Program Details

Summer Scholars Program
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
2009

Requirements of Participation and Awards:

Scholars will begin their research experience the end of May and continue into August (approximately ten to twelve weeks). Expectations of the Summer Scholars are full-time attendance in the laboratory as necessary to carry out the research as agreed upon with the sponsoring faculty member. In addition, participation is expected in the seminars portion of our program, which includes field trips to research facilities, journal clubs, ethics presentations, and grantsmanship. The stipend for the summer is $5200. Veterinary students from outside the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine receive an additional $1000 to partially defray travel and living expenses.

Continued participation in basic and applied research is a major goal of the program. Thus, during the following academic year, the Scholars will be encouraged to participate in a graduate seminar program (such as MVB8550) and continue their research involvement. The seminar can be taken for credit. The students will also be invited to attend the weekly Comparative Biomedical Sciences seminar program, during which invited scientists from around the world present their research.

Each spring semester, the College hosts our Points of Pride Research Days where we celebrate our College's research accomplishments. This event includes a poster presentation and competition for post-docs, graduate students, interns and residents, and Summer Scholars, with $250 awards for the best poster in each of these areas. All Summer Scholars are required to present their research project from the previous summer at this event. Students from other veterinary colleges are encouraged to participate (but are not required to attend).

Seminars and Courses:

In addition to valuable research training, the Summer Scholars Program broadens the educational experience through stimulating workshops, classes and activities.

Scholars will participate in a seminar program during the summer where invited speakers will discuss conducting research in an academic institution and other non-traditional careers in Veterinary Medicine.

In addition, the following are not required, but Scholars are encouraged to participate:

• MVB8550 – Seminar in Molecular Veterinary Biosciences
• Scholars will continue to experience issues and applications in biomedical research through participation in a graduate seminar program. This forum provides additional interaction with graduate students and research faculty involved in veterinary research. The Scholars are encouraged to present their research findings as part of this formal seminar program in the fall semester following their summer experience.
• AS/MVB/VM8137 – Ethical Conduct of Animal Research
• This course addresses topical issues in responsible conduct in research, with particular emphasis on basic and clinical research involving animals. The course is offered one afternoon/week in the fall semester.
• MVB8570 – Comparative Biomedical Sciences Seminars
• Summer Scholars are encouraged to attend research seminars presented by invited scientists from around the world. These seminars include both basic and applied sciences. This experience will provide additional breadth of opportunity and a better understanding of the role of veterinarians in biomedical research. Students (graduate and summer scholars) are offered the opportunity to have lunch with these speakers. This is an opportunity to gain some insight into a research career.

Application Process:

First and second year veterinary students are notified of the upcoming year's program each fall. The announcement will describe the program and direct interested students to review complete information on this web site, which includes a summary of faculty research interests.  Each applicant will be expected to identify a faculty mentor based on the student's research interests. The scholar and mentor will define the project and design the summer research proposal. Briefly, the process asks for a two-page proposal prepared by the student (with minimal faculty help in preparation). The proposal must include a clear, complete description of the problem, and a timetable for the research project. In addition, students must include a description of their educational objectives.

 The proposals will be reviewed and ranked based on scientific merit and for the project's ability to provide a solid research experience for the scholar. The review and final decisions will be made by the Summer Scholars Advisory Committee (Bert Stromberg, Laura Molgaard, Thomas Molitor, and Mark Rutherford) Selection decisions will be announced by the middle of March 2008.

For more information, contact Bert Stromberg, Summer Scholars Program Director, at b-stro@umn.edu, or 612-625-7008.