This ten week summer research program provides students with basic training in lab fundamentals, exposes them to core concepts of synthetic biology, and engages them in mentored research in the collaborative environments of individual faculty labs. Participants spend the first week in a Lab Fundamentals course that covers basic lab and research skills, and the following nine weeks in mentored research at either UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, or MIT. Each student is matched with an independent research project in a faculty lab. A graduate student or postdoctoral fellow serves as the student's research mentor throughout the summer. Students spend at least 40 hours a week on their research project. At the end of the summer, each student will produce a written report or a poster outlining his/her research results.

The program gives preference to students from primarily undergraduate institutions, and those from diverse groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering programs. Prior research experience is not required. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

• Hands on mentored research experience in Synthetic Biology
• Weekly stipend
• Travel allowance (fon non-local students)
• Housing and food allowance (for non-local students)

Eligibility

Students must meet the following criteria:

• Commit to full-time direct participation on a research project
• Be a sophomore (with at least four quarters or 3 semesters of college experience), junior, or non-graduating senior who is planning to return to undergraduate studies in the fall semester
• Be a US citizen or permanent resident
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Be interested in pursuing a Ph.D.

How to apply

The application deadline for summer 2011 is February 15, 2011. A link to the SynBERC REU application form will be posted to this site  on January 1, 2011.

Additional information

SynBERC sponsored ten undergraduates at four campuses last summer. Read more--> about the researchers and their projects.

 

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Attachment	Size
SynBERC REU 2009 Final Report.pdf	508.11 KB
SynBERC_REU_App2010.final_.3.pdf	337.16 KB