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Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center

Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center
  2. Frequently Asked Questions | SRP 2024

Frequently Asked Questions | SRP 2024

  • Is there housing available and how much will it cost?
    On-campus summer housing may be available through the Office of Conferences. For Off-Campus housing, there is a referral website provided by the Office of Housing and Residential Education. If the On-Campus housing is not open because of COVID issues, there is an off-site location that costs $89.00 per night. We will keep an eye on this housing situation and relay information as needed. The paragraph below has information on summer housing.

    The Office of Conferences Summer Intern Housing (on-campus shared apartments) site: 
    https://www.vanderbilt.edu/meetatvanderbilt/experiential-learning-housing/

    Information on rates and reservations is located on the right-hand side navigation bar. Please note that it is first-come first-serve and a $250 non-refundable deposit per participant is due with the housing application. For on-campus housing, the participant will pay for their own housing via credit/debit card or cashiers check.
  • How will I be paid?
    Paychecks will be issued monthly. Direct deposit is required.
  • What is the minimum GPA requirement?
    Applications will be considered regardless of GPA listed
  • Are applications from international students accepted?
    Unfortunately, we are unable to accept international students for our program this year.
  • Are participants allowed to take courses during the summer?
    No. This is an intensive research experience and we expect your full-time commitment to the program.
  • When is the last day to complete the application?
    The application deadline for the Summer 2024 Research Program is February 14, 2024.
  • I am from another University, am I eligible to apply?
    Yes.
  • Is the program binding? Am I required to participate if I am selected for the program?
    Once an award offer has been made, the students are given a window of time to accept or decline. This time is meant to give students the opportunity to weigh all options that may be available to them for the summer. We don't encourage students to accept an offer if there is a strong likelihood that they are more interested in another opportunity that would result in them wanting to leave this program.
  • What kind of research would I be involved in?
    There are a number of research opportunities. Samples of the projects can be found on the website or by clicking here. Please note that the project descriptions are only samples meant to give an idea of what research topics can be expected; these are not necessarily the projects students may end up being assigned to.
  • Do you have to be an engineering major to apply?
    No; although many projects have core engineering foundations, you do  not need to be an engineering major to apply to this program. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research projects, non-engineering students who have coursework in physics and optics and might be a good match for a project are encouraged to apply.
  • What are the requirements for acceptance into the program?
    The match is handled through multiple stages; academic performance and faculty input are taken into consideration.
  • Will this be an opportunity to find real work at the graduate level at VUSE or elsewhere?
    Absolutely! A number of our alumni have gone into graduate school for biomedical engineering. Building an important network of contacts and gaining valuable graduate level research experience are just a few perks of the program.
  • Can this work be applied to undergraduate/future graduate studies for credit?
    Unfortunately it does not, but the research a student conducts can definitely lead to further research at the graduate level in the same field of study. Also, some students have been able to publish and present their work.
  • Can high school students, community college students, college graduates, or graduate students participate?
    Students must be current undergraduates enrolled in a four-year college or university to participate. They must be sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors to apply. Freshmen are welcome to apply, but priority is given to the upperclassmen.
  • How are program placements made?
    The online application allows you to select three research areas for which you are most interested. Placement in those programs are not guaranteed.
  • How long will the program run?
    The program will run for 10 weeks.
  • How many students will participate in the program?
    We anticipate 5-6 students will participate in the program.
  • Are students without previous research experience eligible?
    Yes, however, previous research experience is highly encouraged.
  • When will application decisions be made?
    Application decisions will be made by April 10, 2024.

For general information regarding the program, please click here .

For more information regarding potentially similar research topics, please click here .

For information regarding a few program alumni, please click here .