Vanderbilt Internship in Biophotonics for Emerging Scholars (VIBES) 2026

The Vanderbilt Internship in Biophotonics for Emerging Scholars (VIBES) is launching its second cohort in May 2026 and will be bringing undergraduate students to campus to work closely with VBC faculty on biophotonics-related research projects. The paid 10-week internship program will provide undergraduates with the opportunity to have first-hand research experience in a laboratory or clinical setting. To learn more about our 2025, read the August edition of our center's newsletter Light Reading .

The application for VIBES 2026 program will go live November 5^th .

Overview

10 weeks
$5,000 stipend, with on-campus housing provided
Hands-on research experience on a biophotonics-related project

Note: The link shows past project examples. The faculty will assign the project(s) to the student based on skill set and available grants.

Work with a diverse array of faculty supervisors, graduate students, and other undergraduate students
Learn more about various post-graduate and career options, including graduate school at Vanderbilt
Engage in social activities and weekly professional development workshops
Explore the field of biophotonics and the city of Nashville

Timeline

February 1^st, 2026 -- Student Application Deadline
March 1^st, 2026 -- Notice of Decision
March 15^th, 2026 -- Deadline to Accept Spot in Program
May 26^th, 2026 -- Program Start Date
July 31^st, 2026 -- Program End Date

Application Instructions

In order to be considered for VIBES 2026, please fill out the application after it opens on November 5th, 2025, before the deadline of 5:00 PM CST on February 1^st, 2026.

Applicants will be asked to upload their unofficial transcript, resume/CV, and a 1-page personal statement with their application. VIBES also requires 2 recommendations with a third being preferred. Instructions for recommendation submission can be found in the application

If you have any further issues, concerns, questions, or inquiries, please direct them to Tania Carter (Program Coordinator), who can be reached at vbc@vanderbilt.edu. Please use the following subject line: Question(s) regarding VIBES 2026.

Application deadline: February 1^st, 2026
Program dates for 2025: May 26^th, 2026 - July 31^st, 2026