Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences

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What is STARS?

The University of California, San Diego Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences (STARS) program is an eight week summer research academy for undergraduate students, recent graduates, and masters students. The goal of the academy is to increase the numbers of underrepresented students with research experience and prepare participants for doctoral study. STARS offers an exciting research internship for students by participating in an ongoing UCSD research project and experience the rigors and challenges of graduate study at a top rated research institution.

Students will:

• Gain research experience with a faculty mentor's research project
• Attend a GRE preparation course
• Attend graduate school preparation workshops
• Become familiar with National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship process
• Receive individualized feedback on NSF essay and proposed plan of research
• Present research at the UCSD Summer Research Conference

Participants are funded by various funding sources and must meet the individual funding source requirements.

STARS Funding Sources

Students must meet the specific program criteria for the following funding sources. These funding sources are not administered by the UCSD campus. Check with your home campus for additional information, availability of funding and eligibility requirements. We also welcome the opportunity to collaborate with other programs not currently listed.

• California Pre-Doctoral Program
• California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Preparation (LSAMP)
• Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC)
• Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
• Research Industry Summer Experience (RISE)
• Self-funded students (Students who pay their own way)

Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UCLEADS)

A University of California system-wide program, each U.C. campus selects students in their junior year for preparation in this two year program. UCLEADS students in their second year are encouraged to select the STARS program at UCSD for their second summer research internship.

Participant Requirements

• This program is designed for African-American, American Indian, Latino/a, Mexican-American, Native Pacific Islander, and Puerto Rican students to increase diversity in undergraduate education.
• U.S. Citizens, Nationals or Permanent Residents
• Commitment to diversity
• Commitment to support student diversity issues and activities at the applicant’s home campus

Special Considerations

• GPA
• Proven research experience
• Solid letters of recommendation
• Interested in pursuing doctoral programs and entering faculty careers

Eligible Research Areas

• Bioengineering    
• Bioinformatics    
• Biological Sciences    
• Biomedical Sciences    
• Chemical Engineering    
• Chemistry/Biochemistry    
• Computational Neurobiology    
• Computer Science and Engineering    
• Earth Science    
• Electrical and Computer Engineering    
• Marine Biology Research Division    
• Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
• Materials Science & Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Molecular Pathology
• Neurosciences
• Pharmacology
• Physics
• Psychology (selected specializations)
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• Structural Engineering