Fellowships and Grants

The Jack Steller Summer Curriculum Enhancement Fellowship

The Jack Steller Endowment supports summer research programs for Molecular Biology majors coordinated by program faculty. The objectives of this program are to:

  1. Provide the Molecular Biology program with ways to incorporate new technologies into the curriculum
  2. Serve as a vehicle for continued revitalization of laboratory components of molecular biology courses
  3. Give potential teachers first-hand experience in the modification or development of, as well as implementation of, projects in the teaching laboratory.
  4. Enhance faculty research programs by freeing faculty from spending time performing course laboratory development tasks that students can carry out and benefit from.

Students will be selected on a competitive basis and will receive stipends for their work and budget support for supplies.

Deadline: Usually announced in February. Students receive notices by email from the program director, and fliers with information on how to apply are posted in the Biology and Chemistry department offices.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), Pomona College

Pomona College will competitively award a number of summer stipends to support student research. Funding is available to support students serving as research assistants to faculty, undertaking research collaboratively with faculty, or pursuing their own research agenda with frequent and substantive faculty interaction.  All fields of study are included.

Stipends and Research Supplies/Expenses: Stipends are awarded for up to 10 weeks of full-time research. A maximum of $500 is available to cover laboratory supplies or ground transportation essential to the proposed project.
On-Campus Housing Information:  Information about on-campus housing will be made available at the time awards are announced.
Eligibility:  All continuing Pomona faculty are eligible as collaborators, as are faculty in five-college academic programs.  Faculty are expected to be available on campus for most of the proposed research period, which may be as short as four or as long as 10 weeks.  The program is not open to graduating seniors.  Early in the fall semester, participants will be expected to present the results of their research in a poster conference or similar forum.
Deadline:  Usually in February.

For more information, visit the SURP official website.

HHMI-Supported Summer Research

Funding is available to support students (freshmen are also encouraged to apply) doing summer research with Pomona College science professors, especially for students doing interdisciplinary research. Further, a goal of the HHMI grant is to encourage participation of minority students. The fellowship consists of a stipend for 10 weeks of full-time research, some travel funds to present results at a meeting and some supply funds.

Deadline: Applications are usually due in February. Details and applications available in the Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics department offices.

HHMI Application Information

HHMI News: "The Claremont Colleges Receive $3.6 Million Grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Prepare Leaders in Science and Medicine"

Personal Grants

You should also check with the professor with whom you would like to work because they usually have grants that cover stipends for students doing research with them.

Other funding sources available in previous years but not currently:

Beckman Scholarships

The purpose of this program is to "stimulate, encourage and support research activities by exceptionally talented undergraduate students centered in either chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medicinal sciences or some combination of these subjects."

Stipends:  Scholars are supported for two summers of research and the academic year in between with both a stipend and funds for supplies and travel to scientific meetings.  Each Beckman Scholar at Pomona College will receive a taxable award to perform research with a Pomona College mentor for two summers and the intervening academic year.  Beckman funding for supplies will be available.  This scholarship will not be deducted from the financial aid award of the recipient.
Eligibility:  Sophomores with GPAs at or above 10.75 and juniors whose GPA places them among the top 10% of majors in Chemistry, Biology, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience (in the first two years, this cutoff has been at 11.2 GPA) are eligible to apply if majoring in one of these sciences. If the student is receiving financial aid, because of the high honor accorded by this award, Pomona College will not deduct the award from any financial aid award to the student.
Deadline: These fellowships are not available this year.

Pomona College was a recipient of this award on two occasions: 2001 and 2004. For more information, visit the Beckman Scholarship webpage.

Merck Fellowship

Its objective is to enhance molecular biology student-faculty research. In addition to summer research, the program includes a summer seminar for the students about aspects of a science career choice, a chance to invite a speaker to campus who is chosen by the Merck fellows, and modest support for driving to local talks and meetings.

Eligibility: Ideal recipients would be molecular biology juniors, but other students in biology and chemistry with an interest in bringing both perspectives to their research will be considered.

The Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program (USRP) is a national competitive awards program.  Pomona College was a recipient of this award on two occasions: 2002-2004 and 2007-2009.