Bates College: Summer Research Grants

Bates is committed to the idea that rigorous intellectual training includes the pursuit of research, by both students and faculty. Original student research is encouraged; in most academic majors, senior theses are required to graduate. The College sponsors a number of programs that offer financial assistance for student research. During the academic year, grants from the Bates Student Research Fund enable students to travel, acquire books, journals, or software, or procure supplies in support of their research. In 1997-98 the Fund was supported through grants and endowments from the Office of the President, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Sargent Fund, the Dr. Jason M. Tanzer Fund, and the Aaron Winkler ‘92 Fund for Student Research in Biology.

During the summer students and faculty have the opportunity to engage in intensive research, and several competitive grant programs are available to fund students interested in doing full-time, long-term research when the College is not in session.

The Hoffman-Mellon Fund for Student Research provides room-and-board support for Bates students participating in summer research projects in any discipline, on or off-campus. Twenty students received Hoffman-Mellon funding in 1998.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grants for Student/Faculty Research provide stipends and living expenses for students collaborating directly with faculty members on research in science. Bates students interested in working in biological chemistry, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics and computer science, neuroscience, or physics and astronomy are encouraged to apply. This year thirteen students were awarded Hughes grants for eight- to ten-week research projects with faculty.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grants for Individual Student Research award a stipend, housing allowance, and equipment support to Bates students who have designed an exemplary independent research project in the sciences. Students may receive support to conduct research under the direction of a Bates faculty member or with a scientist at another research institution. Six grants were awarded this year.

The Hughes Dental Scholars Program, also funded by one of the College's three major grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, sends one Bates student to work for the summer in the laboratory of a faculty member at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.

The Merck/AAAS Fellowship Program, sponsored by a grant from the Merck Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, supports three students each summer in the fields of biology or chemistry. In addition to their summer research collaborations with Bates faculty, the Merck Fellows organize a biochemistry lecture series for the following academic year.

The Summer Research Apprenticeship Program, funded through the Office of the President, provides stipends and room-and-board support for students working as research assistants to five faculty members in any discipline. This year five students were supported through the program.

The Linda Erickson Rawlings Fund for Student Research supports pre-thesis research in mathematics. This year one student was funded through the Rawlings Fund. The Stangle Family Fund for Research in Economics and Law supports two students conducting research or a job internship in either of these fields.