors who have completed their sophomore or junior year. Deadline is 1 March for all programs except pharmaceutical science; that deadline is 15 March.
  • Georgia Tech has opportunities in analytical, biological, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. They offer a stipend, travel allowance, housing and health insurance. The deadline is Feb. 15, 2006, but early submission is encouraged.
  • The Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at the University of Georgia has a summer program. Application deadline is 1 March 2007.
  • The University of Idaho has a "green chemistry" REU program.
  • University of Kentucky has an REU program for interested in chemistry, materials and polymers, and chemical engineering. Deadline is March 1.
  • Louisiana State University has an REU program for students interested in the chemical sciences.
  • The Chemical Sciences and Technology Laboratory at NIST has summer research fellowships in chemistry, chemical engineering, and biochemistry.
  • The Maine Forest Bioproducts Research Initiative has a summer research program in the areas of forestry, resource economics, wood science, biology, chemistry, chemical and biological engineering. There is a $5000 stipend plus a $1000 housing stipend. Application deadline is 15 March 2008.
  • The University of Massachusetts-Amherst sponsors a variety of REU programs in many different fields. This page lists the programs, with links to the specific web sites. Deadlines range from mid-Feb to mid March.
  • Dartmouth College has an REU program in Molecular Materials.
  • Princeton University's Institute for Science and Technology of Materials also has an REU program. Students work with senior faculty in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. The program runs from 12 June until 11 August. Deadline is 1 March 2007.
  • Princeton University's Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and the Environment (MIRTHE) has an REU program that runs from early June to mid-August. Students conduct research at one of the six MIRTHE universities: CCNY, Rice, Princeton, UMBC, Texas A&M and Johns Hopkins. The MIRTHE program is focused on providing students with the opportunity to carry out research at the forefront of mid-IR spectroscopy and engineering. Deadline is 1 March 2008.
  • Columbia University has summer REU programs in the fields of inorganic, organometallic and organic chemistry; in biological, biophysical, bioorganic and biochemistry; in experimental physical chemistry; in surface studies, macromolecular and materials sciences; in studies at interfaces, and in theoretical studies and nanotechnology.
  • Colgate University
  • Cornell University's Center for Materials Research has a summer program for students to work on interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects in chemistry, physics and engineering disciplines. The program features research, of course, but also includes mini-courses, "Fun Talks", grad student panel discussions, and excursions to Niagara Falls and NYC. On-line application available 15 November; students should apply as early as possible.
  • There is another program hosted by the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. The NNIN offers hands-on nanotechnology research with applications to bio-engineering, chemistry, electronics, materials science, optics, optoelectronics, and physics. Research opportunities are available at Cornell University, Georgia Tech, Harvard, Howard, NC State, Penn State, Stanford, UCSB, U of Michigan, U of Minnesota, UNM, UT-Austin, and U of Washington. Deadline is 19 February 2008.
  • Syracuse University has opportunities in biochemistry, physical, organic, inorganic, surface, materials and organometallic chemistry. Application deadline is 1 March 2007.
  • SUNY Stony Brook has an REU program through the Mineral Physics Institute for students interested in physical and environmental sciences and mathematics.
  • SUNY Stony Brook also has an REU program for students interested in the different fields of chemistry.
  • SUNY Stony Brook has an REU program through the Center for Environmental Molecular Science for students interested in a research career in earth science, physics, chemistry or material sciences. Selection of applicants begins 31 March 2006. The position includes a stipend, travel allowance and on-campus housing.
  • The Chemistry Department at North Carolina State University has an REU program.
  • Fellowships for a summer school course in nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry are offered through the ACS. Six week programs are offered at San Jose State and at Brookhaven National Labs. Deadline is 1 Feb 2006.
  • The Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University is sponsoring a summer program. Review of applications begins 1 March 2007.
  • The University of Oregon runs a PolyCamp, a one-week program of lectures, labs and career discussions designed to teach students about polymers. All expenses are paid. Program dates are 18-22 June 2007.
  • The Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh has an REU program available in all areas of the chemical sciences, including analytical, bioorganic, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. A stipend, free housing and other benefits are included. Deadline is 1 March 2006.
  • Brown University professors in the Chemistry Department may have room in their laboratories for summer students.  Browse the Brown University Chemistry Faculty home pages to see if you are interested in a particular project.  If interested, Dr. Matthew Zimmt has offered to be the contact person, so send an e-mail to him if you are interested, or you may choose to contact the faculty member directly.
  • Clemson University has an REU program in Chemistry that runs from 26 May until 1 August July 2008. Emphasis is in materials science. There are projects in three focus areas: Chemistry of Advanced Materials, Chemistry of Bio-systems and Chemistry Education. Stipend, free housing, and travel support available. Deadline is 3 March 2008.
  • The University of South Carolina has an NSF-funded REU program at the USC NanoCenter. Explore polymers, quantum dots, self-assembling nanostructures, DNA, dendrimers, and more. Check out their web site or contact reu@mail.chem.sc.edu.
  • Texas A & M University has an interdisciplinary REU program in chemistry.
  • James Madison University in Virginia has an REU program in chemistry.
  • Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond has a summer program in chemistry and chemical engineering. The program also has career planning and management components.
  • The Institute for Defense Analysis in Virginia has internships in chemistry, math, computer science and engineering.
  • The Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, has an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates in High Performance Materials and Polymer Chemistry. Application deadline is February 1, 2008. Research areas include Field-Responsive Materials; Materials and Processes for PEM Fuel Cells; and Macromolecules at the Interface with Life Sciences. Compensation: $5,850, duration: 12 weeks (May 20-August 8). Positions/yr: approximately 25 – 30 positions in 2008 .
  • NASA has an REU program through the Virginia Space Grant Consortium.
  • The University of Wisconsin's Synchrotron Radiation Center has an REU program for students interested in chemistry, physics, engineering, geology or biophysics. The deadline is 1 March 2006.
     

Biochemistry

  • The University of San Diego has a list of summer research opportunities at their institution in all fields of science.
  • Georgia Tech has summer programs in chemistry and biochemistry.
  • The University of Kentucky Center of Membrane Sciences has a summer program. They provide a competitive stipend, housing, and money to attend a national conference. Deadline is 24 February 2006.
  • The University of Massachusetts-Amherst sponsors a variety of REU programs in many different fields. This page lists the programs, with links to the specific web sites. Deadlines range from mid-Feb to mid March.
  • The Chemical Sciences and Technology Laboratory at NIST has summer research fellowships in chemistry, chemical engineering, and biochemistry.
  • The New York University's School of Medicine Sackler Institute has a summer research program in many areas of biochemistry and biology.
  • Syracuse University has opportunities in biochemistry, physical, organic, inorganic, surface, materials and organometallic chemistry.
  • The University of Oregon has summer research fellowships in the areas of evolution, development, genomics, structural and molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, neuroscience, ecology, marine biology, and biochemistry.
  • The Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has a SURF program in just about every field of biology and chemistry you can think of.
  • The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, has an REU program. Students work in laboratories on campus with Texas A&M faculty. The program runs from 28 May to 1 August, 2007. Application deadline is 15 February 2007.

Molecular Biology and Genetics

  • University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
  • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Watson School of Biological Sciences in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, has a summer research program in the areas of cancer biology, neurobiology, plant biology, cell biology, genetics, molecular and structural biology, and computational biology. Applications are due 1 February 2008.
  • The University of Massachusetts-Amherst sponsors a variety of REU programs in many different fields. This page lists the programs, with links to the specific web sites. Deadlines range from mid-Feb to mid March.
  • The New York University's School of Medicine Sackler Institute has a summer research program in many areas of biochemistry and biology.
  • The Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health in Albany, NY, has a summer research program for rising juniors and seniors majoring in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer sciences. Stipend is $4500 for the program which runs from 2 June until 8 August 2008. Travel, housing and food allowances are included. Deadline is 1 February 2008.
  • The Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences has a summer undergraduate research program in the following areas: developmental biology and genetics, immunology, cancer, drug development, structural biology and computational biology. Stipend is $3000 and housing is included. Applications due 1 Feb 2008.
  • The University of Cincinnati has a SURF program in the biomedical sciences, including areas of cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, and pathobiology. The application will be ready Nov. 1. Deadline is 1 Feb 2008.
  • The University of Oregon has summer research fellowships in the areas of evolution, development, genomics, structural and molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, neuroscience, ecology, marine biology, and biochemistry.
  • The Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has a SURF program in just about every field of biology and chemistry you can think of.

Biology

Biomedical Sciences Engineering and Physics
  • NASA has an REU program for students interested in engineering, math, computer sciences or physical/life sciences
  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) HS-STEM Summer Internship Program that will support students during summer 2008.  This program provides 10-week summer internships at federal research facilities for undergraduate students majoring in homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (HS-STEM) disciplines.  Students receive a $500/week stipend and travel reimbursement. The deadline for submitting an application is December 14, 2007.
  • The Earth Sciences Division of NASA has a Summer Institute on Atmospheric, Biospheric, and Hydrospheric Sciences at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Deadline is 16 February 2007.
  • The University of Massachusetts-Amherst sponsors a variety of REU programs in many different fields. This page lists the programs, with links to the specific web sites. Deadlines range from mid-Feb to mid March.
  • The SMART (Science, Mathematics and Research Transformation) Defense Scholarship/Fellowship Program is supported by the Department of Defense. Scholarship awardees receive a stipend, tuition and fees, paid summer internships, and career opportunities after graduation.
  • The University of California at Irvine has several undergraduate summer research programs in engineering. Check out the UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program) home page for a list of programs and deadlines.
  • The University of Kentucky has a summer program at the Center of Membrane Sciences in functional materials for students interested in chemistry, materials and polymers, or chemical engineering.
  • The Maine Forest Bioproducts Research Initiative has a summer research program in the areas of forestry, resource economics, wood science, biology, chemistry, chemical and biological engineering. There is a $5000 stipend plus a $1000 housing stipend. Application deadline is 15 March 2008.
  • The University of Maryland Institute for Systems Research has a summer program in engineering.
  • The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ has a summer REU program.
  • The Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM) and the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM) are sponsoring research opportunities for undergraduates in disciplines related to Materials Science during the summer of 2007. Potential projects span a broad range of topics under the guidance of faculty from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. The research topics are chosen each year to complement the research of faculty associated with the Princeton Center for Complex Materials.
  • Princeton University's Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and the Environment (MIRTHE) has an REU program that runs from early June to mid-August. Students conduct research at one of the six MIRTHE universities: CCNY, Rice, Princeton, UMBC, Texas A&M and Johns Hopkins. The MIRTHE program is focused on providing students with the opportunity to carry out research at the forefront of mid-IR spectroscopy and engineering. Deadline is 1 March 2008.
  • Cornell University has an REU program through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. Students will undertake hands-on nanofabrication research with applications to bio-engineering, chemistry, electronics, materials science, optics, and physics.
  • The Center for Nanoscale Systems at Cornell also has an REU program. Deadline is 1 February 2007.
  • The Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic University (RPI) has an REU program in physics. Deadline is 16 February 2007.
  • SUNY Stony Brook has an REU program through the Mineral Physics Institute for students interested in physical and environmental sciences and mathematics.
  • The Department of Physics at Lehigh University has an REU program for undergraduate physics majors. Deadline is 7 March 2007.
  • The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Oceanography (SURFO) Program at the University of Rhode Island is a 10-week summer program designed for students majoring in science, math and engineering who have just completed their junior year. Projects are available in the areas of oceanography, geophysics, atmospheric chemistry, meterology and ocean engineering.
Environmental

Science Journalism

  • The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program which allows science students to work as reporters, researchers and production assistants with science journalists as their mentors.  The purpose of the program is to increase public understanding of science and technology issues.  Application deadline is Jan. 15, and applicants will be notified by April 1.  Applicants should be willing to accept assignments anywhere in the United States for a ten week period during the summer.

Overseas Opportunities

  • Syracuse University and the NEF sponsor a research program in Austria at the University of Technology in Graz for chemistry majors completing their junior year who have prior research experience. Projects available in all areas of chemistry. Each participant receives a $3200 stipend, housing, and travel. A two day conference in Graz helps to prepare participants for the experience. A two-day capstone conference is held in Syracuse in October; travel expenses are provided. Deadline is 15 February 2006.
  • The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M sponsors an opportunity for students to travel to Taiwan. A stipend, travel allowance and housing are included. Preference is given to students finishing their junior year who have taken organic chemistry and biochemistry, but outstanding sophomores will also be considered. Research projects are available in chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, and biology. Application deadline is 1 February 2007.

Students with Special Needs

  • The East Regional Alliance provides support for students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics OR for disabilities-related research in technology or educations. Stipends are available for both students at faculty. Open to students attending institutions of higher learning in ME, NH, VT, MA and RI.
  • The University of Connecticut Health Center has a College Enrichment Program designed for students who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the heath professions or others from disadvantaged backgrounds. Visit their web site or contact them directly.

Government Internships

  • The Department of Energy has a Scholars Program for summer students or recent graduates. Deadline is 31 January 2007.

Corporate Internships

  • Argonne National Laboratories has a summer program with research projects available in physical and life sciences, math, computer science and engineering.  They also have applied programs in coal, conservation, environmental impact and technology, and fission and fusion technology.
  • Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, OH, has internships in physical chemistry, polymers, and engineering.
  • Genentech
  • Merck has a summer internship program. There are several PC graduates who currently work at Merck who are looking to hire PC students for the summer! Download this pdf document or email Harry Chobanian for more information. Deadline is 15 February 2007.
  • Wyeth BioPharma in Andover, MA is looking for summer interns. Deadline is 1 February 2006. If interested, email Alyssa Handler, a 2006 graduate of Providence College.
  • AT&T
  • The ACS publishes a directory called "Directory of Experience Opportunities" which is free to ACS affiliates and $10 for everyone else. The ACSSA advisor will have a copy of the current Directory. New directories are published every year between November and January. To order a copy, call (800) 209-0423 and ask for product C40. You can also access the Directory via the Internet. The Internet version is updated fairly often, so it's worth checking  out. For more information, contact Cecilia Hernandez at epic@acs.org.
  • InternshipPrograms.com is an internship search engine that you can use to search for over 200,000 positions at over 2600 industries and hospitals.
  • Click on the "Job Info" tab above and check the list of companies on this web page listed under "Company Web Sites". Many of these companies hire summer interns; contact Human Resources at the company and inquire about such opportunities.

This page last modified 7 February 2008.

 


 

 
 

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