UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute’s Research Mentoring Internship Program

The Office of Diversity at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute offers the Research Mentoring Internship program (RMI) for outstanding undergraduate students* interested in pursuing research projects in areas relevant to genomics, including the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics research.

Supported by the Baskin School of Engineering, the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, and the Division of Graduate Studies, with grant funding from the NIH and the National Human Genome Research Institute,  the Research Mentoring Internship program is designed to provide financial support plus an extended mentoring community and individual support for students to continue their studies and pursue a related career. Scholars receive mentoring from faculty advisors, other students, and the program director. Accepted scholars must fulfill internship program requirements and must be dedicated to continuing to a PhD in genomics and beyond.

Students who participate in the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute Research Mentoring Internship program can expect to gain a realistic picture of academic research careers based on actual experience in these roles. The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute Research Mentoring Internship exposes undergraduate students to the nature and rigors of a research environment under the close supervision of faculty mentoring, thus enhancing preparation for and success in graduate school and beyond.

The community of current and former RMI scholars shares their interest in genomics research and related ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) with other student interns from underrepresented groups. The Genomics Institute engages graduate fellows as peer mentors to undergraduate internship awardees, thereby creating a pipeline of support and mentorship.

The RMI scholar support program includes

• Regular intern meetings

• Advising with the internship program director

• Participation in scheduled genomics research, professional development events and workshops

• A recognition ceremony at the end of the year, where interns present their research findings and engage the audience in a scholarly presentation

We encourage you to contact our Office of Diversity program director, Zia Isola (zisola@ucsc.edu, 831-459-1702), to discuss before beginning your application process. Application review begins in mid-May. Please see our Genomics Scholarships FAQ page for detailed information about UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute’s RMI program.

See Current Scholars and Alumni Scholars for project titles.