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Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

On-campus opportunities

Ernest and Pauline Jaworski Fund for Summer Research Experiences for Underserved Undergraduates in Plant Science

Ernest and Pauline Jaworski Fund for Summer Research Experiences for Underserved Undergraduates in Plant Science. This is an opportunity to undertake research in plant science with a faculty mentor at Oregon State University. Applicants should contact prospective faculty mentors prior to applying for this program.

Sheila Van Zandt Student Research Experience Scholarship

The Sheila Van Zandt Student Research Experience Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate/graduate student research team based on merit of the proposed research. The research proposal should be prepared collaboratively. As the donor intends to provide support to both the undergraduate researcher and graduate mentor, the budget can include travel support for either or both students, undergraduate salary and money for supplies (and other costs if justified). One or more projects will be funded annually at $1800 each.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Science (SURE Science)

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Science (SURE Science) is a competitive scholarship program that supports Oregon State University (OSU) College of Science (COS) undergraduate research activities. The program welcomes full-time undergraduate students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree with a major in the College of Science, and who are in good academic standing to apply. Faculty mentors need to be affiliated with OSU, but need not be in the College of Science. Please note that students graduating in June are not eligible to participate and students who received SURE Science funding in previous years are not eligible to receive it again.

URSA, Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and the Arts

The URSA, Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and the Arts site is a resource for undergraduates and faculty looking to participate in or implement undergraduate research. "Research" at OSU is interpreted broadly to reflect what goes on not only in laboratories and field stations, but also in libraries, art studios, and music practice rooms. Undergraduate researchers tackle important, real-world questions ranging from how to improve K-12 education to improving disease prevention, from enhancing the livability of rural communities to understanding and protecting the environment.


National opportunities

The American Society for Microbiology

The American Society for Microbiology offers many different opportunities for undergraduate researchers. The ASM Undergraduate Research Capstone Program (UR-Capstone) offers travel funds to the ASM Research Capstone Institute and the opportunity to present a poster or oral presentation at ASM Microbe, the national ASM Meeting. The ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program provides funding for an undergraduate to conduct summer research as well as travel support to the ASM Capstone Institute and ASM Microbe.

Cornell University’s Summer Research Scholars Program

Cornell University’s New York State Ag Experiment Station offers a Summer Research Scholars Program where undergraduate students can participate in exciting research projects in one of four disciplines including: Entomology, Food Science, Horticulture, and Plant Pathology/Plant-Microbe Biology. Students will have the opportunity to work with faculty, their graduate students and postdocs, and staff on research projects that can be laboratory or field-based. Many of our basic research projects have a translational alignment with practical problem-solving applications for the agricultural community. The goal of the program is to provide undergraduates with the opportunity to plan and conduct experiments, evaluate data, communicate results, and learn about opportunities in agricultural and food research.

Corteva AgroSciences Internship

Corteva AgroSciences has positions available for students seeking summer internship opportunities. These opportunities are full-time positions available from May until August. Applicable majors would include:

  • Biology (biochemistry, biotechnology, cell biology, entomology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant pathology, or plant physiology)
  • Chemistry (analytical, organic, or physical)
  • Informatics (bioinformatics or chemical)

Any agriculture-related majors R&D opportunities include both laboratory-based and field station research positions. Positions for R&D field station research are located throughout the US whereas the laboratory-based R&D positions are located at our headquarters in Indianapolis, IN.

Internship Requirements

  • Completed first-year in college (minimum)
  • Pursuing BS degree in agricultural science or business disciplines
  • Work experience in agricultural related industries (other summer internships or on farm experience) a plus. The intern must use time management and planning skills to accomplish multiple tasks in a short time period. The individual is expected to gain quick knowledge of Dow AgroSciences' products, customers, pests, cultural practices and production technology to achieve requirements of the position. Honesty, strong work ethic, responsibility and positive work habits.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center catalog of internships in scientific research and medicine offered nationwide for high school, undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students. Learn more about their Office of Education and Training.

LearnLab Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

LearnLab’s REU program allows talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, or one of our research partners. The REU program aims to make LearnLab’s program more visible to students not traditionally exposed to our fields. The REU program supports LearnLab’s commitment to training a diverse set of science, technology, education, and psychology leaders.

The OHSU Summer Equity Research Program

Dental, Nursing, and Medicine Internship Program. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion offers the Summer Equity Research Program an exciting paid internship for undergraduate students interested in dental, nursing, and medicine, to spend eight to ten weeks during the summer working with faculty and graduate students in a research and clinical setting. Please help spread the word.

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at Portland State University

The REU program at Portland State University is an 8-week experience that gives students the opportunity to work closely with a PSU faculty member to produce a research project. Each student will learn to operate either a scanning electron or focused ion beam microscope (SEM or FIB), and then use these techniques when working on their independent research projects. The application is available online.

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI)

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) research internships, offered by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists. These are offered through the U.S. Department of Energy.

University of Washington’s Undergraduate Summer Research Experience Program

The UW Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences in Environmental Health (SURE-EH) is a funded, nine-week summer experience for undergraduates from 2 or 4 year college or university with an interested in environmental health sciences. SURE-EH provides students with hands on experience in laboratories of leading researchers, introduces them to key environmental and occupational health issues while offering research exposure that will help them become competitive for graduate school. Students will work full-time under the supervision of a faculty mentor and will receive a stipend of $5,200.


International opportunities

Graduate School of Science of the University of Tokyo

Graduate School of Science of the University of Tokyo will offer summer research internship opportunities to qualified undergraduate students. UTRIP (The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program) is a six week long, research centered grant program for students who wish to obtain a Master’s or Doctoral degree in natural science areas, with priority given to the applicants in their junior year.

Pasteur Foundation Undergraduate Summer Internships in Paris

Pasteur Foundation Undergraduate Summer Internships in Paris. These 10-week internships Pasteur Institute, one of the world’s leading private, non-profit centers for infectious disease research, offer hands-on laboratory experience to undergraduates contemplating a scientific career. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

SEA Semester

SEA Semester is an intensive field research program that primarily occurs on a 134 foot sailing vessel in the open ocean. They offer thematic programs that combine aspects of oceanography, maritime history and culture, environmental studies, public policy, and nautical science. Program details are available on the Woods Hole web page.

Burmuda Insitute for Ocean Sciences REU

Research Experiences for Undergraduates: This NSF-funded 12-week program allows undergraduate students from the United States to work on short-term research projects. The BIOS REU program is aimed at students who are considering pursuing graduate degrees. Funding for this REU site is provided by the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences located in Arlington, VA. The NSF contact for this program is Lisa Rom, elrom@NSF.gov or 703-292-7709. NSF does not handle REU applications; please contact each REU site directly for application information. View scholarships for BIOS summer courses.