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Guidelines for Individual Awards

Application Deadline: February 3, 2025 for Summer 2025 Fellowships 

Purpose

The ASPET Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF) Awards introduce undergraduate students to pharmacology research. Our goal is to use authentic, mentored research experiences in pharmacology to heighten student interest in careers in research and related health care disciplines.

The SURF individual awards are intended to support students whose institutions do not have a currently funded SURF program. Check if your institution has a SURF program now.

Who Should Apply

Undergraduate students conducting pharmacology-related research including, but not limited to, students representing departments of pharmacology, toxicology, pharmaceutical sciences, and/or biological chemistry are encouraged to apply for this program. Applications from those traditionally underrepresented in the biomedical sciences are particularly encouraged.

Program Requirements

  • The mentor must be a regular or affiliate member of ASPET in good standing or an emeritus member who is still active in research.
  • If awarded, ASPET will provide a student stipend of $4,600 for a minimum of ten weeks participation in the program. 
  • The mentor is expected to sponsor the SURF Fellow for undergraduate student membership in ASPET at the beginning of their summer research experience.

Terms of the Award

  • No indirect costs will be provided.
  • Students must be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting undergraduate program, and may not graduate before the fellowship is completed.
  • Allowed expenses include 1) student stipends or wages or 2) housing (which may include meal plans).
  • All awards will be made directly to institutions. Students and mentors will be notified by March 15 if an award is to be made.
  • Mentors of previous awardees may only re-apply if they are proposing a project with a different student.
  • A mentor may apply with more than one student, but may not receive more than one award within a given year.

How to Apply for a SURF Individual Award

Applications should be submitted by the mentor and must include the following:

  • A letter from the mentor including:
    • A brief description (250 words) of the proposed research project
    • Qualifications of the student that make him/her a strong candidate for the award
    • A brief description of the mentoring plan, including interactions with the direct supervisor and/or other lab personnel
    • A brief description of enrichment activities available to the student, e.g. seminars, field trips, professional development opportunities, and interactions with peers
    • A description of how the student will report on the research results including the mechanism for feedback
    • The name and contact information of the institutional individual responsible for receiving the check (be sure to indicate to whom the check should be made payable)
     
  • A copy of the mentor’s NIH biosketch. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm for templates and examples. Each biosketch should address the individual’s contributions to training and mentoring undergraduates in the personal statement. 
  • A statement from the student (maximum 500 words) indicating the nature of his/her interest in the research project and how participation would contribute to his/her career goals
  • Copies of all the student's undergraduate transcripts (student copies are acceptable)
  • The student's contact information, including physical mailing address and e-mail address

The application package should be emailed as a single PDF to Catherine L. Fry, PhD at cfry@aspet.org 

Reporting Requirements

Each individual SURF Fellow must submit a 1-2 page report of his/her research experience to ASPET no later than September 15 of the year of the award. This report should include the following sections:

  1. Project title and abstract describing the research results (maximum 300 words)
  2. A personal reflection on the experience and what it has contributed to the student's understanding of the research process and/or career plans (maximum 300 words)
  3. Contact information for the student once they leave the mentor's laboratory (email address and physical mailing address)

Reports should be emailed as a single PDF to Catherine Fry at cfry@aspet.org. Students are also expected to complete the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) no later than September 15 of the award year. ASPET staff will provide additional instructions for completing the survey. There is no requirement to file a financial report at the end of the fellowship period.

A portion of these awards is funded by the Glenn E. Ullyot Fund. Dr. Ullyot has generously provided this fund to support stipends for the education and training of students in the chemical and biological sciences that ASPET believes will benefit the profession of pharmacology and society in general.

Travel Awards: Undergraduate travel awards to attend the ASPET Annual Meeting are available on a competitive basis to SURF Fellows at the meeting following their SURF award.

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