Internal Award
Term Length: Summer
US Citizenship Required

Priority is given to students in their sophomore and junior year and graduating seniors are eligible to apply.

Academic coursework and performance, previous research experience is highly recommended, motivation, ability to work collaboratively and independently, and potential for success in research are primary considerations in the selection process.

The program is structured as an 8-week summer research project under the mentorship of a participating NU Biology faculty member at the Oakland campus.

• For students participating in research at Mills, the award benefits include $4800, as well as support for housing.

The Program includes weekly meetings with all Jill Barrett awardees, professional development activities, financial support for attendance at scientific conferences, and guidance on presentations for the Research Symposium.

Interested students should plan on reaching out directly to the Barrett Research Scholar Mentors about their interest in pursuing research this summer. There are currently two faculty members from Mills College serving as research mentors. Before reaching out to them, please read through their biographies and current research.

After a student has had the opportunity to connect with the prospective research mentors, they should plan on putting together and sharing the following materials via the Northeastern Internal Fellowship portal:

• The Online Application Form
  This collects your biographical and demographic information and the basic information about your project, such as its title and the total amount of funding you are requesting. Because we are already collecting this information, you do not need to include a cover sheet with your narrative proposal. Please select either the Oakland campus or Nahant Marine Science Center.
• Resume/CV (1 page PDF).
• A Project Description of Proposed Research (1 page PDF). After discussing your potential collaboration with a Barrett faculty member, describe the proposed research question, its biological significance or why it inspires you, your plans to address it, and any experience or knowledge that you will bring to this process.
• Personal Statement (1 page PDF). Please describe why you want to participate and how you would contribute to the program’s success. How would your participation help you to achieve your professional goals? How will your unique background allow you to contribute to a positive research experience for yourself and support others interested in biology? Provide examples that demonstrate your ability to learn or overcome obstacles when working independently and collaboratively towards long-term and challenging goals.
• Transcript
  Include the most recent academic transcript. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Faculty Mentorship
  You should arrange to have a statement of support from your faculty mentor submitted by the proposal deadline, indicating the mentor’s thoughts on the merit, feasibility, and safety of the project, as well as their willingness to mentor and guide the student(s) during the duration of the project term.
• The online application system will prompt you to enter your prospective faculty mentor’s contact details and solicit a letter from them; be sure to do this sufficiently far in advance of the deadline to allow your mentor to submit the letter.

Students accepted into the program are expected to prepare for their summer research project during the Spring semester (e.g. reading scientific papers to learn about the research project, getting trained on procedures), and will need to spend some time in the Fall semester preparing to present their work. Participants will formally present their work as a talk and/or poster at a Research Symposium during the Fall semester.

The application will open in early January.