Save the Date for SciFest!
SciFest, the Division of Science’s annual celebration of undergraduate research, is a poster session featuring work done by undergraduates in Brandeis laboratories each summer. This is a capstone event for the undergraduate researchers where they can present the results of their research to peers, grad students, and faculty.
Join us for the SciFest XI which will be held on Thursday, August 11, 2022 in the Shapiro Science Center.
With increasing vaccination rates and declining positive Covid test rates, the Division of Science is looking forward to a vibrant, in-person summer undergraduate research program kicking off right after Memorial Day.
The Division of Science summer program pairs first-hand research, community building, and guidance from Brandeis graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to provide undergraduate students a high-quality research experience. Past summer undergraduates have gone on to make substantial contributions (even as first authors!) to peer-reviewed research publications in fields such as materials chemistry (Shi et al., “Sunlight-activated phase change materials for controlled heat storage and triggered release”), molecular biology (Lamper et al., “A phosphorylation-regulated eIF3d translation switch mediates cellular adaptation to metabolic stress”) and neuroscience (He et al., “Rapid adaptation to Elevated Extracellular Potassium in the Pyloric Circuit of the Crab, Cancer borealis”).
For Summer 2021, we are excited to announce that 58 Brandeis undergraduate researchers will be supported through the Division of Science programs and funding sources including NSF, NIH, and generous Brandeis alumni and foundation donors.
Additionally, the MRSEC Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program will support 6 undergraduate students from Hampton University for a 10-week, hands-on research program that runs in parallel with the MRSEC Summer Materials Undergraduate Research Fellowship. REU participants are mentored by MRSEC graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and contribute to materials science research efforts on Brandeis’s campus.
We will conclude the summer with SciFest, our annual summer poster session showcasing undergraduate research in the sciences, on August 5. Check the SciFest website for updates about the time and details for the session.
Congratulations to all fellowship recipients!
In spite of all the uncertainty about the summer to come, it is time for Brandeis Science undergraduates doing research to think about applying for summer fellowships. The Division of Science, through a variety of sources, will likely have enough money to support roughly the same number of students as in recent years. For the most part, funding comes in the form of $5000 stipends that are paid directly to students to support them while working in labs in the summer.
While there is a variety of funding mechanisms, students can apply via a single unified application.
To apply, students will need to have a commitment from a faculty mentor to supervise their research in Summer 2021. Applications will be due on March 2, 2021. Students will need a single letter of reference from their faculty mentor.
The Division of Science announces the opening of the Division of Science Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship competition for Brandeis students who will be doing undergraduate research in Summer 2019. These fellowships are funded by generous alumni donations and by grants. Winners will get $5000 stipends for the summer.
Some funding programs have changed since last year; please see the Div Sci website for details of the programs which fund students across all the sciences. We expect to fund about 30 students this summer.
The due date for applications is February 27, 2019 at 6:00 PM EST.
Students who will be rising Brandeis sophomores, juniors, or seniors in Summer 2019 (classes of ’20, ’21 and ’22), who in addition are working in a lab in the Division of Science at the time of application, are eligible to apply. A commitment from a Brandeis faculty member to serve as your mentor in Summer 2019 is required.
The Division of Science Summer Program will run from June 3 – Aug 9, 2019. Recipients are expected to be available to do full time laboratory research during that period, and must commit to presenting a poster at the final poster session (SciFest IX) on Aug 8, 2019.
Interested students should apply online (Brandeis login required). Questions that are not answered in the online FAQs may be addressed to Steven Karel <divsci at brandeis.edu>.
The Division of Science announces the opening of the Division of Science Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship competition for Brandeis students doing undergraduate research in Summer 2018. These fellowships are funded by generous alumni donations and by grants.
New this year is the Dan Getz Endowment for Cardiovascular Research Fellowship. This fellowship is for a student working with a Brandeis faculty member on a topic relevant to cardiovascular health. See the Div Sci website for details of additional programs which fund students across all the sciences. We expect to fund at least 30 students this summer.
The due date for applications is March 1, 2018, at 6:00 PM EST.
Students who will be rising Brandeis sophomores, juniors, or seniors in Summer 2018 (classes of ’19, ’20, and ’21), who in addition are working in a lab in the Division of Science at the time of application, are eligible to apply. A commitment from a Brandeis faculty member to serve as your mentor in Summer 2017 is required.
The Division of Science Summer Program will run from May 29 – Aug 3, 2018. Recipients are expected to be available to do full time laboratory research during that period, and must commit to presenting a poster at the final poster session (SciFest VIII) on Aug 2, 2018.
Interested students should apply online (Brandeis login required). Questions that are not answered in the online FAQs may be addressed to Steven Karel <divsci at brandeis.edu>.
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The Brandeis University Division of Science held its annual undergraduate research poster session SciFest VII on August 3, 2017, as more than one hundred student researchers presented summer’s (or last year’s) worth of independent research. We had a great audience of grad students and postdocs (many of whom were mentors), faculty, proud parents, friends, and senior administrators.
More pictures and abstract books are available at the SciFest site.
Brandeis Summer Scifest, an Undergraduate Research Poster Session, will be held on Thursday, August 3. The poster session will be 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the Shapiro Science Center atrium.
SciFest is an annual poster session for undergraduates who have spent their summers working in both on-campus and off-campus labs doing scientific research, usually alongside grad students, postdocs and faculty members. It an opportunity for undergraduates from across the Division of Science, including summer visitors and Brandeis students, to present posters summarizing their research.
There were 106 posters presented last year. Prospective presenters for this year should note that the deadline to register for this event is July 25. Early registrants will get the prime locations for their posters!
The public is invited to attend and to discuss research with the students. As always, refreshments will be served.
The Division of Science wishes to announce that, in 2017, we will offer seven MRSEC Summer Materials Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SMURF) for Brandeis students doing undergraduate research, sponsored by the Brandeis Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.
The due date for applications is February 27, 2017, at 6:00 PM EST.
To apply, the application form is online and part of the Unified Application: https://goo.gl/9LcSpG (Brandeis login required).
Eligibility
Students are eligible if they will be rising Brandeis sophomores, juniors, or seniors in Summer 2017 (classes of ’18, ’19, and ’20). No prior lab experience is required. A commitment from a Brandeis MRSEC member to serve as your mentor in Summer 2017 is required though. The MRSEC faculty list is: http://www.brandeis.edu/mrsec/people/index.html
Conflicting Commitments
SMURF recipients are expected to be available to do full time laboratory research between May 30 – August 4, 2017. During that period, SMURF students are not allowed to take summer courses, work another job or participate in extensive volunteer/shadowing experiences in which they commit to being out of the lab for a significant amount of time during the summer. Additionally, students should not be paid for doing lab research during this period from other funding sources.
Application Resources
Interested students should apply online (Brandeis login required). Questions that are not answered in the online FAQ may be addressed to Steven Karel <divsci at brandeis.edu>.
The Division of Science is pleased to announce the availability of Traineeships for Undergraduates in Computational Neuroscience through a recently-renewed grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Traineeships will commence in summer 2017 and run through the academic year 2017-18.
Please apply to the program by February 27, 2017 at 6 pm to be considered.
Traineeships in Computational Neuroscience are intended to provide intensive undergraduate training in computational neuroscience for students interested in eventually pursuing graduate research. The traineeships will provide approximately $5000 in stipend to support research in the summer, and $3000 each for fall and spring semesters during the academic year. Current Brandeis sophomores and juniors (classes of ’18, ’19) may apply. To be eligible to compete for this program, you must
Interested students should apply online (Brandeis login required). Questions that are not answered in the online FAQ may be addressed to Steven Karel <divsci at brandeis.edu> or to Prof. Paul Miller.
The Division of Science announces the opening of the Division of Science Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship competition for Brandeis students doing undergraduate research in Summer 2017. These fellowships are funded by generous alumni donations.
New this year are the Helaine B. Allen Summer Fellowships. These fellowships are for students working with Brandeis faculty members focusing in the sciences, specifically in the fields of Biochemistry, Biology, Biophysics, Chemistry, Neuroscience, and/or Physics. There are five $5,000 awards available, each with $1,000 additional funding for laboratory supplies/support. See the Div Sci website for details of additional programs.
The due date for applications is February 27, 2017, at 6:00 PM EST.
Students who will be rising Brandeis sophomores, juniors, or seniors in Summer 2016 (classes of ’18, ’19, and ’20), who in addition are working in a lab in the Division of Science at the time of application, are eligible to apply. A commitment from a Brandeis faculty member to serve as your mentor in Summer 2017 is required.
The Division of Science Summer Program will run from May 30 – Aug 4, 2017. Recipients are expected to be available to do full time laboratory research during that period, and must commit to presenting a poster at the final poster session (SciFest VII) on Aug 3, 2017.
Interested students should apply online (Brandeis login required). Questions that are not answered in the online FAQ may be addressed to Steven Karel <divsci at brandeis.edu>.
Science at Brandeis 