Objective:
To provide an intensive research training experience for undergraduate students interested in a career in the life sciences.  Trainees will learn by direct interaction skills required for the design, planning, execution and interpretation of experiments involved in the pursuit of answers to fundamental biological questions.  The trainees will be paired with a faculty mentor and will spend an extended period (6 weeks) in the summer directly in the laboratory of the mentor working on an individual research project.  The trainees will also be expected to attend scientific presentations and seminars as well as participate in advanced study groups covering selected topics in Immunology.  At the end of the training period, trainees will prepare and present a poster detailing the work they performed during their training.

Eligibility:
Applicants must graduates of a Martin County high school and  be enrolled in a life science degree program at the undergraduate level and must have completed their sophomore year of study in that degree program.  Criteria used in selecting trainees will include grades in college, relevant experience, letters of recommendation from faculty at their University and a personal statement.  Applicants will be evaluated by the faculty at VGTI-FL, and appropriate faculty sponsors will then select candidates to mentor.

Stipend and tenure:
Each award carries with it a $3,000.00 stipend in support of the 6-week period beginning in the third week in June.  This support is a taxable stipend and is the mechanism that is used to pay the students for their training to defray costs of living while enrolled in the training program.  Students are expected to pay for their own travel expenses and will not be reimbursed by the SURF program (except in the case of hardship circumstances to be evaluated by the selection committee).

The initial program will consist of four awardees will begin Summer of 2012.

Applications will be available online February 1, 2012.