STEM Research Opportunities at RUNB | Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)

STEM Research at Rutgers University- New Brunswick

These programs give undergraduate students opportunities to engage in research and internship experiences, ranging from the duration of a summer to more long-term. Beyond these undergraduate research programs, Rutgers also has established a glut of Research Centers and Laboratories (DOC) throughout many of its schools and departments.

Aresty Research Center – The center's mission is to support undergraduate research at Rutgers University. Undergraduates have the opportunity to explore the process of research, as well as connect with faculty mentors and projects that aid in defining their research goals. Over 1,500 faculty members across all academic disciplines have partnered with Aresty and continue to collaborate to identify undergraduate students to serve as research assistants as well as to secure student funding in research. Aresty programs include

Summer Science Program: For rising sophomores who are new to research, the Summer Science Program pairs students with faculty mentors to conduct a research project over the summer. Students are provided with a $3,000 stipend and optional on-campus housing. Deadline- typically January 31st.
LSAMP Summer Practical Research Experience (SPRE): In partnership with Rutgers-New Brunswick Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, this program specifically assists LSAMP members to gain summer experience in research. Program follows the same structure as the Aresty Summer Science program. Deadline- typically January 31st.
Undergraduate Research Funding: students submit proposals to help defray the cost of independent research projects and senior theses or travel to professional conferences. Deadline- typically early Fall.
Research Assistant (RA) Program: For students who are new to research, the Research Assistant Program pairs students with faculty mentors to conduct an academic year-long project. Opportunities are available across all majors. Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors with no previous research experience are eligible to apply. Deadline- typically mid-April.

Big Ten Academic Alliance Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) is a gateway to graduate education at BIG Ten Academic Alliance universities. The goal of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study and research careers. SROP helps prepare undergraduates for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty mentors and enrichment activities. One central application for all Big Ten Schools. Application deadline- typically in early February.

Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM) Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) –Undergraduate students conducting research in CABM laboratories have an opportunity to participate in a nine-week summer program. In addition to training and mentoring in individual laboratories, students meet weekly as a group with graduate student and postdoctoral program leaders to discuss and present their research projects and to learn about research challenges and career opportunities from faculty speakers. Many summer research scholars continue doing research in CABM laboratories for credit during the academic year and go on to graduate and medical schools and careers in science and biomedicine. Application due April 28

The Collaborative Center for Community-Based Research and Service is dedicated to campus-community partnership and community-engaged scholarship to advance the public good in the state of New Jersey and beyond. The Collaborative Center offers students the opportunity to partake in both the 2-credit Community-Based Research Assistant Program and the yearlong, six-credit Advancing Community Development Program, which can be completed as a capstone experience for the SAS Honors Program and the Honors College. Application deadlines for both programs occur on a rolling basis. To apply or to receive more information, please visit engage.rutgers.edu.

Division of Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (DLS-SURF) – This fellowship is intended for undergraduate Life Sciences majors pursuing novel, independent research under the supervision of a Life Sciences faculty member. Award: $4,000.

Douglass Project for Women in STEM –The Douglass Project offers opportunities to women in undergraduate research in STEM, living-learning communities, leadership opportunities, and additional programs designed to enhance academic, professional, and personal development, many of which offer industry connections and networking opportunities.

George H. Cook Scholars Program – The program is an independent research and senior honors thesis program for undergraduate students from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). Working under the mentorship of an approved advisor, students in the program conduct original basic and applied research in the natural and health sciences, economics, and public policy; design or evaluate environmental infrastructure; or produce original works in other areas of scholarship. Projects are planned and initiated by at least the end of the second semester of the junior year, and students present their results in a written thesis and orally at a research symposium in the second semester of the senior year. Project advisers are typically members of the Rutgers faculty, but may also include academics and appropriate professionals from other institutions. Deadline varies: please refer to their website.

Honors College with Johnson & Johnson Women in STEM2D Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (HCW-SURF) – This fellowship is intended for Honors College Women who are Division of Life Sciences majors pursuing novel, independent life science based research under the supervision of a Rutgers-NB faculty member. Award: $4,000.

Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey MacMillan Cancer Genetics Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (HGI-SURF) – This fellowship is intended for Genetics majors who are pursuing novel, independent cancer genetics/genomics research under the supervision of a Rutgers-NB faculty member. Award: $4,000.

National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) – An REU site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where s/he works closely with the faculty and other researchers. These programs are open to Rutgers and Non-Rutgers Students. These are the REU Sites at Rutgers- New Brunswick:

Richard J. Plano Summer Research Internship – The Richard J. Plano Summer Research Internship is awarded annually to two Rutgers physics majors who, in the judgment of the physics faculty, have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence.

Ronald E McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a federally funded program in memory of physicist and Challenger Astronaut, Dr. Ronald E. McNair. The program is designed to increase the number of first-generation, low-income and/or underrepresented students in doctoral programs, and ultimately, to diversify the faculty in colleges and universities across the country. It is one of several TRIO programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education supporting the academic achievement of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. All majors are eligible to participate in McNair. Participants of McNair:

Build a network of relationships with faculty, senior administrators, peers, and alumni
Research with a faculty member in field of interest during a fully paid on campus summer institute
Prepare for doctoral program admission process and enrollment
Access to National McNair Scholar community inclusive of other scholars, faculty, and staff

Rutgers Energy Institute Internships –The Rutgers Energy Institute (REI) offers summer internships to a select group of motivated undergraduate students. They are intended to help students understand the breadth of the energy challenge, from the environmental impacts that motivate the transition, to the technological innovation needed to create a viable new system and the socio-economic, policy and energy system frameworks necessary to enable wide-spread deployment.

Rutgers I-Corps™ Site is funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal of nurturing and supporting local teams to help transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. The Rutgers I-Corps Site will provide advice, resources, networking opportunities, training, and modest funding* to assist teams with the commercialization process and/or into becoming applicants for the National I-Corps™ Teams Program. Two ways to participate (Deadline typically 4 weeks before cohort begins):

I-Corps@Rutgers Team: Teams with a STEM-based innovation can apply to participate in a 5-6 week cohort that is run each semester with an average of 10 accepted teams. Can be a team with a STEM-based innovation or technology based on Faculty research OR a student-led team with their own innovation. All teams in the GS-LSAMP Alliance and NJ-B2B network are invited to apply. For more info or to apply as a team : icorps.rutgers.edu
I-Corps@Rutgers Fellowship: Individual students with leadership experience and a passion for innovation & entrepreneurship can apply and be matched to an existing I-Corps@Rutgers team to support and meaningfully contribute to the team's I-Corps activities. Stipend available upon completing requirements of Fellowship. To apply and for more info: https://oedi.rutgers.edu/i-corpsrutgers-fellowship/

Rutgers RiSE – Housed with the School of Graduate Studies, RISE at Rutgers is a summer research program for outstanding undergraduates from diverse backgrounds. Students participate in 10 weeks of research under the guidance of faculty mentors. Deadline varies: please refer to their website.

SAS Honors Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (HLS-SURF) – This fellowship is intended for SAS Honors Program undergraduates who are Division of Life Sciences majors pursuing novel, independent life science based research under the supervision of a Rutgers-NB faculty member from outside of the Division of Life Sciences. Award: $4,000

Student to Professional Internship Network (SPIN) – If you are a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences student working at a job or internship relevant to your major, the SPIN program can help you earn academic credits that (in most cases) will help to fulfill your experience-based education graduation requirement. Deadline varies: please refer to their website.

Student Farm Internship – The Rutgers Gardens Student Farm Internship immerses students in small-scale organic vegetable production, emphasizing practices that are ecologically sound, socially just, and economically viable. This 16-week, paid summer internship offers students an opportunity to participate in the farm’s commitment to a future rooted in sustainable agriculture and food systems.

WINLAB Summer Internship – The WINLAB Summer Internship Program offers full and part-time summer internships in a university research setting to highly talented undergraduate and graduate students. The main goal of the program is to provide students with a real-world, team-based research experience in various topics related to wireless technologies. Each intern joins an active research group consisting of a mix of graduate and undergraduate students with at least one mentor who is a faculty member. All projects are designed to be completed within the duration of the program, but can also be extended for eligible students to the following academic year.