UPWARDS Undergraduate Academic Year Program

Program Details:

The MD Anderson UPWARDS Academic Year Research Training Program will cultivate undergraduate scientists with the goal of  increasing participation in biomedical graduate programs and in the cancer research workforce by supporting 10 undergraduate trainees per year. The program offers stipends, fringe benefits, and provide a modest travel allowance if invited to present at a conference or symposium. UPWARDS Undergraduate Academic Year Program trainees will be appointed for one year with competitive renewal option for up to two years. Renewals will be dependent upon successful academic and research progress, participation in activities related to the UPWARDS Undergraduate Academic Year Training Program (e.g., an annual presentation, journal club meetings) and competition with new applicants.

Accepted students will take part in a paid part-time year-long research experience at MD Anderson. Through this experience, students will be paired with a faculty member working in his /her lab gaining hands-on research experience, participate in didactic coursework and training, and receive mentoring to guide the trainee in their future academic and professional pursuits.

All trainees accepted into the UPWARDS undergraduate academic year research experience will be required to participate in two outreach activities during the course of the program. The leadership team will work with each trainee to identify opportunities around their school and lab schedules. Additional details will be provided upon acceptance into the program. 

Eligibility:

Applicants must be a student, from a local college or university, who will be a sophomore, junior or senior for the Fall 2024 semester/September 2024 and in good academic standing. All applicants must be an undergraduate who identifies as economically disadvantaged, educationally disadvantaged, with disabilities, or a first-generation college student.

Applications are now open.  The following information is required on the application:

•        Personal information

•        Resume

•        Current progress report/report card/Official transcript

•        Statement of research experience and area(s) of interest. In addition to detailing any research experience that you may have, please use this section to highlight any specific areas of research you would like to explore/learn, during the year, or a faculty mentor that you would like to train with. If you do not have any research experience to date, please indicate describe your interest in pursuing an academic and/or professional career in cancer research (5000 characters inclusive of spaces and punctuation).

•        Two letters of recommendation. One letter must come from a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) teacher. Both letters should be submitted by your referees directly into SLATE. Once you submit your application, you will be prompted to create a SLATE account where you can add
the contact information for your referees. Once this is done, referees will receive an email, directly, prompting them to upload their respective letters
to the portal.

Applications must be completed and submitted before the deadline (May 28, 2024 at 11:59 PM, CST).  Incomplete applications will be purged after the deadline has passed. If the information found here did not provide the answers you need, please feel free to email the Program Director, Kara Lewis, Dr.P.H. (keleonard@mdanderson.org) or Program Manager, Valoree Solis, M.B.A. (vdsolis@mdanderson.org).