Summer Research
The 2022 Summer Research Fellowship Program application is open now through Monday, April 11.
This summer’s fellowship program will be held in person at MSU St. Andrews beginning Monday, June 20 through Friday, August 12. We invite current high school juniors and seniors from the Great Lakes Bay region, who are at least 16 years of age, to apply for the opportunity to participate in a unique summer learning experience performing hands-on research alongside St. Andrews’ faculty. Students will investigate novel problems related to chemistry, environmental science, materials science, computer-aided design, and 3D Printing.
Program Overview
Over the eight weeks, students will engage in daily research that will culminate with a presentation scheduled during the last week of the program. All activities will occur at the MSU St. Andrews research facility in Midland, Michigan, Monday through Friday, six hours a day during business hours. Program sessions will not be held in the evenings or on weekends. Students will not participate Friday, July 1, or Monday, July 4. Selected students should be available to participate in person for the program’s entirety and commit to the above schedule. Please note that transportation and housing are not provided.
Fellowship Stipend
Students selected for the program must be able to commit to 30 hours of research per week. Because this will likely make it difficult for students to maintain a summer job, the research fellows will be provided a stipend of $3,000 in two equal payments. Students will need to complete a 1099 form and could have tax liabilities depending on their overall income and other factors – please consult your tax advisor for details.
Important Dates
- Summer Research Fellowship Applications are due Monday, April 11, 2022
- Parent permission is due Monday, April 18, 2022.
- Teacher recommendation is due Monday, April 18, 2022
- All applicants will be informed of their acceptance status in early May.
2022 Application
The summer research application is closed.
Please read our parent and participant handbook for youth programs for information on policies and procedures, as well as during and after hours contact information.
Questions regarding the application and the summer fellowship program should be directed to Clare Light at lightcla@msu.edu.
The MSU St. Andrews facility complements and extends Michigan State University campus research. The activities conducted at the facility, support Michigan State University’s general mission of research, teaching, and service outreach, and specifically advance MSU’s efforts to promote the economic development of Michigan and the nation.
The preservation of the historic St. Andrews facility and the support of our ongoing STEAM outreach programming is made possible through the support of several local organizations: the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, and the Dow Chemical Company Foundation.
Program History
Each summer since 2016, Great Lakes Bay area high school juniors and seniors have had the opportunity to participate with MSU researchers on novel projects in labs with sophisticated equipment. The projects allow students to explore new areas of science and investigate possible careers in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, while improving their research skills and building their resume.
The MSU St. Andrews Summer Research Program began in 2016 hosting students in STEM research topics.
In 2018, a new creative writing initiative was added officially putting the “A” in STEAM education at MSU St. Andrews. The writing program was facilitated by Creative 360.
For summer 2019, accepted students represented 17 different high schools.
In 2020, amidst the pandemic and the devastation resulting from a regional flood, the research program transitioned to a six-week, fully online research fellowship hosting students who represented 21 area high schools. For Summer 2021, the program was paused due to the continuation of COVID-19 restriction. For 2022, we are pleased to announce we will host the program in person at St. Andrews.
The application process opens in March of each year and the research fellowships run from late June through mid-August. Please join our mailing list to receive notices about the summer program and other events at MSU St. Andrews.
Examples of student research include:
