Do you do research in a faculty lab here at UChicago? Do you want to do research in faculty lab here? How would you like to be in a program designed to maximize your research experience?

Then, the Beckman Scholars Program (funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation) in Molecular Sciences might just be what you're looking for.

Overview

This program is meant to provide students in the College the best opportunity to develop the skills that will promote their success during graduate and post-graduate training and begin building tools for independence and leadership. In addition to working in the laboratory of a UChicago mentor you will meet regularly with other undergraduate researchers on campus to develop judgment, insight and critical thinking skills.

The Beckman Scholars Program is aimed towards current second-year and third-year students in the College. Scholars perform research activities on a part-time basis (10 hours per week) during the academic year and on a full-time basis (ten 40-hour weeks each summer) over two summers immediately before and after the academic year research experience. The program provides a total award of $21,000, as follows:

Eligibility

Full-time commitment is required during the summers; you may not take courses nor can you hold another paying job. 

All Beckman Scholars are required to attend the Beckman Scholars Symposium sponsored by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, held annually at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering in Irvine, CA (July 25 & 26) and Boston, MA (August 1 & 2). Guests are pre-assigned to one event location by the Foundation. During the second summer in the program, Beckman Scholars present the results of their work as posters or platform presentations.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation acknowledges, appreciates, and supports the fundamental roles that justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) have in scientific progress and innovation. The Beckman Scholars Program seeks applicants from all backgrounds, and strives to ensure a fair and equitable process for selection of awardees, recognizing that excellent science is not the exclusive endeavor of one group of people, but of all people, working collaboratively to accomplish unique solutions to challenging scientific questions.

The founders of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation challenged them that "there is no satisfactory substitute for excellence" and "absolute integrity in all things" - not just in the research laboratory, but in life. The Beckman Scholars Program evaluates all aspects of the Scholar experience in the review process.

Read more about the policy here.

Program Application

To apply for the Beckman Scholars Program, complete the application form.

The application can be accessed here.

The application consists of five components:

1. A one-page statement of your career goals and reasons for participating in the Beckman Scholars Program
2. An unofficial U of C transcript
3. A 5-page research proposal, exclusive of references and figures, describing the project, including an experimental approach.
4. Two letters of recommendation. One from the mentor and the other from a U of C faculty member or a previous research mentor. Please send letters of recommendation to Lilia Johnson.
5. Your Curriculum Vitae

Application Deadline is 5:00 PM Friday, February 23rd, 2024

Application Timeline:

Mentorship and Oversight

The Beckman Scholars Program in Molecular Sciences is overseen by a faculty Director, who chairs the Beckman Scholar Steering Committee and an Administrator.

Director
John Anderson Ph.D., Assoc. Professor and Assoc. Chair, Dept. of Chemistry

Steering Committee
John Anderson Ph.D., Assoc. Professor and Assoc. Chair, Dept. of Chemistry; Steve Kron M.D.-Ph.D., Professor, Dept. Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology; Scott Snyder Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Chemistry

Administrator
Lilia Johnson, Administrator, Dept. of Chemistry

Beckman Scholars must do research in the lab of one of the outstanding faculty members, listed below. They have all chosen to mentor undergraduates in this program and come from a variety of departments in the physical and the biological sciences. The group includes faculty recognized by the highest teaching awards at UChicago--the Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and the J. and J. Neubauer Junior Faculty Development Award. All have vigorous, nationally-funded research programs with an stellar record of mentoring undergraduates in their research areas.

Further Information

For program or application-related questions, please contact jsanderson@uchicago.edu or chem-dus@lists.edu.

For application submission issues, please contact liliajohnson@uchicago.edu.