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About the Summer Science Program:
The Sarah Lawrence College Summer Science Program began in 2001, with the goal of providing SLC students an opportunity to engage in hands-research experience in various disciplines of science and mathematics through an intensive 10-week summer program. In doing so, students gain a robust understanding of the means of conducting research through individual and collaborative projects, develop their ability to ask questions and formulate hypotheses, experience new research techniques and approaches, design and carry out experiments, analyze results, and communicate their findings to a wider audience through publication, presentation at conferences, or as part of the college's Science Poster Symposium. In addition to research, the on-campus summer program also includes weekly programming, social activities and other events.
In the years since its founding and with financial support from Barbara Cohn, Wendy Lipp, Suzanne Salter Arkin, and the family of Ian Lipkin, the Summer Science Program has grown to include a variety of different components:
Internships: Paid, on-campus research with Science Division faculty members in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics or Physics. Through this internship program, students can also conduct research at the Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB). The 10-week, in-person program includes a stipend, on-campus housing, as well as the joy of working in a collaborative, casual, vibrant atmosphere. Participating faculty are listed below. For further information about a particular faculty member's work, please contact that faculty member directly.
Arkin Externships: Full funding is available to support students working for the summer in Biology or Chemistry labs at other institutions in the New York regional area or elsewhere. The funding includes a stipend as well as additional support for housing and living expenses, allowing you to apply to external labs and working for them at no cost to that institution. Note: because of COVID, labs continue to be very uncertain as to their ability to accept summer students. Be sure to search out the researcher's own web pages for further information about their lab. Be patient and persistent in securing a commitment to accept you.
The Ian Lipkin '74 Science Prize: The Lipkin Prize will be awarded to a student who wishes to conduct a research project in Science or Mathematics. The research can be performed either in the summer, at Sarah Lawrence or another institution, or during the next academic year as a senior thesis. The recipient of the Lipkin Prize will be awarded a stipend that can be used for fieldwork and/or costs associated with attending and presenting their work at a conference. In addition, the awardee will have the opportunity to meet with Professor Lipkin and visit his laboratory at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University.
Applications:
To apply, please complete and submit the application form along with your resume and a one-page cover-letter by Friday February 23, 2024. To access the application, go to the Summer Science 2024 application form.
2024 SLC Faculty Participants (Internship Program):
Merideth Frey - Physics
Students will be trained in the basics of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and utilize benchtop NMR spectrometers to help with the preparation and dissemination of curricular materials developed to support the integration of NMR into the undergraduate science curriculum.
Contact email: mfrey@sarahlawrence.edu
Michelle Hersh - Ecology
Students will participate in DNA barcoding studies exploring how fungal plant pathogens help maintain plant diversity and characterizing bacterial pathogen pollution in urban streams.
Contact email: mhersh@sarahlawrence.edu
Mike Siff – Computer Science
Students will help design and develop curricula that use classic video games to motivate learning to code.
Contact email: msiff@sarahlawrence.edu
Ryan Palmer - CURB
CURB is seeking 2 students to work at the college’s Hudson River field station in downtown Yonkers. One will focus on mentoring our “Yonkers Blue Team” of 10 High School students conducting water quality research and helping them plan a community education event on August 10th (please indicate when applying if you would be able to attend this event since it is after the internship ends). Another will focus on a new microplastics monitoring program with tech startup
PolyGone Systems. The student will collect and analyze water samples for microplastics and field test PolyGone’s “Plastic Hunter” collection system. Both will assist in a variety of other education and community programs at CURB as time allows.
Questions regarding Summer Science Program? Contact Merideth Frey (mfrey@sarahlawrence.edu), Science 105