Applications

Download the application.
Download an information packet.

Applications and recommendation letters should be returned to the Life Sciences UROP Office in 150 Bond Life Sciences Center. The deadline for both the 2008 Summer and 2008-2009 Academic Year Program is Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008. Students may apply for both funding periods with the same application. A complete application must include:

1. Two page application form. The form must be typed or printed neatly in black ink. It must include a list of your classes for Winter 2008 semester. Although prior research experience is not required, if you have prior research experience, you must list it on the application form. Please include the time period (semester/ year); your faculty mentor and his/her university/institution; whether you received academic credit, a salary or a stipend; how many hours/week you participated in the research work; and whether it was part of a formal internship program. Part-time lab jobs should also be listed in this section. You are encouraged to expand upon your prior experiences in your personal statement or through a resume.
   
   
2. A Brief Project Description (2 typed pages single spaced or 4 pages double spaced). The project description should include the following:
   
• Title of your project (between 6-20 words)
  
  
• Introduction: Introduce the topic, explain the problem, put your research into the context of the “big” picture. Explain why the general topic is a significant issue in the life sciences. Refer to the current literature (see below).
  
  
• Purpose: Clear and concise question(s) to be answered or hypothesis(es) to be tested.
  
  
• Methods: A description of research approaches, information to be collected, planned analyses, and activities to be accomplished during the funding period. Do NOT include detailed experimental techniques/protocols — just cite references or give the standard name of the technique/protocol. Include a description of why these particular methods and approaches are being used to answer your research question.
  
  
• Expected Results/Significance: Explain what you believe your results may yield in terms of filling an important gap in our understanding of a particular question in the life sciences and/or how your research relates to a significant issue or concept in the life sciences.
  
  
• Involvement: Describe what you (the student) will actually DO. Use simple terms to describe how you will contribute to the project indicating how you will spend your time.
  
  
• Literature Review: Students are expected to read appropriate background literature (ie, journal articles) that are closely related to their project or that may provide the student with a broader understanding of how the proposed research project will help answer important questions in the field. Cite 3-5 relevant articles in the body of the project proposal. Inclusion of these citations from other studies (inside or outside of your lab) should be done in the text of your proposal....not as a separate section at the end of your proposal! The list of articles cited; however, should be included at the end of the proposal and may be put on a separate page.

Although you should consult with your mentor, YOU should write the project description. If your research project is not clearly in the life sciences, you must provide an additional statement demonstrating the relationship between your project and important research questions in the life sciences.

Students are advised to use the FULL TWO PAGES (four pages double spaced) for their project proposal. Proposals that are shorter should be revised for more depth and detail (however, this does not mean “fill the space” with experimental protocol detail!) Margins should be 1 inch. Text may be single or double spaced and font size should be 11 - 12 points. Use your discretion and make the proposal readable.

YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE LS UROP Office (150 Bond Life Sciences Center) to look at the GREEN NOTEBOOK that contains sample project proposals as well as suggestions from faculty reviewers on writing excellent proposals. This information has been gathered for the benefit of student applicants and we expect that students will take advantage of this resource.

3. A personal statement (1 typed page single, 2 pages double). Relate your educational objectives for this internship program to your long-range career objectives and professional goals.
   
   
4. An unofficial MU transcript, including Fall 2007 grades. You may obtain an unofficial transcript by logging in to myZou.
   
   
5. Two letters of recommendation from science faculty or other appropriate mentors/instructors. One letter must be from your proposed research mentor. Letters should be sent directly to Dr. Linda Blockus, Director, 150 Bond Life Sciences Center, by Feburary 14th. Faculty may e-mail letters of recommendation to BlockusL@missouri.edu. All letters must be received before your application can be considered complete and ready for review. Faculty recommendation letters will NOT be accepted after Friday, Feb. 15, 2008.

Other reminders:

• Please do NOT staple or bind your application materials. Please use paper clips. All pages should be one-sided. You do not need to use a special envelope or presentation folder.
• A resume is not required but will be accepted as part of your application materials if you desire.
• You are encouraged to share your application materials, in addition to your project proposal, with your faculty mentor prior to submission.
• You should cite references in your project proposal. Please include a reference list (this can be an extra page added to your project proposal).

Letters of Recommendation

1. One letter MUST be from your proposed research mentor. Please make sure that he/she has read the "Faculty Mentor Information" page in this packet and returns the form with his/her letter (or includes the requested information in his/her letter).
   
   
2. Your second letter should be from another regular science faculty member. You may NOT use graduate TAs, lab technicians, or non science faculty for this second letter. You are encouraged to request a letter from a faculty member from whom you have taken a class, your advisor, or someone with whom you have had prior research or lab experience.
   
   
3. You MAY include a third recommendation letter; however, this is not required. The third letter may be from another science faculty member, another scientist, a non-science faculty member, or a staff member.
   
   
4. If you have prior research experience within the past twelve months, you must have your supervisor/mentor from that experience provide a letter of recommendation or explain in your application why you did not obtain that letter. If you have questions about this, please speak with Linda Blockus for advice.
   
   
5. In some circumstances, a fourth letter may be helpful. If you have questions, please contact Linda Blockus for advice.
   
   
6. Students should select letter writers that will be able to describe the student's interest/success in the life sciences, their potential as a researcher, and their academic and critical thinking skills. General letters about character and leadership abilities are generally not as helpful for this type of application.