Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship

The Department of Chemistry at Missouri S&T offers scholarship supported summer research opportunities to S&T chemistry majors at all levels.  It is anticipated that 10 scholarships will be awarded with no more than one UGSRS awardee per research group.   One of the students will be supported by the Carey and Christine Bottom Endowed Scholarship and the other students will be supported by Peter H. Pietsch Memorial ScholarshipsWouter Bosch Endowed Scholarships, and William Hamlet Webb Endowed Scholarships.  

The Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship (UGSRS) Program was first implemented in the summer of 2019 and met with great student acceptance.  Due to the pandemic, the program was adapted to support research during the academic year AY20/21 and, again, the program succeeded very well. The scholarship amounts of the UGSRS Program for the summer of 2021 are as follows: 

  • Students with 0-1 semester of research experience:  $3,360
  • Students with 2-3 semesters of research experience:  $3,680
  • Bottom Scholarship requires completion of 60 credit hours and students with >3 semester of research experience: $4,000  

Undergraduate students are sought who want to focus on chemistry research for eight weeks starting on Monday, June 7, 2021 and ending on Friday, July 30, 2021 (i.e., the S&T summer session 2021).  Support for less than eight weeks of research overall or for the conduct of the research in a different period might be provided under extraordinary circumstances. 

How to Apply

  1. The prospective undergraduate researcher needs to find a research advisor for the UGSRS Program
  2. The research advisor needs to email the nomination to Dr. Jeff Winiarz, Chair of Undergraduate Recruiting and Scholarships Committee. Nomination should include: 
    • A one-page description (single-spaced, 12pt font, 1 in. margins) of the summer project, written collaboratively by the undergraduate student and their advisor
    • A current resume of the student
    • A brief description of mentoring plans written by the advisor and their group
    • If the projected research period would not align with the standar eight week period, then must include: A timeline of the research plans with a justification of the non-standard summer research period
  3. Preference will be given to S&T Chemistry undergraduate students who: 
    • Have already been active in undergraduate research as participants in the FYRE and/or OURE programs
    • Have already been conducting research as part of experiential learning
    • Have already been enrolled in Chem 4099 
    • Have already been working with faculty on grant supported research
  4. Preference will be given to applicatns who will work in an environment that provides effective mentoring through the advisor and/or their graduate students working in the same research area
  5. All selected 2021 students w2ill have to enroll in one credit hour of undergraduate research (CHEM 4099) during the summer in parallel with the UGSRS Program. 

If applicants have questions about how this funding will impact their current financial aid package, please contact the Student Financial Assistance Office at sfa@mst.edu or 573-341-4282.

Applications are due Friday, March 12, 2021 (extended from previously posted due date of February 26, 2021). Applications will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Recruiting and Scholarships Committee.  Decisions will be made by Friday, March 26, 2021.  Visit the Program Activities page to learn about the past and present program scholars, their mentors, their research topics, and their sponsors.  Also find information about the academic and social program activities and read testimonials from program alumni.