University of Michigan Biophysics Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU)
Opportunity Description:
The University of Michigan Biophysics Department Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) in Biophysics provides selected undergraduate students** from around the United States an opportunity to conduct ten weeks of summer research with some of the country's leading biophysicists in a range of experimental biophysics fields. The program is conducted in concert with the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and is supported by funds from the National Science Foundation. REU students have the opportunity to participate in a biophysics laboratory utilizing various techniques, such as x-ray crystallography and NMR.
The Biophysics Program at the University of Michigan is one of very few standalone biophysics programs in the US and has a long tradition of interdisciplinary research. Since Biophysics is extremely intellectually diverse, our aim is not only to provide research experience in a subfield of the discipline, but to also provide an overview of state-of-the-art research in the field, and the experimental and theoretical/computational methods and techniques that are commonly used.
Students will be assigned to the labs that match their interest and are run by experienced innovative scientific researchers. Students will participate in hands-on exploration of biophysical methods and techniques which will introduce them to various modern experimental and computational research techniques.
Upon completion of the program, students will have gained exciting research experience and will have acquired a biophysical toolkit making them more successful and competitive in the scientific and academic environment. This core experience will be augmented by weekly research seminars and workshops, plus opportunities for social interactions, which will often be coordinated with other summer undergraduate research programs to broaden our students' integration into our scientific and professional communities.
Students who are selected to participate in the program will receive:
- A stipend of $5,000.
- Travel reimbursement up to $500 for travel to and from Ann Arbor.
- Housing near campus.
- Access to the University library system
- Access to world-class research facilities.
- One-on-one instruction from internationally recognized faculty.
**Please note: Funding only allows for the acceptance of US citizens into the program. Support can be granted to permanent residents with the proper documentation. Students from University of Michigan are not eligible.
Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible for this REU program, students:
- must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- must be enrolled in a degree program leading to a bachelor's degree. High school graduates who have not yet enrolled and students who have received their bachelor's degrees and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates generally are not eligible.
- must be enrolled in a program outside the University of Michigan.
Most students admitted to the program are between their third and fourth year of undergraduate education. Occasionally, students who are between their second and third year are admitted.
Application Process:
The following is the information you will need in order to complete this application. Please ensure that you have it all when you start, as applications cannot be saved and returned to at a later time.
- Personal contact information
- Educational History
- Work and/or research experience (Resume/CV)
- Computer Experience
- Name of 2 faculty references who will be submitting a letter of recommendation. Please have your recommenders email their letters directly to biophys-reu-apps@umich.edu.
- Your top 3 research area preferences (from the Biophysics website)
- A paragraph of 500 words or less explaining why you would like to participate in research at UM this summer
- A personal statement about a page or two in length providing information about your background and experience
- Unofficial transcript
Submit your application here.
For full consideration all materials are due by February 18, 2022. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and offers to outstanding applicants may be made in advance of the deadline. Recommendation letters should be sent no later than February 18, 2022.