The Kenyon Summer Science Scholars program provides opportunities for students to work in close collaboration with faculty mentors in natural science disciplines as full participants in the processes of creating a research plan, executing a research project, and preparing results for presentation in a public forum. Summer Science Scholars working on the Kenyon campus form a special community, with participants coming together for discussions and social activities.
This program is funded by Kenyon College and by support from individual research grants obtained by science faculty. It is open to students working with faculty members in anthropology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, psychology. Selections for these competitive awards are made by a committee of faculty members from these disciplines.
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The student member of a student/faculty research team is responsible for writing and submitting the proposal (see below) in consultation with the faculty member. The team conducts their research over an 8 to 10 week period in the summer, at the end of which the student member of the team submits a concise and accessible abstract of approximately 200 words describing the project and results. Additionally, summer science scholars present their results at a research poster session during Family Weekend in October.
The current fellowship award is $4,000 per student plus provision of on-campus housing. Students not requiring on-campus housing are not eligible for additional remuneration.
Each student will be able to purchase up to $500 in materials, equipment, or travel to directly support the research project. Any materials, supplies, and equipment will become the property of the College and remain with the department after the summer. All expenses must be approved by the faculty mentor and submitted with original invoice or receipt to the administrative assistant for the faculty mentor’s department no later than the last day of October following the summer project. Funding for conference travel may be requested through a Provost’s Student Research Grant.
A complete proposal consists of
The student member of the research team is responsible for completing the Summer Research Application, while the faculty mentor completes the Faculty Mentor Form. Awards will be announced on or before February 22, 2019. Notification will be by email, copying the faculty mentor. Students may not accept this award if they are participating in another summer research program or has on-campus summer employment, and if they accept the award, they are expected to commit to the KSS program and remove themselves from consideration in other programs.
Students who complete all requirements as stated above and who are endorsed by their faculty mentors will receive audit credit on their transcripts for this summer research experience. Students who will be abroad at the time of the poster session may prepare a poster in advance for display at the session, or they may present their poster in the summer science poster session the following year to complete the requirements for audit credit. If neither of these options is feasible, other arrangements may be made with the approval of Professor Brad Hartlaub and the student’s research mentor.
Students awarded a summer research scholarship whose research involves the use of human subjects, must apply to the Kenyon College IRB for review of their research protocol. Information about IRB application may be found on the IRB web page. Be sure to go to Information for Researchers and pay special attention to "Advice to Students" and "Summer Scholars." IRB applications should be submitted well in advance of the start dates of your program and research.