School of Arts and Sciences

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Fellowship

Program Description

The University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate Researchers Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowship is funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). This grant was awarded to the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh to facilitate the development of a strong, diverse community of undergraduate biologists.

This 11-week program is only for University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh campus) undergraduates interested in hands-on research taking place between mid-May and the beginning of August. The program includes:

  • A two-week group project. Teams tackle a research project together. Junior and senior undergraduates paired with freshmen and sophomores will master a set of research skills and learn about research and facilities across the department.
  • A nine-week research rotation in a faculty laboratory. All students will work in different labs throughout the department for the remainder of the summer. Students will share their research with each other in a weekly students seminar series. Students will hear from faculty about their lab experiences in another seminar series.

Program Web page: www.pitt.edu/~biohome/Dept/Frame/hhmisummerresearch.htm

For more information: Contact Valerie Oke or Christine Berliner

Eligibility

Students must be freshmen and sophomores who are new to research or who are already working in a lab in the Department of Biological Sciences, or juniors and seniors already working in Department of Biological Sciences who have an interest in mentoring students new to the department.

The Department of Biological Sciences is looking for students with diverse backgrounds and scientific interests, students with a curiosity to discover more about the biological world, and students who want to work with other undergraduates to increase our understanding of biology.

Award

Each fellow will be awarded a stipend of $5,000, which includes a housing allowance. Students needing University of Pittsburgh housing may elect to have housing fees (approximately $25/day) deducted from the allowance in exchange for double occupancy housing in University of Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Hall.

expectations

The University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate Researchers Howard Hughes Medical Institute Summer Fellowship provides funds to University of Pittsburgh undergraduates for immersion in a research experience and participation as an active member in our biology department community. As such, a full time commitment is expected. During the duration of the fellowship, recipients may not enroll in summer courses and outside employment is highly discouraged. The following activities are required:

  • Participation in the two-week group project.
  • Intensive “hands-on” scientific training in an established research laboratory during the following nine weeks of the summer program. The majority of this work should occur during standard work hours to support the development of our mentored research community.
  • Participation in a weekly undergraduate seminar series.
  • Attendance at a weekly faculty seminar series.
  • Presentation at a symposium at the end of the summer.
  • Evaluation of the program and response to post-graduation surveys.

application details

Interested students should submit either a New Undergraduate Research Application or a Current Undergraduate Research Application. In addition, if a lab has already been chosen, the faculty sponsor should submit a Faculty Application.

All applications can be found on the Department of Biological Sciences Web page at www.pitt.edu/~biohome/Dept/Frame/hhmisummerresearch.htm

matching new fellows with laboratories

To build a stronger community of researchers, this grant provides funds to start students in research early in their careers. Approximately half of the fellowship recipients will be new to undergraduate research, and many will be finishing their freshman year. New students will have the opportunity to learn about specific faculty research laboratories at an Undergraduate Research Fair (usually held in early February) and/or can read about research labs at www.pitt.edu/~biohome/Dept/Frame/faculty.htm. New students will list five labs of interest on their application. Faculty and new students will have the opportunity to meet at an interview prior to student placement in the lab. Acceptance into the fellowship will be dependent on acceptance into a faculty lab.

Top