Faculty Frequently Asked Questions

What is this program?
The goal of the BSBRP is to support an intensive research experience in bioengineering for undergraduates of any major at UC Berkeley. Students participate as full time members of a bioengineering laboratory for ten weeks over the summer, and are paid a stipend of $3,300. Workshops, tours and events are also provided.

In past years, this program has been a huge success, and is an outstanding experience for undergrads. Many students choose to continue working in their faculty lab during the school year, and many go on to the top graduate schools and are motivated to pursue a career in bioengineering research.

How does it work?

• The 2008 BSBRP program will be a matchmaking program, finding outstanding students to work full-time in your lab this summer.
  We find them - you pay their stipend.
• You submit a description of your research, and student selection criteria
• We recruit students, and pre-screen if you desire
• You make the final student selection
• We provide workshops, tours, a poster session and administrative support for the student
• You provide the student’s stipend
• Supporting a student for the summer costs only $3,300 - for 10 weeks of dedicated, full-time work from a bright undergrad of your choice! That’s $10 or less per hour, a great deal.
• You may hire more than one student!

Why should I join the BSBRP summer program?

• With our very competitive application process, wide advertisement and great reputation, we’ll get you the best students
• Students like putting the BSBRP, an established competitive program, on their resume and grad school applications.
• Your students get more than the lab work - we take them on tours, a fun event and put on a poster session
• The BSBRP program will cover all administrative and event costs: recruitment, training, workshops, industry tours, poster printing, and the poster session
• BSBRP program staff will advertise and recruit students for you, collect applications specifically for your lab, weed applications down to a number you specify based on your criteria, and present you with highly qualified applicants to choose from. We’ll even help you interview them if you want.

What do faculty have to do?

• Fill out the online application to participate - Sign up by February 27!
• On the form, describe your research and what you are looking for in an intern
• Let us know the maximum number of applications you want to receive
• Make the final choice of student
• Commit to paying $3,300 for their summer stipend, transferred to our department for disbursal
• Commit to providing a mentoring and educational environment for the student, and a research project for them to work on
• Assign someone in your lab as a daily mentor
• Allow them leave from your lab to attend two workshops and two industry tours
• Review their poster and have the present to your group meeting, try to attend the poster session
• Program dates are June 2 - August 8
• If your lab is off campus it should be accessible by public transit.

What will program staff do for us?

• We’ll advertise the program and your lab description to find the best applicants for you
• We’ll narrow down your list of applicants to the maximum number you want to review, based on your criteria
• We’ll provide you with the transcript, resume and cover letter of each applicant
• We’ll help set up student interviews if you want
• We’ll communicate with the students about their selection and responsibilities
• We will provide basic lab safety training for general wet labs
• We’ll handle paying the students, you must transfer the funds to us
• We’ll take them on a tour of industry labs
• We’ll give them a fun event
• We’ll put them through a workshop on making a research poster and have their poster printed
• We’ll put on a big end-of-summer poster session on August 8, and invite industry and campus supporters

Great! I Want to sign up!

Complete the faculty sign up form

Be sure to fill out the whole thing! We can’t help you if we don’t have the information!

Deadline!
We need to have your signups in by the deadline BEFORE we can start accepting student applications.
Sign up by February 27!