Welcome to 20-1-4: the year of opportunities Galore!

I wish you all a Happy, Happy New Year! 

Summer Research
I want to remind all of you that this is the time of year to begin thinking about your plans for Summer 2014. Many research programs will begin soliciting applications now with deadlines occurring between the end of January 2014 thru March 2014. This blog has some summer research programs listed for you to browse through. The most recent addition is the summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) that is available at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. 

FAFSA
Also remember if you are applying for college, that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is now available for the 2014-2015 school year. When I applied for college, my parents could not support me financially so I filled out a FAFSA.  Thankfully, my college tuition, housing and other fees were primarily paid using grants, loans and work study that I received in my financial aid package. Do not let the cost of attending college deter you! 

Conferences
Scientific conferences occur throughout the year. Remember to determine whether the conference you would like to attend offers travel grants/stipends. Many do, but it may be contingent on submitting an abstract to present your research (orally or as a poster). So check out 1) conference dates, 2) abstract submission deadlines, and 3) travel grant/stipend deadlines. Check out conferences here.

I am sure that there are many other things to consider and remember at this time of the year, but these three topics were immediately on my mind. If you would like to share others, send me an email. Best, Minority.Scientist

LearnLab Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program Description

LearnLab at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh has an exciting summer research opportunity available to undergraduate students. This research program encourages applications from students who would like to conduct research in the fields of psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language technologies.  This program seeks broad participation, including members of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Science Foundation (African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering pursuing further graduate study in the learning sciences.

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 programs 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.

Applications are encouraged from students who wish to learn to conduct research in a modern academic research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers and experiment in real classroom environments. The REU program will expose students to the excitement and opportunities of a research career. This experience will provide excellent preparation for students interested in subsequently pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree. Although students from other years may apply, this opportunity is most fitting for a student at the end of the junior year of undergraduate studies.

Each student will receive a fellowship stipend of $4000 for the eight-week REU program. Food, housing and travel will also be provided. Students will conduct research in an area matched to the interests expressed in the student's application. Guidance and supervision of the research project will be provided by the faculty member as well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student.

Seminars specific to those participating in the REU program will be held weekly including seminars on graduate admissions and career opportunities in science, education, computer science and engineering. In addition, LearnLab seminars and those held by Carnegie Mellon's Human Computer Interaction Institute and Language Technologies Institute and seminars at Pitt's Language Research and Development Center will be open to the students, giving them exposure to a wide range of research in learning sciences.

REU Program Benefits

There are several benefits that the participating students may receive.

• If the student’s research in the summer is of high quality and has added value to an ongoing research project, past students have been asked to be a coauthor on the research team's publication on that subject. Addition of publications to the resume of a graduate school applicant always greatly improves the application.
• If the quality of the research is high, the faculty member who advised the student would likely be willing to write a letter of recommendation for the student which could be included in a graduate school application.
• Research experience in one of the National Science Foundation's premier research centers will be viewed attractively.
• Scholarships may be available for graduate research on projects in LearnLab. The student should inquire about these possibilities during the summer.

REU Program Dates: Students will begin their research experience on Sunday, June 1, 2014 with a welcoming reception and information session.  The REU program will end on Friday July 25, 2014 with a poster session in the afternoon.. Submission of an application indicates that the applicant agrees to be present from June 1 to 4pm, July 25, 2014 inclusive.

Application Deadline: Deadline for applications is February 17, 2014. Students will be informed of our decision by March 3, 2014.

Minimum Requirements: Applicants must be current undergraduates who are U.S. Citizens or have current F1 visas.  Applicants should have a minimum of 3.5 GPA out of 4.0 although we will consider students who show by other measures that they are exceptional and who have GPAs over 3.2. Class standing and grades in specific subjects that are close to the field of research will also be considered, as are recommendations.

Number of slots/ positions available: LearnLab can accommodate as many as 10 positions, although in any given year, we may decide to fund less than 10 applicants

Funding Source: National Science Foundation

Partner Institutions: Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Learning

Send completed applications to:
LearnLab - Summer Internship Program
c/o Jo Bodnar
3501B Newell-Simon Hall - HCII
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship

2014-15 Application Deadline: November 1, 2013

"The AAAS Fellowship is an amazing opportunity for scientists but more importantly, it is the best way to incorporate smart, accomplished scientists into the policy making process for the betterment of the nation."

-Dr. Terry Adirim, 2006-07 AAAS fellow at the Department of Homeland Security

The deadline to apply to the 2014-2015 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship class is quickly approaching. For over 40 years, scientists, social scientists, and engineers have applied their knowledge and technical expertise to policy-making while developing valuable career enhancing skills. Join a network of more than 2,800 current and alumni fellows impacting policy and forging new careers! 

Please share this information with your networks.

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications is November 1, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Apply athttps://fellowshipapp.aaas.org/

ELIGIBILITY 

Applicants must hold a doctoral level degree (PhD, MD, DVM, etc.), in any of the following:

- Social/Behavioral sciences

- Medical/Health disciplines

- Biological, Physical or Earth sciences

- Computational sciences and Mathematics

- Engineering disciplines (applicants with a master's degree and three years of experience also qualify).

All degree requirements must be completed by the application deadline.

Visit http://fellowships.aaas.org/04_Become/04_Eligibility.shtml to learn more about eligibility and selection criteria.

BENEFITS 

Stipends range from approximately $74,000 to $99,000. Other benefits include health insurance, travel/training allowance and relocation allocation. For more information about benefits, visit 

http://fellowships.aaas.org/05_Support/05_index.shtml.

DETAILS  

To learn more about the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships, visit:http://fellowships.aaas.org.

HAVE QUESTIONS!

Join us on Facebook or Twitter or contact Fellowships staff at fellowships@aaas.org or 202-326-6700.