Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) is sponsoring its Summer Institute with one track in Biomedical Optics and one in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG).
The application deadline is January 31, 2008. For more information please visit http://web.mit.edu/hstsummer.
Summer Institute in Biomedical Optics* is funded with an NIBIB BBSI grant, our partner for this program is Massachusetts General Hospital. The mentors in this lab are academically demanding, looking for students with strong math and physics backgrounds as well as biology.
During the summer, undergraduate students attend a graduate level class in one of the two subject areas, work on a specific project in a lab, and receive additional training in technical communications and responsible conduct of research. So far, we've had rave reviews!
We are looking for a combination of academic excellence and diversity in our summer students. Diversity could mean being an underrepresented minority, a first-generation college student, a student with a disability, or students who've created their own research experience or shown an initiative in another way. We also admit a number of students who have no research background. The lab descriptions on the Web site state more specific requirements for Biomedical Optics. In the Bioinformatics program, you will be matched with a lab based on your essay.
While the idea of a joint program at both Harvard and MIT can be intimidating to some students, please know that lab mentors are aware that undergraduates are not post-docs, and that their job as mentors is to encourage, not dissuade, students from pursuing research. Boston is a lovely place to be in the summer with our long days and ideal climate, and a big part of my job is to make sure students have fun, meet lots of people, and feel well cared for.
*Please submit the application and transcript by January 31, 2008. Two letters of recommendation are also required.*Please visit our website for more information, http://web.mit.edu/hstsummer.