Summer Research Experience Program

Summer Research Experience Program

Program Description

The Groups Scholars Summer Research Experience Program prepares high-achieving incoming freshmen in scientific research by helping them develop necessary skills in formulating questions, using field-specific tools, gathering and analyzing data, and communicating findings. Current graduate students, faculty, or other researchers in STEM disciplines at IU who are advancing knowledge in their respective disciplines mentor the scholars.

As part of the Groups STEM Summer Research Experience Program, incoming STEM Scholars engage in five weeks (15-18 hours per week) of hands-on research with the guidance of faculty, graduate students, and active researchers. Projects begin mid-June and completed by late-July.

Student Participation Criteria

• Be accepted in the Groups Scholars Program and Indiana University as an incoming freshman
• 3.0 minimum cumulative high school GPA
• B or higher grades in high school science and math courses
• Two letters of recommendation
• Declaration of or intend to major in science, technology, or math discipline

View Mentor Participation Criteria

(For Faculty/Staff/Graduate Mentors)

Eligibility

All full and part-time faculty members, researchers, or graduate students at Indiana University who are actively engaged in research are eligible. Individual faculty members are encouraged to include at least one research group member (current postdocs, graduate and/or undergraduate researchers) in some capacity. Individuals with experience mentoring undergraduates and underrepresented minorities in STEM (women, students of color, first-generation, disability, etc.) are strongly encouraged to apply.

Funding

Each mentor will receive $1,000.00 supplemental funds to go towards the cost of lab materials/fees that the scholar might incur as a member of the lab. Mentors to provide a departmental account to which the stipend will be transferred by the second week in August. The Groups Scholars Program fiscal manager might request a summary of expenses at the conclusion of the summer program. 

Guidelines

SREP proposals should support student learning and development through guided research experiences and projects that include research design, research methods, data collection, analysis, and presentation. Proposals are welcome from all life and physical sciences, computing and informatics, psychology and neuroscience, and health-related disciplines. Proposals are encouraged from individuals and research teams.

Proposals that have one or more of the following characteristics will receive priority consideration:

• Student participation in the development of a research plan and timeline.
• Student participation in data collection and analysis.
• Guidance on presenting scientific work.
• Support for the development of practical research skills and instrumentation.

Proposals that have the following characteristics are discouraged:

• Proposals that exclusively focus on administrative and/or laboratory maintenance duties (e.g., filing paperwork, preparing gels, etc.) are discouraged. While these tasks may be necessary for the day-to-day operations of the lab and may train the students in standard laboratory work, the focus of the Groups SREP is for STEM scholars to gain holistic research experience.