BSCD Summer Fellowship Program - 2020

Extended application deadline - all BSCD Fellowship application deadlines have been extended to April 17th. Please bear in mind that while BSCD Summer Fellowships are currently scheduled to proceed these opportunities may have to be modified or cancelled if the situation warrants. More information about the current status of on-campus research can be found on the University’s research continuity planning for COVID-19 site.  

A limited number of Biological Sciences Collegiate Division Summer Fellowships are available for registered first, second, and third year Biological Sciences Undergraduate Students interested in conducting research during the summer in a University of Chicago campus laboratory. Biological field research is welcomed. The 10-week program will begin on Monday, June 22, 2020 and will conclude on Friday, August 28, 2020. Students may not register for any courses during this 10-week summer Fellowship.

The Fellowship will cover a $5,000 summer stipend ($1250 at Orientation, $1250 following Week 5 Update, $2500 at Fall Symposium).  In addition, the Fellowship will provide a $1500 stipend to the host PI lab to cover supply costs associated with the research project.

Applicants accepted into the Summer Fellowship Program will also compete for the BSCD Undergraduate Award for Research Support. This award that will provide an additional full academic year stipend to three of summer Fellows. Selection will be based on the Fellow’s participation and performance in the BSCD Summer Fellowship Program.

Questions regarding the Fellowship program can be emailed to Dr. Zaragoza (zaragoza@uchicago.edu) or Dr. Strieleman (pstriele@uchicago.edu)

Students awarded a Fellowship must commit to meet the criteria indicated in the Fellowship Commitment form, included in the application material. If a student cannot fully participate in the BSCD Fellowship program by meeting ALL of the criteria listed on the application, the student is not eligible to apply for the Fellowship. If a student is granted a Fellowship and does not meet ALL of the requirements the student will be immediately dropped from the program and forfeit the entire stipend.

1) Curriculum Vitae

2) Research Proposal (one page maximum – written by student applicant)

3) Applicant Summary (brief explanation - no more than 500 words): 

•    Why are you interested in applying for this fellowship?

•    How will participating in the BSCD Fellowship Program enhance your undergraduate experience?

•    How will participation in the Fellowship program enrich, strengthen or advance the applicant’s scientific career?

4) Official Transcript (transcript should include recent winter quarter grades. Students may submit a non-official transcript showing the winter quarter grades and follow by submitting an official transcript asap.)

5) List of the courses for which the student has registered in the Spring Quarter and a list of the courses for which the student will register in the following Fall Quarter.

6) Completed forms listed below (forms indicated below are posted on Handshake)

•    Completed checklist. (form attached)

•    Fellowship Commitment form: lists all criteria Fellows must meet. (form attached)

•    Principal Investigator Seminar Series Schedule form: completed with PI indicating the dates available to present a seminar during the Fellowship program. (form attached)

•    Principal Investigator and Student complete form for contact information: complete names, email addresses, department, office address, phone #’s, etc. (form attached)

7) Letter from the Principal Investigator/ Faculty Sponsor including the information below (please address letter to “The BSCD Fellowship Committee”). 

Please Note - Primary investigators may provide students with their letter to be uploaded alongside all other application materials or they may complete this online form (https://careeradvancement.wufoo.com/forms/bscd-summer-fellowship-program-pi-letter/) to submit it directly to the selection committee.

The P.I. / Faculty Sponsor will:

•    Welcome student into lab as a Fellow (or Undergraduate Researcher) for 10-week research project

•    Commit to discussing the project and suggest/advise reading material

•    Meet weekly to direct and advise the Fellow during the 10-week internship

•    Commit to seeing that the Fellow fully participates and meets ALL of the criteria stipulated in the application, including:

◦                            Participate in the 10-weeks of research

◦                            Participate in the Fellowship Seminar Series

◦                            Participate in and attending the two days when Fellows present the 5-week Updates of their summer research

◦                            Participate in and attending the all-day Fall Symposium

◦                            Advise and guide the Research Proposal

◦                            Advise and guide the preparation of the presentation for the 5-week Research update held in the 5th week of the Summer Quarter

◦                            Advise and guide the preparation of the presentation for the Fall Symposium that will be held on the Saturday at the end of the first week of the Fall Quarter, Saturday October 3, 2020.

•    If a student is not selected as a recipient of a BSCD Summer Fellowship, the Principal Investigator should indicate whether he/she would support/fund the student in their lab during the summer.

•    Principal Investigator will commit to write an evaluation of the Fellow’s participation in the Fellowship program, their performance in the lab, progress on their research project, and preparation and presentation of their Fellowship research at the Fall Symposium. Principal Investigator should email the evaluation letter directly to Dr. Zaragoza (zaragoza@uchicago.edu) and Dr. Strieleman (pstriele@uchicago.edu) following Fellowship Symposium, Monday October 5, 2020.

•    Following receipt of PI evaluation letter lab funds will be transferred to the lab account provided by the PI.

Please Note: If you are applying to multiple BSCD Fellowship Grants, please fill out the following BSCD Preference Form - https://careeradvancement.wufoo.com/forms/bscd-research-2020/

Only complete Applications (including all of the above materials) submitted by 11:55 pm on April 10, 2020, will be accepted by the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division and reviewed by the committee.

Fellowship awards will be announced on Friday April 24, 2020.

Full Year Fellowship Award: Acceptance into the Summer Fellowship Program qualifies the Fellow to compete for funding during the 2020-2021 academic year. Three Fellows will be awarded full academic year funding based on their participation and performance in the BSCD Summer Fellowship Program. The awarded Fellows must submit an Updated Research Report at the end of each quarter before receiving the quarter stipend check. In addition, these Fellows will attend and present their academic year long research at the 2021 Fall BSCD Fellowship Symposium.