Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship at Barnard College
Time period: In summer following admission to program, Fellows participate in a one-week workshop in which they identify the area in which they will conduct research over the next two years.
Purpose and activities: Provides students with a faculty member with whom she works in her junior and senior years to receive academic guidance and insight into life as an academic. Mellon fellows may pursue independent research under the direction of her faculty member, work as a research assistant on a project that the faculty mentor is currently pursuing, or work on curricular or teaching projects of interest to her faculty mentor. The program also helps fellows apply to graduate school by providing advice on suitable graduate programs, supervising the application process, as well as supplementing testing and application fees. Fellows attend scholarly conferences, including the local New York Regional Undergraduate Mellon Conference held each spring. They plan and participate in the annual Barnard Mellon Mays Distinguished Lecture, and have joined in a number of special projects, including a 2003 research trip to South Africa.
Eligibility: Sophomore or junior standing, minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 preferred, interest in pursuing graduate study toward the PhD in one of the Mellon supported fields, and demonstrated commitment to increasing opportunities for under-represented minorities
Location: NYC
Payment: Stipend for the August workshop, as well as for the academic year for work with their faculty mentor. If fellow enrolls as a full-time student in a PhD program in a Mellon-identified discipline within three years of graduating from Barnard, the Fellow may have a portion of her undergraduate student loans repaid by the Foundation
Deadline: Mid-February
Website: http://barnard.edu/mmuf/at-barnard
The Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) at University of California, Berkeley
Time Period: 8 weeks, June through July
Purpose and Activities: Offers students an opportunity to conduct research under the direction and guidance of a UC Berkeley faculty member and/or graduate student mentor with the goal of increasing the level of diversity among students entering Ph.D. programs.
Eligibility/Background: Citizens/permanent residents of the U.S.; enrolled full time at four-year college or university; rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors; 3.0 GPA or higher; special consideration given to applicants who have been economically or educationally disadvantages and show potential to benefit from exposure to the environment of a research university.
Location: Berkeley, CA
Payment: $3000 stipend, on campus housing
Deadline: Early February
Website: http://diversity.berkeley.edu/graduate/gdp/srop
The Undergraduate Fellows Program offered at the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) at Columbia University
Time period: Eight weeks, from June through July. Fellows typically work 30-35 hours per week.
Purpose and Activities: Exposes students to the social science research being undertaken at Columbia University. Fellows gain first-hand experience with research being conducted by leading social scientists. The program matches students with ISERP-affiliated faculty and projects addressing issues such as environmental decision-making, public health, public opinion, and social inequality, among others. Fellows also participate in weekly informal workshops on select social topics.
Eligibility: All undergraduates, including those outside Columbia University
Location: NYC
Payment: Small stipend for food and local transportation.
Deadline: Early March
Website: http://iserp.columbia.edu/content/summer-program-undergraduates
Summer Research Initiative at University of Maryland
Time period: 8 weeks, June through July, 40 hours/week
Purpose and activities: Seeks to increase the knowledge of, and interest in, doctoral-level training in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. The program provides students with an experience that enhances basic research knowledge. Students attend lectures, workshops, and discussions to enhance their knowledge of the graduate application process and are provided with mentoring and networking opportunities.
Eligibility/Background: Sophomores and juniors. Special emphasis on population groups underrepresented in the behavioral, social and economic science fields (i.e., African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders).
Location: College Park, MD
Payment: Round-trip air fare, room and board in University on-campus housing and a stipend of $2,700 (before taxes)
Deadline: Mid-February
Website: http://www.bsos.umd.edu/diversity/summer-research-initiative.aspx
The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at University of Michigan
Time period: Ten weeks, mid-June through Mid-August
Purpose and Activities: Gives undergraduates first-hand experience in in social science research. Prepares interns for senior thesis projects, graduate school, and/or research based employment opportunities. Students, under the supervision of a faculty mentor, will develop a research question, perform a literature search and review, complete data analysis, and report findings in a poster; learn good data management processes and research practices with a research process mentor; and attend classes at ICPSR.
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors with United States citizenship or permanent residency
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Payment: $3000-5000 stipend, room and partial-board in university housing, and scholarship covering cost of fees, texts, and materials for coursework.
Deadline: Mid-February
Website: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/content/ICPSR/internship/.
The Survey Research Center Summer Internship Program at University of Michigan
Time period: 10 weeks, 20-40 hour per week, June through July
Purpose and activities: Students gain hands-on experience working in survey design; gain teamwork, project management, and administrative skills; combine social science and statistical theory with practical challenges of day-to-day project implementation; apply and develop technical and communication skills; learn the principles of survey research from leading practitioners in the field. Interns will be typically assigned to an ongoing research study, attend appropriate seminars/courses on principles of survey research, and participate in a research symposium and are encouraged to apply for full time positions at the center upon completion of the program.
Eligibility: Any full time undergraduate student (completion of sophomore year or greater) in good standing (minimum grade point average of 3.0)
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Payment: $11/hour
Deadline: Mid-February
Website: http://sites.isr.umich.edu/DNN/Default.aspx?alias=sites.isr.umich.edu/dnn/sip
The Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) at Northwestern University
Time period: Eight weeks, from mid-June through mid-August, 30-40 hours per week
Purpose and Activities: Each selected participant is matched with a Northwestern faculty member to carry out an appropriate full-time research project. Some faculty mentors agree to work with students to craft an independent research project based on the student’s interests, and other mentors will have students contribute to an ongoing project. The research training is coupled with activities that prepare students for the graduate school application process, success in graduate school, and the development of their professional careers.
Eligibility: Current sophomore or junior; have cumulative GPA of at least 3.2; be U.S. citizen or permanent resident; have an interest in pursuing a doctoral degree at Northwestern University; students belonging to groups which have been traditionally underrepresented in graduate education are encouraged to apply; course credit available (but you will need to communicate with the registrar at your home institution to determine if they will accept the credit)
Location: Chicago, IL
Payment: $4000 stipend, round-trip plane ticket (to Chicago), University housing (single rooms), a campus meal subsidy of $450 (not intended to cover all meals)
Deadline: Mid-March
Website: http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/graduate-life/mc-affairs/summer-research/srop/index.html#Application
Princeton Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (PSURE) at Princeton University
Time period: Mid-June-Beginning August
Purpose and Activities: A summer research experience for up to 20 undergraduates who express a serious interest in pursuing a Ph.D. and following a career in college or university teaching and research. The purpose of the program is to motivate and prepare students to make competitive applications to research doctoral programs, with a view toward completing the Ph.D. and going on to teach and conduct original research. Student meets with faculty member weekly to discuss research design, methods and progress. The Graduate School offers a GRE Preparation course that meets weekly and students also attend a weekly research seminar. During these sessions students also explore the graduate application process, prepare their Statement of Academic Purpose, and receive information about graduate student life and financial aid. At the end of program, students are expected to give several brief oral presentations about their work during the course of the summer and must also present a final paper of no less than 20 pages.
Eligibility: Student must be: a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, currently enrolled full time as a sophomore or junior, in good academic standing, and have achieved a 3.5 GPA. In addition, the program seeks and gives preference in admission to students who are: racial/ethnic minorities, from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, have not participated in a prior summer research experience at a major research institution, or from small liberal arts colleges.
Location: Chicago, IL
Payment: $3750 stipend, $150 meal card, travel reimbursement of up to $500 to travel from school or home to Princeton and return. Student also receives a GRE Pep course valued at approximately $1500. On-campus housing provided.
Website: http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/graduate-life/mc-affairs/summer-research/srop/index.html#Application
Summer Research Institute at Texas A&M
Time period: Eight weeks during summer
Purpose and activities: Students focus on sociological research methods and their application in research on racial ethnic relations and stratification. Geared to providing promising students hands-on introduction to sociological research, encouraging them to consider graduate training in sociology and a possible career in sociological research.
Eligibility: Junior or Senior and have completed at least one course in research methods. NOTE: Program gives preference to Texas students but may consider students from other institutions on a case by case basis
Location: College Station, TX
Payment: Stipend of $3200 and travel costs, room and board, tuition and books, instruction and material, computer lab access, and research supplies.
Deadline: Mid-August
Website: http://sociweb.tamu.edu/nsfreu.php, http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5517&from=fund
