The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program

The Summer Student Program at The Jackson Laboratory is a paid fellowship designed for students who want to immerse themselves in genetics and genomics research. It emphasizes laboratory discovery, communication of knowledge, and professional growth. Approximately 40 students are selected to participate in an ongoing research program with the support of an experienced scientific mentor. They develop an independent project, implement their plan, analyze the data, and report the results. At the end of the summer, they present their findings to researchers, other students, and parents at a symposium.

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Admission to the Summer Student Program is competitive, and the program seeks to admit students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.  These efforts enhance the impact of the SSP experience for all participants and support national efforts to expand the biomedical research workforce to individuals from groups underrepresented and underserved in biomedicine.  The SSP will include a diverse community of learners, including members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in biomedicine, people from disadvantaged socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities. Students from groups underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply. 

• High school students: (Maine program only)
  • Completed 12th grade
  • At least 18 years old
  • A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident

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• College students: (Maine and Connecticut programs)
  • Enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student
  • Have at least one semester of undergraduate study remaining before graduation 
  • A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident

• January 30

• A completed online application
• Two letters of recommendation 
• An unofficial transcript
• A resume
• A list of the science, technology, engineering, and computer science courses you have taken within the past three years, noting which had laboratory components
• A ranked list of your top three research interests, or labs, after reviewing our faculty research summaries
• A written description of your research interests and rankings of your research area choices; and
• Three short answer responses (each one in 3,000 characters or less, including spaces) to the following questions:
  • What about genetic and genomic science interests you? 
  • What have you read, heard or seen recently that excites your scientific curiosity?  What will you tell your friends, colleagues, or family about it and how interesting you think this thing is? 
  • Describe your role in a recent research project you have done as part of your coursework, as part of the science fair, or in a research position.  What was the project, how long did you work on it, did you have collaborators (if so, who were they), what did you actually do to work toward the project’s current status? 
  • Discuss the personal qualities you bring to a team or project environment.  Provide a specific example of a contribution you made to a collaborative project.  If applicable, please describe a collaboration with someone whose customs, habits, and/or traditions are different from your own.

• No later than March 31

• Application period runs from November to late January
• Recommendations due no later than one week after the application deadline.