Semester-long Research Projects
The semester-long research project is designed for local high school students interested in gaining hands-on experience in a biology research laboratory. Students chosen for the program spend every other Saturday during the semester doing research at the Broad Institute. The students join Broad staff to collaborate on a group research project that combines the use of molecular biology, microbiology, and genomics techniques. This program allows students to participate in an original research opportunity that involves the methods and techniques used by Broad scientists.
The goal of the research project is to isolate, characterize, and identify microbes using a combination of techniques including culturing microbes, isolating DNA, doing PCR, performing gel electrophoresis, sequencing DNA, analyzing those DNA sequences, and searching genome databases. During each session, students will perform a different experimental technique in order to complete the microbiology and genomics research project by the end of the semester.
The application deadline for the Spring 2008 research project has now passed. Applications for the Spring 2009 project will be accepted beginning in October 2008.
Applicants should read over the instructions below, and then fill out an on-line application on or before the application deadline. Teachers and administrators from participating Boston/Cambridge area schools can nominate current sophomores for the spring program, and selection will be based on an online application, transcript, and letter of recommendation.
Dates of 2008 Research Project :
This program will consist of 8 Saturday sessions, starting on January 26th and ending on May 17th. The dates of the eight sessions for 2008 will be: 1/26, 2/9, 3/1, 3/15, 3/29, 4/12, 5/3, 5/17. Each session will occur from 1pm - 4pm at the Broad Institute. If you are accepted to the program, you are expected to be available during that time.
Required Materials:
In addition to this online application, two documents must be sent to us:
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a recommendation letter from a teacher at your high school
- your most recent official high school transcript
The teacher who writes your recommendation letter need not be a science instructor, but must either be a current teacher of yours, or a teacher who was your teacher for at least one full semester during freshman year. In the letter, your teacher should explain why s/he is nominating you and why s/he thinks you will be successful in the program. The letter should be mailed by your teacher to us directly and should include your teacher's name, school, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
Your transcript and your letter of recommendation should be sent on or before November 16th to:
Megan Rokop
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
NE30-7112L
7 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
Note: Applicants will be informed of their acceptance by November 30th, and can choose to accept their slots on or before December 14th.
Meet the Fall 2007 Student Researchers:
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Meet the Spring 2008 Student Researchers:
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