PATHS-UP

Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations

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PATHS-UP SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES

Program Basics

During the PATHS-UP summer research experience, participants will work closely with faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate mentors on current research projects, make short progress presentations to their peers during program meetings, attend presentation skills workshops, make a formal poster presentation of their research experience at the end of the program, and submit a written, final report describing the results of their research. Students should not enroll in additional academic courses during the summer sessions. It is hoped that the students participating in the program will make significant contributions to ongoing faculty research and, more importantly, will gain an appreciation for and an interest in graduate school and a future research career.

Focus 

  • Provide hands-on learning experiences, expose undergraduate students to research techniques and integrate them into the research community at PATHS-UP institutions.
  • Enhance the student’s technical background, communication and leadership skills in their chosen PATHS-UP field.
  • Increase students’ interest and knowledge regarding graduate education.
  • Encourage undergraduate students to attend graduate school and increase the number who receive graduate degrees.

Outcomes

  • Exposure and practice designing, conducting, and analyzing biomedical experiments.
  • Contributions towards real translational research objectives.
  • Experience with cutting-edge methods for modeling system behavior, detecting chemical biomarkers, constructing multiplexed assays, and designing custom biomaterials.
  • Develop computational skills by processing complex datasets from experiments.
  • Practice using cutting-edge research tools and techniques.

Summer 2025 Program Details

The 10 week program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct research at one of our four partner institutions (TAMU, UCLA, Rice, and FIU). This year’s program will involve undergraduate students from across the nation as well as 1st-year students from our four partner institutions. With funding provided by the National Science Foundation, we aim to support more than 10 undergraduate students during the summer of 2024. Students accepted into the PATHS-UP Summer Research Experience Program – designated as PATHS-UP Scholars – will sequentially complete four online technical modules (aligned with the technical thrusts of PATHS-UP), be matched with a PATHS-UP laboratory aligned with their interests, and complete a 10-week research training experience.

Program Dates & Application Process

The application requires statements describing the applicant’s research interests and technical skills, along with unofficial transcripts. Applicants are encouraged to start the application process well in advance of the deadline, as PATHS-UP will be conducting a “rolling admissions” process.  Therefore, the application link will remain active until all positions are filled.  

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Eligibility

To participate in the program, students should:

  • have an interest in and a desire to participate in ongoing research in one of the four PATHS-UP thrust areas with the goal of developing enabling technologies and advanced engineered systems toward better health for underserved populations;
  • have completed their first year in almost any curriculum of engineering and the physical and mathematical sciences;
  • plan to graduate no earlier than December 2025;
  • be 18 years of age or older;
  • be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;

We are committed to recruiting, supporting, and engaging a diverse group of undergraduate students from across the nation and 1st-year students from our four partner institutions in a PATHS-UP summer research experience. Thus, we are looking for students at all levels, including first-year students majoring in STEM. Additionally, students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM and students with diverse experiences and/or backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply for a PATHS-UP summer research experience.

PATHS-UP Scholars must specifically meet the following criteria:

Student Requirements

  1. Students selected for grant support may not be enrolled in additional courses, other than the required independent study/research course, during either summer school session.
  2. Research hours to be worked are determined by individual faculty members (40 hours / week).
  3. Each student will be required to participate in a research poster session at the end of the ten-week grant period.
  4. Each student will be required to prepare a research plan, two progress reports, and a poster presentation describing the results of his/her research program.
  5. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Funding

  • Each participant will receive a stipend, with the specific amount and stipend release dates detailed in the offer letter. On average, the stipend is between $3,000 to $6,000 for the duration of the program. 
  • If reimbursement for student travel expenses and/or lodging is available, this will also be specified in the offer letter.