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Recruiting AJC Merit Research Scholar Mentors for July 2026 Co-Ops

December 19, 2025 | by Carey Accola

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URF) is actively seeking faculty mentors for our AJC Merit Research Scholar Program to host a six-month research co-op, July-December 2026. The AJC Merit Research Scholarship provides talented undergraduates with the opportunity to participate in a full-time research co-op in the lab of a tenured or tenure-track Northeastern University faculty member working in the STEM fields – at a wage comparable to what they might earn in industry.  In addition to dedicated faculty mentorship and significant financial support for their position, AJC Merit Research Scholars will also join a cohort of like-minded peers and receive additional mentorship and guidance from the URF team. The intention of the award is: 

  • To support undergraduate students who hope to pursue careers in research to undertake a co-op working in the lab of a Northeastern professor 
  • To encourage more faculty-undergraduate student mentorship 
  • To increase the profile, visibility, and breadth of Northeastern undergraduates who apply for graduate study in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (“STEM”) fields. 

We anticipate selecting approximately 7 of the submitted faculty mentor projects for the July-December 2026 AJC Merit Research Scholar Program, to which students will be able to apply early in the spring 2026 term. Up to an additional 7 students will be able to apply for a “Create Your Own” position in which the student proposes a co-op project with a Northeastern faculty mentor with whom they have an existing research opportunity.  

We are currently seeking faculty members from STEM laboratories to host talented students. Our process is straight-forward.

  1. Faculty put forward an application to host a Scholar – this includes information about your mentorship strategy, as well as a description of the role you hope the Scholar might fill (see below for more details).
  2. Approved positions are posted on NUWorks and students apply to become part of the AJC Merit Research Scholarship cohort.
  3. Undergraduate Research and Fellowships reviews the preliminary applications.
  4. After this initial review, select candidates are then invited to complete an asynchronous video interview.
  5. Semi-finalist applications are forwarded to AJC Merit Research Scholar Faculty Mentor and reviewed by them using a standard rubric.
  6. Preliminary offers are extended to finalists and applicants/faculty mentors are connected to one another to determine right fit.
  7. If a student accepts the position, URF will hire the student and assume responsibility for administration of the award funding, paid as wages.

We are moving quickly in order to set up these four-month opportunities. With this in mind, we ask that, if you are interested, you share with us an AJC Merit Research Scholar Mentor Application by EOD on January 28th, 2025.

 

The components of the mentor application are: 

MENTOR SECTION 

  • BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Name, Email, College, Department 
  • MENTORING PHILOSOPHY AND STRUCTURES: Describe the mentoring philosophy and structures that exist in your lab to support the work of undergraduates, generally, and how you anticipate guiding and steering the AJC Merit Research Scholar. We are looking for close faculty mentorship of the AJC Merit Research Scholar with an eye towards preparing them to apply to and succeed in graduate study in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (“STEM”) fields. 
  • RELEVANT MENTORING EXPERIENCE: Please detail any relevant experience mentoring students from diverse backgrounds or marginalized identities. How did you help them identify and overcome barriers to success? 

JOB DESCRIPTION SECTION 

  • AREA OF RESEARCH/CREATIVE PRACTICE:  10-15 words. 
  • WORK OF LAB/GROUP:  Describe the work of the lab or group in a sentence or two. 
  • WHAT WILL THE SCHOLAR DO: Describe the work that you would have the applicants do over the course of a 6-month co-op. Expecting that candidates may have varying degrees of prior research experience, outline a few potential pathways that the work might take. What projects would they be working on and what do you foresee the role and responsibilities of the AJC Merit Research Scholar will be? Please also share what skills and capacities you expect that the AJC Merit Research Scholar will develop over their time working with you. 
  • LOOKING FOR: Outline what qualifications and qualities will make the AJC Merit Research Scholar most successful in your group. 
  • LAB/FACULTY WEBSITE: Your Northeastern profile page, faculty site, or institute/center site. 
  • TARGETED MAJORS: Indicate majors you want to apply. 
  • DESIRED EXPERIENCE LEVEL (you may select more than one): 1st, 2nd, 3rd co-op. 
  • DESIRED SKILLS: A drop-down of possible skills. 

 

THE APPLICATION

AJC Merit Research Scholar Mentor Application

Write to URF@Northeastern.edu with any questions.