Finding an undergraduate research summer internship can be a relatively stress-free experience if given enough time to plan and prepare. This guide will provide an overview of how to find an undergraduate research opportunity, how to prepare your application, and the importance of mentorship. Follow the 6-tips below to get a better understanding of how to secure a funded summer research internship.
- Why participate in a summer research internship?
- Finding research opportunities:
- Funded summer research experiences:
- Longer-term research opportunities:
- Typical summer research internship application:
- Importance of mentorship:
1. Why participate in a summer research internship?
There are numerous benefits of why a shortened research experience is beneficial for your personal and professional development. Summer internships allow for the development of new skills and techniques that can be directly related to or entirely different from your current pursuits. Additionally, being a summer researcher will open you up to a more extensive network, provide access to more opportunities, and expand your list of people to ask for letters of recommendation (LOR).
Moreover, joining a research lab as part of a research program contributes to the field of science. Undergraduate research workers and research assistants often support research labs by assisting post-doc and graduate researchers. Bridging the gap across all levels of expertise and knowledge helps create a well-balanced research lab.
2. Finding research opportunities:
Often the greatest opportunities arise from who you know, so ask your immediate peers and stay vigilant on fliers advertising informational sessions related to research. In addition, institutions and research centers associated with universities have access to different funding pools and may provide research-training opportunities. For example, if you’re interested in cancer research, look into your nearby cancer research institute to see what programs and trainings are available.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) offer summer research programs:
NIH: SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH (SIP).
NIH: other NIH summer research programs.
NSF: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
3. Funded summer research experiences:
One way research programs are funded is through government organizations, which distribute taxpayer funds to primary investigators (PI) through grants to support research programs. For example, the NIH and the NSF provide various types of funding for students and universities. In addition, the NIH and NSF offer websites to find funded research opportunities across the US.
4. Longer-term research opportunities:
Like summer research opportunities, the NIH and the Federal TRIO Programs provide training to support researchers throughout their academic careers. Knowing what type of research programs and opportunities are available at your university can make a substantial difference in the quality of your college education.
Federal TRIO Programs: Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
Across the US, there is a push for more diversity. For example, the NIH, TRIO, and NSF provide grant funding to train and retain minority groups specifically as addressed through diversity initiatives. There is funding available at each step of a biomedical research career.
5. Typical summer research internship application:
A personal statement is commonly requested when submitting an internship application. Research personal statements are usually 1-2 pages, which include background information about yourself, your expertise, qualifications, and how the internship is necessary for your professional development. Similar to a cover letter for a job, personal statements allow readers to understand why you’re a good fit for a position.
A resume or curriculum vitae (CV; Latin for “course of life”) is essential when applying to programs. A well-formatted plain document best displays your abilities more than a pretty or creative document for research purposes. The CV should be updated and tailored to each application.
Additionally, 1-3 LORs are usually needed for the application. Depending on the program, a LOR can generally come from anyone who has superiority over you and holds a relevant research or career position. Furthermore, it’s best to ask for a LOR as soon as you know the program’s application requirements and update the LOR with deadline reminders.
6. Importance of mentorship:
Finding a good mentor match is debatably more important than finding a good research program. Mentors model career trajectories, guide their mentees, expand networks, and inspire. A person can have many types of mentors. Generally, a successful mentorship is a symbiotic relatioship between the mentor and mentee. However, for the sake of research, finding a supportive mentor whose research interests you is the key to success and enjoying the research process.
Conclusion
Participating in research experiences is essential for building your CV and skill set and even aids your ability to identify what interests and excites you. Although it can be frustrating, research can also be a fulfilling and rewarding endeavor. Like any application, creating a research application can be an exhausting experience. Regardless of admittance, the act of preparing an application is an opportunity for growth and development.
