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Welch Summer Research Program

Do you want to spend your summer exploring, making a difference, and getting paid?

The 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ Baptist Chemistry Department has been awarded a Welch Departmental Grant continuously since 2005. Renewed every 3 years, current funding extends through 2026. This funding is used to provide a summer research experience designed to emulate a graduate-level research lab and pays for:

  • Research supplies
  • Student stipends
  • Travel expenses to scientific meetings

Participation in the Welch Summer Research Program counts towards the upper level course requirements for chemistry, biology, and molecular biology majors and chemistry minors.

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The Welch Summer Research Program Process

The Welch Summer Research Program follows a timeline that begins the Fall before the program and carries on the entire year following participation. Click on the different stages to learn more about what happens along the journey.

Students interested in participating in the Welch Summer Research Program must participate in a competitive application process during the Fall semester.

Application checklist:

  • resume
  • unofficial transcript

and answer the following three questions:

  • What is the value of research?
  • How will participation in this program help you reach your goals?
  • Describe your most exciting science experience (project, lab, video, person, observation, etc.)

The application deadline is typically mid to late November, and selection is made immediately after Thanksgiving break. Depending on the available faculty, funding, and applicant pool, anywhere from 2-6 students may be selected, although more have been chosen in unusual circumstances. Preference is given to chemistry majors and minor, but all 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ students are permitted to apply.

Selected students will be paired with a research advisor based on interests and availability. The student will enroll in a 1-hour research course MSCI 4103 during the Spring semester. During that time, the advisor will guide the student in reading relevant background scientific literature, identifying a research question, formulating a research plan, and getting training with all the equipments and procedures that will be needed.

Students carry out the research at WBU for 8 weeks over the summer. The university provides room and board along with a 3-hour tuition credit for MSCI 4303, while the grant pays a $4,000 summer stipend. During the course of the 8 weeks, students are expected to prioritize their research and put in up to 40 hours a week as needed. This research emersion gives students a true taste of what life as a researcher is like and is transformative in their competency as a scientist!

All participating students and advisors gather weekly for a combined lab meeting to give progress reports and discuss results. Toward the end of the summer, the students write up their results as abstracts to submit for presentation at scientific meetings.

All students who participate in the Welch Summer Research Program are expected to present their results to at least one scientific conference - but more often they go to 2 or 3! Conference and travel expenses are paid through the grant and the chemistry department. Welch Research Scholars have presented and received awards at numerous conferences throughout the years, including:

  • Southwest Regional Meetings of the American Chemical Society
  • American Chemical Society National Meetings
  • Texas Academy of Science
  • WBU Spring Research Day

Welch Research Scholars have presented in almost every major city in Texas, and have traveled out of state to locations such as Denver, San Diego, Little Rock, Indianapolis, and Orlando. This extensive traveling and presentation experience is the final step in training for professional research and science careers.

If this sounds like something for you, consider applying this Fall!

Important Dates for Welch 2025

October 14, 2024 - Applications open

November 15, 2024 - Application deadline

December 2, 2024 - Selection Notification

Spring 2025 - Enroll in MSCI 4103

June 2, 2025 - Summer research begins

July 25, 2025 - Summer research ends

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