Navigating Research Opportunities for First-Year College Students

For first-year college students eager to dive into the world of research, numerous avenues exist to gain hands-on experience and explore potential career paths. These opportunities range from structured programs with stipends and housing assistance to informal internships offering invaluable experience. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research opportunities available to first-year college students, drawing upon various programs and resources.

Understanding Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Programs

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs, providing significant opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research. Faculty can apply for funding to support a cohort of undergraduate students in research projects designed specifically for the NSF REU program (an REU Site) or can apply for additional funding to involve undergraduate students in a new or ongoing NSF-funded research project (an REU Supplement). Undergraduates (college and university students) can apply directly to REU Sites to participate in research projects across the United States and the world. REU-supported students receive stipends and in many cases assistance with housing, meals and travel. These programs offer stipends and assistance with housing, meals, and travel, making research accessible to students from diverse backgrounds.

Specific Internship Programs and Opportunities

Several institutions and organizations offer specific internship programs tailored for undergraduate students. These programs provide hands-on research experience, mentorship, and opportunities for professional development.

AbbVie's Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine Internship

AbbVie's Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine group offers an internship focused on the discovery of biotherapeutic and genetic medicine drug candidates. The internship involves integrated data science strategies to automate experimental execution, capture and visualize data, and enable ML models for de novo candidate discovery and optimization. Students pursuing a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry, Molecular or Cellular Biology, or other related majors are encouraged to apply. Key responsibilities include analyzing laboratory workflows and designing / implementing automated liquid handling and data capture solutions. The ideal candidate will have biologic sciences bench skills and data/computer science training.

Regeneron Genetics Center Summer Internship

The Regeneron Genetics Center in Tarrytown, NY, offers a summer internship in the Genomics and Health Data Mining Team. This internship provides exposure to cutting-edge research in genomics and health data mining.

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NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)

At NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences offers a Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) for college students who have completed their sophomore or junior year. As a member of the summer class, you join approximately 30 students working in our exciting academic medical environment at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health. Accepted students receive a $5,000 payment, free housing, and reimbursement for round-trip travel expenses. When accepted into the program, students are matched with a laboratory of interest in their preferred research area. In a typical week, students spend most of their time conducting hands-on research under their research mentor’s direction in his or her lab. They also participate in weekly “Conversations with a Scientist/Physician” lunch sessions, journal clubs, and a series of Wednesday seminars followed by dinner at a local restaurant. At the end of the summer, students have the opportunity to present their research at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium, also known as LANS. The program seeks mature, well-qualified undergraduates who have completed their sophomore or junior year of college. Selection is based on research experience, academic record, and letters of recommendation from faculty advisors or research supervisors. Resident advisors provide guidance for students participating in the program.

Stanford University Research Programs

Stanford University offers a variety of research programs for undergraduate students, including:

Canary CREST Program: The Canary Center at Stanford is dedicated to early cancer detection research. As part of its efforts to train the next generation of scientists, the Canary CREST Program offers paid and unpaid 10-week summer internships for undergraduate students.
Developmental Biology Community College Outreach Program (CCOP): The Community College Outreach Program (CCOP) aims to advance diversity in STEM and reach out to the local communities by providing hands-on research opportunities and career mentoring to students at community colleges. In the research track, they place students into Stanford Biosciences labs and pair them with experienced mentors for a paid ten-week research program. The goal is to provide students with a direct and holistic exposure to laboratory life as well as an impetus to apply to graduate school. In the mentorship track, community college students are paired with one-on-one mentors, graduate students or postdocs at Stanford, to guide the students through their career planning. In parallel, students participate in an eight-week long bootcamp with weekly workshops and allocated writing sessions. The bootcamp provides students with essential resources for college transfer, internship, and scholarship applications, and hands-on mentoring focused on crafting application documents.
Stanford Data Science Mentoring: The Data Science Mentoring program pairs undergraduate students of varied backgrounds with Stanford graduate students for online, one-on-one mentorship in data science. Participants receive coaching in planning their course of studies, advice on navigating internship opportunities, and preparing applications, as well as tutoring in some aspects of data science.

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Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery (STaRS) Summer Internship Program: Each year, the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery hosts talented high school and undergraduate students in research laboratories. STARS interns spend 7 weeks mastering basic lab techniques, participating in research projects, and presenting their work all under the mentorship of experienced researchers.
Stanford Cancer Research and Careers Undergraduate Program: The Stanford Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society (ACS) are partnering to provide a cancer research internship program. This internship offers a holistic curriculum designed to provide undergraduate students from San Francisco Bay Area schools with the tools and experiences necessary to pursue careers in cancer research.
SLAC Community College Internship (CCI) Program: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a world-renowned laboratory with research opportunities in physics, chemistry, materials and environmental sciences, astrophysics, scientific computing, and many engineering fields. SLAC’s summer internship program offers exciting opportunities for community college students seeking to enter technical careers. The CCI Program is sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science's Office of Workplace Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS). Students selected for internships receive a weekly stipend and housing allowance. During the internship, each student works with a mentor on technologies or instrumentation projects, or on research projects supporting SLAC's mission. At the conclusion of the internship, the student writes a research paper and makes a brief presentation on his or her project. Students also participate in a series of lectures focused on professional development, science, and tours.
Stanford Storytelling & Medicine Summer Scholar Program: The Stanford Storytelling & Medicine Summer Scholar Program is an intensive two- or eight-week training experience for students preparing for careers in medicine, medical humanities, and the health professions who want to communicate complex scientific and clinical ideas with clarity, ethical care, and human impact. Scholars participate in workshops and seminars in science communication, narrative medicine, and public-facing storytelling; learn directly from physicians and clinician-scholars who integrate creative practice into clinical and research work; and complete a mentored final project in forms such as nonfiction, podcasting, poetry, visual narrative, or performance.
Stanford Summer Community College Premedical Program (SSCCPP): SSCCPP is a six-week residential experience for current community college students considered low-income and/or underrepresented in medicine. The program provides exposure to medicine through topics in health disparities, leadership challenges in health provision and administration, science courses, professional development, clinical exposure, the medical school application process, and postsecondary and graduate/professional school financing.

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STEM Core Community College Internship Program

Growth Sector is a nonprofit workforce intermediary that has recognized a national need to do more to prepare disadvantaged community college students for economic success in a changing economy. Growth Sector has developed the STEM Core Curriculum in partnership with federally funded labs, community colleges and other national workforce intermediaries and nonprofits to focus on expanding the pipeline of students for engineering and computer science careers. During the internship, each student works with an engineer or scientist on a project related to the Laboratory’s mission. Interns will obtain real-life experience in the laboratory’s machine shops, vacuum shop, light fabrication shops, mechanical and electrical departments, magnet shops, cryogenic facilities, IT and in other areas supporting the research at the lab.

SURGE Program

SURGE targets rising undergraduate juniors and seniors. institutions) with a mentored research experience in a geoscience or engineering laboratory. This fully funded, eight-week, summer residential program combines a rigorous research assignment with comprehensive training and mentoring.

Finding Unpaid Internships

In addition to formal REU programs, it's possible to find a lab willing to host an undergraduate from another institution on an informal basis, usually in an unpaid internship.

Skills and Experiences to Highlight

When applying for research opportunities, first-year students should highlight relevant skills, experiences, and interests.

Research Interests: Clearly articulate your research interests and how they align with the program or lab's focus.
Previous Research Experience: Even if limited, highlight any previous research experience, such as independent lab research.
Technical Skills: Mention any relevant technical skills, such as cell culture techniques, data analysis, or computer science skills.
Academic Record: Showcase your academic achievements and relevant coursework.
Letters of Recommendation: Obtain strong letters of recommendation from faculty advisors or research supervisors who can attest to your abilities and potential.

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