To Reference Writers for BU-HHMI Program Applicants:
Thank you for agreeing to provide a letter of reference on behalf of your student who is applying
to the BU-HHMI Program (http://www2.binghamton.edu/undergraduateresearch/hhmi/undergraduate_students.html).
This is a campus-based research program that starts with 9 weeks of full time research in the
summer of 2013 and continues on through the fall and spring academic semesters. The
program goal is to educate the scientific leaders of the future. Therefore, we are selecting
students who are seriously considering research-based careers in the natural sciences,
mathematics, computer science or engineering, preferably students who are aspiring for
postgraduate programs in their disciplines. As much as possible, we are seeking students who
are underrepresented in their discipline. On our campus, this refers to underrepresented
minority students and women in computer science, engineering and the physical sciences. Last
year, few women from the life sciences applied, so we would like to see them represented as
well.
Students in this program work on interdisciplinary projects focused on a question in the life
sciences that requires collaboration from mathematics, computer science, physical science or
engineering disciplines. Each student will work alongside a student from another major in
interdisciplinary research teams headed by two faculty mentors. Both graduate student mentors
and the undergraduate student participants take separate parallel workshops that discuss
responsible conduct of research and the mentor-mentee relationship with special reference to
interdisciplinary research.
In your letter, please include an assessment of the student’s interest in research, as well as the
student’s strengths and weaknesses to carry out research. Then please send as an e-mail
attachment to buhhmi@binghamton.edu. If you have any questions, please contact me
Elizabeth Button (ebutton@binghamton.edu) program coordinator or Dr. Nancy Stamp, Program
Director, BU-HHMI nstamp@binghamto.edu
Thank-you,
Elizabeth Button
Program Coordinator, BU-HHMI