Purpose
The Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies offers funded opportunities for Summer Undergraduate Research in the Environmental Sciences. Students will spend 8 weeks during the summer of 2024 conducting research, analyzing data, and writing up their results with the mentorship of a YIBS-affiliated faculty member at Yale University. Projects may be developed into a senior thesis or scientific publication, depending on student interest. Research activities will be supplemented with a light curriculum oriented towards building research capacity, including responsible conduct of research, statistics in R, scientific writing, and applying to graduate school/funding. In addition to their own project, on-campus participants will learn about the broad range of YIBS research through lab tours and discussion groups, along with behind-the-scenes tours of the Yale Peabody Museum collections. Occasional evening and weekend outings will introduce students to the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Greater New Haven region.
Eligibility
The on-campus academic program will run from May 30th to July 26th, 2024. Fellowships will include dormitory housing and meals, a summer stipend of $5,500, expenses for travel to and from campus, and all research expenses. Rising juniors and seniors from 4-year colleges and universities are eligible to apply; applications from students at 2-year programs will also be considered.
Stipends will be provided via Yale to US citizens, permanent residents, and international students with qualifying visas; where this is not possible, we will work to provide stipends via an agreement between Yale and their home institution but note that we may not be able to accommodate all individual cases. Costs of participation (including housing and dining) will be provided to all participants irrespective of receipt of a stipend. Please note that, while the Yale Office of International Students and Scholars will work with international fellows to facilitate their obtaining an appropriate visa to visit the US, the program cannot guarantee visa access (to visit the US or other project destinations) and that project participation may be contingent on obtaining appropriate visas. Undocumented students are eligible to participate subject to Yale’s existing policy. New Haven-based projects will be open to all applicants, but please see project-specific restrictions for international projects on the projects page.
Requirements
To apply, please upload a resume and 1-page personal statement and complete the application form by March 4th, 2024. Students will be supported to work on one of the projects described here. YIBS seeks a diverse pool of applicants for the Summer Undergraduate Research in the Environmental Sciences fellowship. Applicants from historically excluded groups in the environmental sciences are strongly encouraged to apply. Please note that successful candidates will be required to provide proof of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and proof of health insurance to visit Yale’s campus. Please also note that any research-related international travel will require a passport and may require additional vaccinations.
How to apply
The application process for 2024 is now closed. Applications were due on March 4th, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Eastern).
Co-Directors: Carla Staver (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), David Heiser (Yale Peabody Museum), and Eric Sargis (Anthropology)