Molecular Biology Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities
Beckman Scholarships
The purpose of this program is to "stimulate, encourage and support research activities by exceptionally talented undergraduate students... centered in either chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medical sciences or some combination of these subjects."
Stipends: scholars are supported for two summers of research and the academic year in between with both a stipend and funds for supplies and travel to scientific meetings. Each Beckman Scholar at Pomona College will receive a a taxable award $14,600 to perform research with a Pomona College mentor (out of the following list: Professors Crane, Garza-Lopez, O'Leary, Steinmetz, Taylor, Cheney, Hoopes, Martinez, Parfitt, or Wright) for two summers and the intervening academic year. Beckman funding for supplies will be available. This scholarship will not be deducted from the financial aid award of the recipient.
Eligibility: Sophomores with GPAs at or above 10.75 and juniors whose GPA places them among the top 10% of majors in Chemistry, Biology, Molecular Biology, and Neuroscience (in the first two years, this cutoff has been at 11.2 GPA) are eligible to apply if majoring in one of these sciences. If the student is receiving financial aid, because of the high honor accorded by this award, Pomona College will not deduct the award from any financial aid award to the student.
Deadline: Not known yet . Go to official web site and Look for application material in Biology and Chemistry department offices.
For more info: Beckman scholarship webpage
HHMI-Supported summer research
Funding is available to support students (Freshmen are also encouraged to apply) doing summer research with Pomona College science professors, especially for students doing interdisciplinary research. Interdisciplinary is defined as using physics, chemistry and mathematics to address biological problems. Further, a goal of the HHMI grant is to encourage participation of minority students. The HHMI grant has funds to support 10 students on campus and 2 students off campus in the U. S. or abroad. Support includes stipend for 10 weeks of full time research, some travel funds to present results at a meeting and some supply funds.
For students who wish to work abroad, HHMI has a list of international labs that are seeking HHMI supported summer undergraduates (see website http://www.hhmi.org/cgi-bin/scientist_search/search.pl?it=INTERNATIONAL&x=34&y=12). As part of the HHMI application due Feb. 2, students who are interested in the international labs should list 5 labs from the HHMI international list that the student would like to do research in. One or two students will be selected and their names will be forwarded to HHMI for placement. HHMI assures us that selected students have a high probability of being successfully placed in a lab. To cover the possibility that the students' choices of labs do not work out, we ask students applying for international support to also submit an application for research with a Pomona College
faculty member on campus.
Deadline: Applications are due February 2, 2007 . Details and applications available in the Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics Offices.
Summer undergraduate research program (SURP)
Pomona College will competitively award a number of summer stipends to support student research. Funding is available to support students serving as research assistants to faculty, undertaking research collaboratively with faculty, or pursuing their own research agendas with frequent and substantive faculty interaction. All fields of study are included. (Approximately 20 available)
Stipends: $375
per week. The maximum stipend is $3,750. (Stipends are subject to taxation,
etc.)
Research Supplies / Expenses: A maximum of $500 is available to cover
laboratory supplies or ground transportation essential to the proposed project.
Attach a detailed budget and justification.
On-Campus Housing: Information about on-campus housing will be made available
at the time awards are announced.
Eligibility: All continuing Pomona faculty are eligible as collaborators, as are faculty in five-college academic programs. Faculty are expected to be available on campus for most of the proposed research period, which may be as short as four or as long as ten weeks. The program is not open to graduating seniors. Early in the fall semester, participants will be expected to present the results of their research in a poster conference or similar forum.
Deadline for Submitting Proposals: Thursday, February 22, 2007 .
For more info: SURP official website
Summer research participation program, Chemistry department
The Chemistry Department is pleased to announce the Summer Undergraduate Research Program which is funded by income from an endowment established by Fred Robbins where each participant will spend 10 weeks working on a faculty project. (10 positions available)
Eligibility: Pomona students interested in a career in science are encouraged to apply.
Stipends: ?.
Deadline: not known yet check chemistry website (usually beginning of February).
For more information: 2007 Summer Research Program Chemistry department
Personal Grants
You should also check with the professor you would like to work for because they usually have grants that cover stipends for students doing research with them.
Other funding opportunities available in previous years but not currently:
Merck Fellowship
Its Objective is to enhance molecular biology student-faculty research. In addition to summer research, the program includes a summer seminar for the students about aspects of a science carrier choice, a chance to invite a speaker to campus who is chosen by the Merck fellows and modest support for driving to local talks and meetings.
Eligibility: ideal recipients would be molecular biology juniors, but other students in biology and chemistry with an interest in bringing both perspectives to their research will be considered. There are 4 summer research fellowships available.
Stipends: $3,500 each with $1,000 for supply allowance each.
We are still waiting to see if the program will be funded this year.
REU
The National Science Foundation Research Experience at Undergraduate (REU) Institutions program is a funding program whose goal is to make research experiences available to students at the undergraduate level. Institutions apply for funding to provide such opportunities by becoming REU "sites". The Biology Department at Pomona College has been an NSF-funded REU site for about 10 years. Our program is somewhat unusual in that it is a year-round program. Together with matching funds from Pomona College, our grant supports at least ten student research positions each semester and eight student research positions in the summer. Students can apply for positions each semester and/or summer.
Stipend Each student will receive a stipend of $3,400 for a ten-week period. On campus lodging expenses will be provided by advance arrangement. Research supplies will be provided at no cost to the student.
Eligibility: Applicants must be in their freshman, sophomore or junior years and interested in pursuing careers in the life sciences. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. Women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.
Deadline: We are still waiting to see if the program will be funded this year
For additional fellowship and scholarship opportunities outside of Pomona, visit the Useful Resources Page on our applying to graduate school website.
This page was last updated on 8/6/07