Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program

Our Program.

The IISAGE REU program is a 10-week summer program that provides firsthand research training for undergraduate students. Students will join IISAGE laboratories across the United States to investigate the sex-based differences in aging amongst various diverse animal species. Research projects will range from computational studies, to molecular and physiological studies in the lab, to fieldwork on wild populations. This paid summer research experience provides in-depth research training and career development skills in a team setting. Students will be co-mentored by faculty, postdoctoral students, and graduate students from across IISAGE. Undergraduate students participating in the program will gain hands-on experience in research, foster their interest in biology, and prepare for careers in science.

Eligibility.

Participants in this NSF-sponsored program must be US citizens, US nationals, or US permanent residents.
Participants must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program to participate. Students who graduate before the end of the program period are not eligible to participate.

Compensation.

This REU program provides a stipend of $6000 to participants. If students require on-campus housing, in many cases, accommodations in dorms can be arranged with advance notice (costs will be subtracted from the stipend).

How to Apply.

Please complete and submit an application here. You must attach the following three documents to your application:

Personal Statement – A 600-word essay (pasted into the application form) describing your interests and career goals and outlining your goals for participating in this program. Please identify a specific IISAGE lab from one of our 9 participating institutes (see here) for your research training and explain your choice.
Academic Transcript – Please provide an unofficial academic transcript that demonstrates your academic performance.
Resume – Please submit a comprehensive resume that outlines your educational qualifications, prior research experience, academic achievements, and any other relevant extracurricular activities or accomplishments.

NOTE: You are also required to submit the name and contact information for a reference (e.g., research mentor, academic advisor, instructor) that can speak to your motivation, abilities, and potential. Following the application deadline, IISAGE will reach out to this reference for a recommendation letter, allowing them several weeks to provide their response.

Applications are due Friday, January 31st, 2025. PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW

Application packages must be complete (application, transcript, resume, recommendation) in order to be considered.

To be fair to other applicants, we kindly ask that you refrain from accepting our offer if you are awaiting a response from another program.
Once we have received your application, transcript, resume, and recommendation, we will begin the review/selection process. Selections will be made in early March 2025.
Award letters will be sent to accepted applicants through the email provided on the application. Award letters need to be signed and emailed to jfavors7@uab.edu.
After the signed award letters are returned, Jordan Favors, the program manager, will inform applicants of the next steps.

Please visit iisage.org/team for more information on the host lab you are interested in working in this upcoming summer and the skills they have to offer.

NOTE: Dates for this 10-week program will be decided by the principal investigator (PI) of the laboratory you are applying for. These dates will be communicated with you in the official acceptance letter.

Questions?

For additional program information, please direct your questions to our program manager Jordan Favors.