Department of Chemistry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

NFS-REU program includes research in chemical biology

The Department of Chemistry is now accepting applications for the Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program, which is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the 3M Foundation. Please read the information on this page, then click here to download the application form.

Undergraduates planning to obtain Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees in chemistry or related fields between January 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017 are encouraged to apply to participate in summer research within the Department of Chemistry. Opportunities are available in all areas of chemistry: analytical, chemical biology, inorganic, materials, organic, physical, and theoretical. Applications completed (including letters of recommendation) by 11:59 PM, February 15, 2015 will be given full consideration. We particularly encourage students who do not have prior research experience or who are members of groups under-represented in the chemical sciences to apply.

The program will run from Monday, June 1, 2015 to Friday, August 7, 2015. If a student’s spring semester ends later than June 1, a late start to the program is possible and will not disqualify the applicant.

Compensation

$5500 stipend, housing, living expenses, travel

Apply

This year's application deadline has passed.

Applications are due by Friday February 12, 2016.

The form hotlinked above asks for contact information. After submitting the form, expect to receive an automated response within 24 hours requesting additional information. The application form is based on the one used for graduate admissions and therefore, in part, requests additional information not required for REU consideration. Therefore, please follow the modified instructions below:

• Please do not use the first menu choice “Provide supplemental information (references, etc.)” because we have already obtained this information from the initial hotlinked page.
• The REU admissions committee knows that this is an application for summer research and not for graduate admissions.
• TWO letters of reference are required, not three. Please enter contact information for your two references. Requests for these letters will be sent automatically.
• The personal statement should explain the reasons for your interest in summer research. The application form has a drop-down list that requires you to select at least one faculty member with whom you’d like to work. Additional drop-downs allow selection of up to two more members (please see the UIUC Chemistry website for information on each research group). Your personal statement should explain how your interests and those of the faculty you’ve selected relate to each other. Assignments to research groups will depend on mutual interest of students and faculty.
• You will receive an automated email confirmation when your file is complete. The wording is designed for our regular job applicants, so please disregard any irrelevant phrasing. The automated transmission is a batch process, so it may be as long as 26 hours from the time you complete your file and the last reference letter is received until you get the “file complete” email.
• No standardized test results are required. A PDF copy of your transcript is adequate. When asked for your GPA, an estimate as of the end of the prior semester is adequate.

click here to download the application form.

Questions / contact

• Name: Alexander Scheeline, REU Director (Research Areas: general, theoretical
• Email: scheelin@illinois.edu