BSCD Summer Fellowship Program - 2025

Biological Sciences Collegiate Division Summer Fellowship Program

A limited number of Biological Sciences Collegiate Division 2025 Summer Fellowships are available for first-, second- and third year University of Chicago Biological Sciences Undergraduate students interested in conducting research during the summer in a University of Chicago campus laboratory. Biological/Ecology field research is welcomed. The 10-week program will begin on Monday, June 9, 2025, and will conclude on Friday, August 15, 2025. Students may not register for any courses during this 10-week summer Fellowship.

The Fellowship will cover a $5,500 summer stipend.  In addition, the Fellowship program will provide a $1500 stipend to the host Principal Investigator’s (PI) lab to cover supply costs associated with the research project.

Questions regarding the Fellowship program can be emailed to Dr. Bhasin (nbhasin@uchicago.edu) or Dr. Osadjan (osadjan@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 Fellowship Commitment form, 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.

Eligibility:

Any first-, second- or third-year undergraduate student at the University of Chicago is eligible to apply for this fellowship, if they have:

1) permission to conduct mentored research in a Biological Sciences Division faculty member’s lab at the University of Chicago.

2) registered for (or completed) a Fundamentals Sequence in any of the Biological Sciences major tracks OR  the Health Professions Preparation Sequence for Non-Majors OR the biological science courses required for MENG majors on the Bioengineering track.

To Apply submit all of the following required materials:

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)   Transcript (An unofficial transcript is fine and should show the Winter quarter grades) 

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: this form lists all criteria Fellows must meet in the program (form attached)

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

• Principal Investigator and Student contact information form completed: 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-2025/) to submit it directly to the selection committee.

In the Sponsor letter, Principal Investigator should:

•  Welcome student into lab as a Fellow to conduct a 10-week research project

•  Explain how applicant will benefit from the fellowship in the PI’s lab

•  Explain how the applicant is qualified for the fellowship

•  Approve the submitted research proposal

•  Indicate whether the PI will support/fund the applicant in their lab during the summer if they are not selected for a BSCD Fellowship

•  Indicate that they are willing to commit to all PI responsibilities if the applicant receives a fellowship..  These responsibilities are:

     *advising the applicant during the 10-week fellowship

     *ensuring that the Fellow fulfills all the required elements of the program, including:

◦  Participation in the 10-weeks of research

◦  Participation in the Fellowship Seminar Series

◦  Participation in two-day Research Update meeting mid-summer

◦  Participation in all-day Fall Symposium

    *helping student prepare for the Research Update meeting mid-summer and the Final Symposium in the Fall Quarter.

    *writing an evaluation of the Fellow’s performance in Fall Quarter.

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-2025/

Application Deadline: 11:59 pm on April 7, 2025

Only complete applications (including all the above materials) submitted by 11:59 pm on April 7, 2025, will be accepted by the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division and reviewed by the Fellowship committee.

Please submit all materials as PDF Files.