HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE PROGRAM

HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE PROGRAM
for Undergraduate Research



Director: Christopher Womersley
Associate Director: Frederick C. Greenwood
Administrator: Lynne M. Higa


The HHMI Program for Undergraduate Research is based in the Department of Zoology of the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Major funding funding is provided by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland through the Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program. Additional funding is provided by the Department of Zoology and the College of Natural Sciences.

The goal of the HHMI Program is to increase the capability of a cohort of elite undergraduates majoring in the natural sciences to compete for admission to top graduate schools by enhancing the quality of their undergraduate experience. HHMI Undergraduate Research Fellows undergo internships in active research laboratory in the College of Natural Sciences, Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture, John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the Pacific Biomedical Research Center. The faculty selected as mentors for the HHMI Program possess an abiding interest in the education and welfare of the student. Faculty mentors and associated researchers in the laboratory give their time and assistance to aid students in developing into independent scientists with strong investigative skills.

The program provides students with an invaluable opportunity to explore career options in biomedical research and allows them to join a home base where they can play a significant and non-token part in a research group, thus exposing them to the diversity of talent, expertise and experience. In addition to a "hands-on" research experience, students are encouraged to gain additional experience by: competing for funding to present their research at scientific conferences on the mainland U.S.; attending summer research programs at mainland universities; or experiencing an internship in other research laboratories as arranged by their faculty mentor.

In addition to the above, the HHMI Program provides students with: a) a stipend of $3,000 for the first year and $4,000 for the second year; b) $2,000 of supplies money per year; c) access to the HHMI Undergraduate Library which contains scientific publications, including select articles pertinent to students wishing to pursue careers in the biomedical arena; d) catalogs/application forms for graduate and medical schools; e) brochures on summer research programs and scientific conferences; f) information on fellowships available for graduate studies; g) weekly updates on seminars/ colloquia of interest at the University of Hawaii and other locations; h) seminars on graduate and medical school application procedures; g) topic seminars with guest lecturers from a diversity of fields; h) advising services and critique of application essays and curriculum vitae; and i) a week-long course in survival skills for undergraduate research students. Program years run from August 1st to May 31st of each academic year. Undergraduate research fellows are asked to work 12-15 hours a week on an individualized research project. During the months of June and July they are encouraged to either continue their research or apply to summer undergraduate research programs on the mainland US.

Minimum Qualifications for Undergraduates
    *Completion of coursework in introductory biology and general chemistry
    *Majoring in one of the natural sciences or have extensive background in biology and chemistry
    *Should be near the start of their junior year, and must have full-time status (12 credits minimum) at the University of Hawaii,Manoa campus.
    *Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3
    *Previous laboratory experience is not required


Interested applicants may contact:

 Lynne Higa, Program Administrator
Department of Zoology
2538 The Mall, Snyder 102A
Honolulu, HI 96822
Ph: (808) 956-5354
Fax: (808) 956-9812
e-mail: hhmi@zoogate.zoo.hawaii.edu




 Return to Zoology Undergraduate home page


Email Web queries or suggestions to
mail web@zoogate.hawaii.zoo.edu