Funding for undergraduate
research on campus
Fellowships, Scholarships and Internships
Below are listed several types of funding for undergraduate research in the biological sciences. No listing of this type can be complete since no one office on campus has information on all opportunities and new opportunities arise frequently. In addition to considering the sources described below, you may want to check bulletin boards in departments for announcements on internships and other research opportunities. In addition, you may want to check with the faculty members and advisors who may be aware of opportunities in their areas. You may also want to visit career planning offices for additional lists of funding opportunities for research.
Academic Excellence Awards (University Book Store) recognize students who have completed outstanding undergraduate research projects in a number of disciplines, including the biological sciences. For more information contact the Provost's Office at 262-1304. Application forms are available at the Provost's Office, Rm 150 Bascom Hall.
The Bacteriology department has a Career Resource Guide web page which lists internship and scholarship opportunities in the department as well as off-campus.
The Biochemistry department awards Mary Shine Peterson scholarships to Biochemistry majors only, for senior thesis research. For more information contact Carol Peterson, 262-3026, peterson@biochem.wisc.edu.
The Ruth Bleier Scholarships are awarded to women to encourage them to pursue careers in the natural sciences, medicine or engineering. Women undergraduates at the UW-Madison in their first or second year are encouraged to apply for a one year award which includes a stipend for a mentored research project . For more information contact the Women's Studies Program, 110 Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Dr. 263-4703.
The Center for Limnology offers student stipends and/or hourly pay for research in lake ecology during the summer the UW-Madison campus on at Trout Lake in northern Wisconsin (housing included). Some previous research experience may be preferred. Contact David Egger, 262-2009, dlegger@facstaff.wisc.edu
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Scholarships web site lists an extensive number scholarships available to undergraduates pursuing research in a number of life science disciplines on campus.
The College of Letters and Sciences Scholarship Website lists many funding opportunities for research on campus in a number of disciplines, including the biological sciences.
Dairy Science offers a number of scholarships, internships and employment opportunities for majors in the department. Contact the main office in the department of Dairy Science, Rm 266 Animal Science Building, 263-3308.
If you are interested in environmental research internships and grants, several resources are available. The Library for Environmental Studies, Rm 15 Science Hall has a Job Center which has a binder with seasonal position announcements, including internships, in environmental areas. In addition, several job newsletters that list student internships are available in the periodical stacks of the library. In addition, some announcements of internships are posted in Science Hall on an Internship Bulletin Board outside of Rm 64 Science Hall. The Institute for Environmental Studies web site also has an Environmental Career Information page with job announcements and links to many sites with information about environmental jobs and internships. Finally, be sure to check the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Internship web site.
Hilldale and Holstrom Undergraduate Fellowships are available to students who have at least junior standing at the time of application. Hilldale fellowships support research in all disciplines, while Holstrom fellowships are awarded for research on environmental studies. For more information contact the Provost's Office at 262-1304. Application forms are available at the Provost's Office, Rm 150 Bascom Hall.
Midwest Poultry Consortium Undergraduate Assistantship Program offers sophomores and freshmen assistantships for engaging in a research project that relates to poultry/food science. Contact the department of Animal Science, Rm 256 Animal Science Building, 263-3308.
The department of Plant Pathology offers a number of scholarships to undergraduates for research on a variety of topics including plant diseases and plant microbe interactions.
Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowships are new awards for undergraduate research. The fellowships provide undergraduates who have at least sophomore standing at the time of application with the opportunity to use and expand their knowledge through outreach projects with community organizations. Projects can be of varying durations and must be supervised by faculty or instructional academic staff. For more information, contact Susan Vande Hei, Director at the Morgridge Center for Public Service, (608/263-4009) smvandeh@facstaff.wisc.edu.
Funding for students in special academic programs
Grants, fellowships and stipends are available to student participating in the following academic programs:
Honors Programs
in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - offers funding for student research projects in the sophomore and senior years.
in the College of Letters and Sciences - offers grants for student research projects in the sophomore and senior years. Other more specialized grants and scholarships are available for juniors and seniors.
McNair Scholars Program
- is a graduate school preparation program for undergraduates who are low-income
and first-generation college students or from a traditionally under-represented
group in graduate education. The program offers research internships for seniors
and summer research programs for juniors as well as other academic programming.
For more information, contact the director, Dorothy Sanchez, 262-2906, dsanchez@bascom.wisc.edu,
mayberry@mail.bascom.wisc.edu.
Medical Scholars Program - offers a Summer
Research Program with stipends for freshmen who have been accepted into
the Medical Scholars
Program.
Undergraduate Research
Scholars Program (URS)- is a new program for first and second year students.
Students earn academic credit or pay for working as research assistants on faculty
research and scholarly projects.
Summer Research Programs
Several summer research programs operate on the UW-Madison campus offered through individual departments and centers and the Graduate School. Many are geared to those under-represented in research (i.e., minority students; students who are first-generation college and low-income may also be eligible), while others are less restricted. Check early for the current year's deadlines for application.
Summer Research Program
in Bacteriology offers a student stipend and research experiences as well
as housing and food allowance. The program is for 8 weeks in the summer and
is open to UW students who are first-generation college and low-income, members
of of minority groups or Bacteriology majors. There is also a national search
for applicants.
Research
Scholarships in Plant-Microbe Interactions-
in the department of Plant Pathology has a 9 week summer program with a student
stipend. Open to students at the UW and a national search for applicants is
conducted. Contact Cathy Davis-Gray,
262-9926.
Integrated Biological Sciences Summer Research Program for Undergraduates (IBS-SRP) is a
9-week program . Open to UW students who are first-generation college and low-income
or members of minority groups; also a national search for applicants. Participants
receive a stipend.
National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS)-Environmental Toxicology Program is an 8 week program that
is open to UW minority students. Applicants are also recruited nationally.
Participants receive a stipend. For more information, contact the director,
Jane Lambert, 263-4825 or jflamber@facstaff.wisc.edu
Psychology Research Experience Program (PREP) is an
8 week program with participant stipends. The program is open to UW minority
students; a national search is conducted. For more information, contact the
director, Arlene Davenport, 262-2077 or email at ardaven@wisc.edu.
Questions or comments about this web site? Please contact Janet Branchaw, Center for Biology Education at (608) 262-1182 or email: branchaw@facstaff.wisc.edu