Center for Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health Disparities SPUR

Program Purpose

This federally funded program is designed to encourage and aid traditionally underrepresented undergraduate students interested in pursuing research-based careers designed to reduce or eliminate health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities. Central to the program is the pairing of each student to a faculty mentor who will guide him or her through the summer research project. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty from a wide variety of UCLA departments, including the life sciences departments (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics; Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology; Physiological Science; and Psychology), Epidemiology, Public Health, Psychiatry, Urban Planning, Chicano Studies, Social Welfare and Medicine. Students are required to pursue research problems that focus on, or can apply to, health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities.

In addition to conducting research, students will also be given valuable assistance in the graduate school application process, including preparation for the Graduate Record Examination and workshops on drafting a personal statement. The goal of the summer is to give students a glimpse of their future careers as researchers, while equipping them with the tools to successfully pursue advanced degrees in health.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Be juniors during the 2007-2008 academic year
Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
Have previous research experience
Plan to attend graduate or medical school in a science/health-related discipline with the intention of research being a significant part of one' career

Award

Program participants will receive a $2,400 stipend, as well as room and/or a meal allowance (half at the beginning of the program and half at the end, upon successful completion of all program requirements). All program participants (including UCLA undergraduates) are required to reside in assigned University housing. Students will be reimbursed up to $450 for round-trip travel (e.g., airfare, taxi) from home to UCLA. Students traveling within California but outside of the Los Angeles area will be reimbursed up to $200 for travel expenses (e.g., taxi, mileage).

Limited parking is available at the student’s expense, payable in full at the beginning of the program. For 2007, the rate was $150.00 for 8 weeks and $210 for 10 weeks. See the UCLA SPUR Viewbook for cancellation and penalty policies.

Program Components & Expectations

The program features:

regular seminars on academic career opportunities
GRE test preparation
writing and research skills
strategies for enhancing success in applying to graduate school
graduate school funding opportunities
opportunities for informal discussion with UCLA graduate students
cultural and educational activities

Participants are required to complete the entire 8- or 10-week program. Thus, participants are expected not to work nor enroll in classes during the program. The research objectives of the program are substantial and require full-time student commitment. At the end of the program, each participant is required to give an oral presentation and/or participate in a poster session, submit a minimum 15-page typewritten report, and a one-page abstract describing his/her research. Each participant must attend all required seminars, lectures, informal faculty discussions, and weekly student/staff meetings.

As a condition of acceptance into the program, program participants will be asked after their departure to update information on their educational and career activities. This tracking is done solely to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. It is critical that we be able to conduct this long-term evaluation in order to maintain continuing funding for the programs. The information collected remains strictly confidential.

Program Dates

8 weeks: Sunday, June 22, 2008 to Saturday, August 16, 2008
10 weeks: Sunday, June 22, 2008 to Friday, August 29, 2008

Deadline

All application materials and supporting documents must be received by January 18, 2008. Preference will be given to applications that are completed by the program's deadline. Notification of decisions on applications will be made beginning at the end of May 2008.

For Further Information Contact

Please visit the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities.

How To Apply

You must submit an Online Application & Support Materials. Please make sure you submit a complete application by sending all pertinent supporting materials via mail or private carrier.