High School Student Application for Research Assistantships

Science in Summer! 2015 High School Student Application for Research Assistantships

Program Description: Science in Summer! is a program designed for high school students to immerse themselves in a research atmosphere, gain valuable skills, learn more about careers in science, and be a part of an exciting university research community for a month during the summer. The research experience is a 4 ½ week, full-time, paid internship in the research lab of a Gonzaga faculty member. Interns will work closely with a Gonzaga student mentor and a faculty member to develop a research question that they can investigate over the course of the month, which is linked to the general projects in the lab in which they are working. Some of the goals of the program include:  Students will get to experience life on a college campus and explore possible careers in the sciences. We hope this experience will help students develop their post-high school plans (and possibly encourage them to pursue a future in science!)  Students will gain job skills and experience which will assist them as they transition from high school to college and future employment.

Application deadline and other details:

The program is open to students who will be in between their junior and senior year of high school during the summer of 2015.

Work at Gonzaga begins on Monday June 29th and ends on Tuesday July 28th.

This internship includes a $1000 stipend and lunch during the workday in the University cafeteria. University housing is available free of charge for students who live outside the Spokane area.

The high school student is expected to treat this experience as a full-time job. They should expect to spend an average of eight hours per day on campus, although the exact schedule will be determined in conjunction with the lab mentor and faculty member. In addition, the program includes one evening per week for a social/team building/science enrichment event.

Applications are due on Wednesday May 6th. Email completed applications to Rachel Zack at [email protected]. Interviews will be conducted in mid-May, and awards and lab placements will be announced by the end of May.

Any questions? Contact the Science Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or 509-313-6642.

Good luck!

Please return completed applications to Rachel Zack by email ([email protected]). The application deadline is Wednesday May 6th, 2015.

Email:

Phone number:

Mailing address:

Year in school:

Overall GPA:

High School that you attend:

Emergency contact information for parent or guardian:

An important note on lab placements: Science in Summer interns will each work in the lab of a Gonzaga faculty member in the Biology or Chemistry/Biochemistry departments. Each of the labs has a particular topic that the faculty member and his or her G.U. students are actively researching. The research topics vary widely and cover many topics in Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry. Some research groups do indoor research in the laboratory, while other groups do ecology related research outside in the field.

The exact research group an intern is placed in depends on the student’s interests, as well as available space and funding this summer. We are still working to determine exactly which labs at Gonzaga will be able to have a Science in Summer high school intern this year. Once we have a complete and final list of labs that have openings, we will send that information out to applicants prior to doing interviews. During the interview you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the different lab options and let us know which research groups you are most interested in.

Application Questions: 1. Describe your reasons for wanting to participate in an independent research project this summer.

2. Which areas of science do you find most interesting, and WHY?

3. Briefly outline your career goals (what you hope to do after graduation).

4. Describe experience you've had working independently (school project, work experience, etc.).

List up to 3 references we may contact regarding your application. At least one of these references should be a teacher (preferably science) whose class you have been in.

Reference 1 – Current or previous teacher (preferably a science teacher) Name: ______Relationship to you: __Teacher______Telephone: ______Email: ______

Reference 2 Name: ______Relationship to you: ______Telephone: ______Email: ______

Reference 3 Name: ______Relationship to you: ______Telephone: ______Email: ______

The information requested in the questions below is voluntary and confidential. Your application will not be affected if you do not complete this section. a) Please indicate your ethnic identity by checking one or more categories below. These are the reporting categories asked for by HHMI, one of the funders of our outreach programs.

___ Asian (or Asian American)

___ Black (Not Hispanic Origin)

___ Hispanic

___ Native Alaskan

___ Native American

___ Native Pacific Islander

___ White (Not Hispanic Origin)

b) Has either (or both) of your parents earned a 4-year college degree?

___yes ___no

If no, has either (or both) of your parents attended some college?

___yes ___no

c) Do you consider yourself to be from a lower socio-economic background?

___yes ___no (financial need will be determined from your FAFSA information)