Skip to main content
Summer Research Support on Campus in Biology
Summer Support for Undergraduate Research
Summer support on campus comes in three main forms:
- Faculty Grants: Funding from a faculty member’s grant to support research on a specific project.
- Foundation & Donor Funds: Funds provided to the College by foundations, individuals, or groups to offer students research experiences. These opportunities may be open to many students or targeted, per donor instructions, to particular types or locations of research.
- Research Training Fellowships: Grants awarded to one or more faculty members to support research training in a specific field (for example, Beckman Fellowships). Most fellowships range from $2,500 to $4,000 and sometimes include free dorm housing.
Charles Center Fellowships
The Charles Center offers several summer fellowships relevant to students interested in biology. All require that students return in the fall semester, and deadlines typically fall in late February. You may apply for multiple fellowships but might be limited to accepting only one.
Proposals and Mentorship
Proposals are generally written by students with extensive guidance (often including topic choice) from their faculty mentors. It’s important to have a professor who can and will supervise your project. While it’s not required, having a professor review drafts and help with revisions is a good idea. The submitted proposal should be your own work.
Biology Department Sources
The Biology Department often has additional sources of support. Occasionally, funding is available through specific programs sponsored by companies like Merck or Beckman, supporting students conducting summer research. Application deadlines for these typically fall between February and April, with announcements posted or emailed to Biology majors.
The Llanso-Sherman Award
Some summers, the Llanso-Sherman Award ($2,000) is available to support biomedical research in biology. This award focuses on medicine-related fields and rotates among several science departments, so it’s not offered to biology students every year. Interested students should consult faculty to identify a potential supervisor. The application process begins with a letter of nomination from a professor.
Key Funding Sources
|
Award/Source |
Typical Deadline |
Details |
|---|---|---|
|
Charles Center Fellowships |
Late February |
Requires students to return for the Fall semester. |
|
Biology Dept. Awards |
Feb – April |
Check emails/postings for Merck or Beckman-sponsored spots. |
|
Llanso-Sherman Award |
Varies |
$2,000 for biomedical research; rotates by department. |
Application Tips
- Mentor Guidance: Proposals are written by students, but you must have a faculty mentor to supervise and review your drafts.
- The "One Award" Rule: You can apply for multiple fellowships, but you are usually limited to accepting only one.
- Nomination: For specific awards like the Llanso-Sherman, you need a letter of nomination from a professor to start the process.