SCSE Undergraduate Summer Research and Professional Training Program
2016 STUDENT APPLICATION
HOW TO APPLY: All interested students must fill out this application form, whether or not they have approached a
specific faculty member about summer research. Students with incomplete or noncompetitive applications will
not be selected. Print the completed form and submit directly to Dr. Joel Olfelt, Coordinator of the SCSE,
BBH 235.
Address questions to Dr. Olfelt at: j-olfelt@neiu.edu.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: March 4, 2016, 5:00 pm.
Name:
NEIU ID#:
Current address:
E-mail address:
Phone number:
Emergency contact:
Emergency contact number:
Declared major:
Current GPA :
Declared minor (if applicable):
Credit Hrs. completed by summer 2016:
Classification: __ FR __ SOPH __ JR __ SR
 Have you already contacted faculty member(s) regarding this summer’s opportunities? __ Yes __ No
If yes, please type name(s) of faculty member(s):
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Number of credit hours you anticipate taking during ____ summer I ____ summer II
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Are you eligible to work legally in the United States? __ Yes __ No
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Are you eligible for financial aid? __ Yes __ No
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Have you participated in research through the SCSE before? __ Yes __ No
RACE / ETHNICITY
Select one or more:
□ White
□ African
American
If yes, what year?
If willing, please check the appropriate box(es):
□
American Indian
Alaskan Native
or
□
Asian
□
Native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander
□ Hispanic or Latino/Latina (Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin
regardless of race)
SCSE Summer Research Application, 2016
APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be declared majors or minors at NEIU in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science,
Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology. Students must be eligible to work in the United States for a
minimum of 30 hours per week. A student is ineligible if he or she has accepted a summer internship offer elsewhere.
Student awards are available for NEIU undergraduate students only. NEIU graduate students cannot be funded.
Applicants must be NEIU students in the fall semester following summer research, with a minimum GPA of 2.0. The
SCSE has the right to refuse student payment if they do not meet the responsibilities of the summer research program.
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Students may apply for a 5-week award (June 1 - July 5, $1500) or a 10-week award (May 31 - August 8, $3000).
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Students must be available to contribute 30 hours weekly to the training program. The award is not a salary and
timely distribution is not guaranteed. Research conducted previous to the summer research dates is not eligible
for funding.
Students who are unable to meet their weekly minimum hours for whatever reason will not be eligible to receive
the full award without specific arrangements made with BOTH the SCSE coordinator and with faculty mentor(s).
For students who plan on being away from Chicago for more than 50% of the research and training program
period, should opt for the 5-week research period.
During the course of the training program, students are not allowed to take more than 9 credit hours of
coursework.
Students who have received an SCSE summer award in two previous years are not eligible to reapply for full
funding. These students are eligible to receive for one additional summer either a $500 mentorship stipend for a
10-week session or $250 for a 5-week session. Mentors are required to work either the full 10-week or five-week
research session for a minimum of 15 hours per week.
Students who are offered an internship will be required to: a) attend a session with SCSE advisor, b) attend 1-2
SCSE workshops over the duration of the internship, and c) present their research at the SCSE Annual Research
Symposium. In the year following the internship, students may be required to do limited service such as short
presentations to funders. Service is considered part of the training program and is mandatory.
Students who participate in the Undergraduate Summer Research and Professional Training Program are
expected to comply with orientation guidelines which will be sent via email before the summer program begins. In
addition, all funded students must participate in pre- and post-program assessments.
Students who wish to apply and participate in the training program should contact faculty members who are
organizing proposals and ask to be included in the faculty member’s proposal. All students, including those
already identified by faculty, must submit a separate competitive application to the SCSE. The SCSE reserves the
right to deny funding to students with incomplete or noncompetitive applications.
Students who wish to participate in a summer research project, but have not identified a faculty mentor can
submit the attached student application of interest to the SCSE. Efforts will be made to identify a suitable faculty
research mentor.
For students reapplying for summer research funding, the SCSE reserves the right to evaluate applications based
on previous professional performance and conduct.
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Photo Release
I grant consent to the use of my photograph in promotional materials, SCSE website, research group page, or other media
for the Student Center for Science Engagement  Yes  No
Signature: _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / _____
Certification
I understand that withholding information requested on this application or giving false information may make me ineligible
for assistance or subject to dismissal from the program. I certify that the information provided on the application is correct
and complete  Yes  No
Signature: _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / _____
SCSE Summer Research Application, 2016
In order to apply follow formatting indicated for each section in the form. Use 1.5 spacing and 11-point Arial font.
Do not exceed the specified word count or single page limit.
1. Discuss how participating in the Undergraduate Summer Research and Professional Training Program will
support your long-term professional goals. Be specific. (Answers should be approximately 250-300 words).
SCSE Summer Research Application, 2016
2. Describe a) the skills, and, b) the personal qualities that you bring and will apply to the summer research
training experience. You must provide specific examples of how you will apply skills and qualities to the
summer research experience. (Answers should be about 300 words).
3. List all previous research experiences, including dates, location, faculty advisor(s), and a short description of
project(s). If no previous research experience, describe relevant experience from coursework. (250 words
max).