Becoming an INBRE Fellow Mentor
The National Institutes of Health Idaho INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) grant provides funds for undergraduate and graduate students to do research with the goal of educating the next generation of researchers for Idaho’s industries and universities. We will be seeking research faculty from The College of Idaho, Boise State University, Northwest Nazarene University, Idaho State University, and University of Idaho to serve as Mentors for the Summer 2013 INBRE Undergraduate Fellowship Program. If you are interested in being a Summer Undergraduate Fellows Mentor in 2013 check this page in Fall 2012 or contact Linda in the INBRE office, 208-885-5373 or lioul@uidaho.edu.
Undergraduate students from across the state of Idaho and the Western INBRE states (Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico, Hawaii) will compete for Summer Research Fellowships. The winning students will receive a $5,000 award and the opportunity to perform biomedical research for ten weeks as an integral part of the mentor’s lab. In addition, INBRE Undergraduate Fellows will attend a weekly training component organized by INBRE which will include research seminars and career development activities..
Benefits of being an INBRE Fellow Mentor for 2013
- INBRE students consistently contribute to the productivity of the lab, providing extra labor on existing projects and developing pilot data for new ones, all at minimal cost to the mentor’s lab.
- An undergraduate already working in your lab can apply for a Fellowship and, if successful, will bring INBRE funding to your program.
- The INBRE Fellowship program is highly competitive. The selected students are some of the West's brightest. Several Fellows that have been placed through the Fellowship program have gone on to become graduate students with the same mentor.
- The ability to interact with undergraduate students on a more in-depth project than is possible during the course of the school year. Giving students an opportunity to become fully engaged in a research project can change a student’s life and career goals. Many research faculty find showing students the fun of pursuing a research project very rewarding.
How are students selected to be INBRE Undergraduate Fellows?
The INBRE fellows are the best and brightest undergraduate students in Idaho. The selection process is competitive and rigorous. Students submit an application form that includes a few short essays, their GPA, letters of recommendation and their college transcript(s).
Requirements for being a Fellow: 1)Students must currently be enrolled at an Idaho institution or at an institution in a Western IDeA state (Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,Wyoming). 2) Students will graduate no sooner than December 2013.
Criteria for Fellows selection:
The following criteria are used by Idaho INBRE when choosing Undergraduate Summer Fellows. These criteria are considered as a ‘whole’, and not necessarily in the order listed.
1. Interest in biomedical science and research
2. Academic record, including science classes taken and GPA
3. Reference letters
4. Date of expected graduation
5. Current institution
6. Family educational background
7. State in which they graduated high school (preference given to those graduating from an Idaho or Western INBRE Region high school.
8. Obstacles they have overcome to obtain their educations
Student Application Process for students currently in Idaho. (Will be available in December 2012)
Student Application Process for students in a Western IDeA state. (Will be available in December 2012)
How will mentor/student matches be made?
As part of the application process, students will view the mentor profiles on the INBRE website and list a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for mentors. INBRE will match students to mentors based on the rank of their application, their mentor preferences and their appropriateness for a specific research project.
What is the time line?
January 31, 2013- Student applications are due
Early March, 2013 - Fellows selection completed and letters of award sent to students
April 1, 2013 - Deadline for Fellows to accept the award
First week of April, 2013- Student research plans are due
What is expected of Mentors?
When the Mentor is matched with a Fellow and the student accepts the award, the Mentor will write a “Summer Research Plan”. This document will outline the student’s project. It should include the anticipated working hours and a rough timeline of events. This will be used as a guide for the summer activities. This year, the Summer Research Plan and all supporting documents must be submitted to the INBRE Main Office in Moscow by the first week of April, 2013.
The mentor will provide all space, supplies, and resources the student needs to complete the outlined project. They will be available to provide guidance and be a resource for the student, as well as serve as a role model for the student.
The Fellows are required to attend weekly INBRE training sessions and seminars. You will be notified of the dates and times. These sessions are an integral part of the fellowship experience, and mentors should consider this an important part of the student's summer commitment. You are always welcome to attend these sessions with your student.
All Fellows are required to present their summer project in a poster session at the Annual INBRE Research Conference which will be held in Moscow at the University Inn, August 5-7, 2013. After the poster presentations, an awards banquet will be held. Mentors are strongly encouraged to attend the Conference to support the Fellows.
