NIDDK Short-term Education Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP)

High School Program

PLEASE NOTE: The application deadline is February 15, 2010. No applications will accepted after this date.

Program Purpose:

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease’s STEP-UP Program is designed to provide short-term research education for high school students from racial and ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds to expose them to research within the mission area of NIDDK. 

The Program exposes students to research in areas of diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism, nutrition, obesity, digestive, liver, urologic, kidney, and hematologic diseases.

The Program provides support for 8 full-time consecutive weeks of basic or clinical research education and training during the summer provided by experienced faculty currently active in research related to the mission of NIDDK.

Eligible Students (At the time the research begins):

• High School students who have completed the 11th grade
• Eligible students must be U.S. Citizens, non-citizen nationals, or legal permanent residents

Provisions:

• Student Participation Allowances ($2300)
• Education-related expenses fee provided to the mentors
• Accommodations and travel expenses to the Annual High School Scientific Session and Research Presentations in August in Bethesda, Maryland are provided
• The output cost of the scientific poster is included
• Housing is not provided.  All housing expenses are the responsibility of the student
• NOTE:  Travel to and from the research internship location, to include the cost of parking, is not provided and is the responsibility of the student

Location and Duration:

• The research experience is provided nationally by experienced investigators in their laboratories for 8 consecutive weeks of full-time research
• The STEP-UP Program will match students with a research mentor at their choice of a research institution when possible
• Students will conduct their research in their home town, either nearby or within commuting distance of their residence.  Students are not required to relocate in order to pursue their research internship

Application Process

A complete application to the NIH STEP-UP program includes:

1. Complete application

 The on-line application is offered in hopes that it will make the STEP-UP application process as easy and convenient as possible for you and to insure timely receipt of the application before the February 15th deadline.

PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Submit only one application. DO NOT submit a PDF application.

                 Online application

2.  Letters of Recommendation

Two Letters of Recommendation are required from individuals who are familiar with your academic abilities and accomplishments. IF YOU WERE A STEP-UP OR NHSSSRP PARTICIPANT IN A PREVIOUS SUMMER PROGRAM, one of the two letters MUST be from your most recent STEP-UP research mentor. In the application, you will be asked to provide the names and contact information for the two people who will write letters for you. Students should request Letters of Recommendation at least one month in advance to insure timely completion and receipt of the letter. The recommendation providers should mail the letter to the address indicated below. Please download the Letter of Recommendation template found on the Instructions page link below.

3.  Official Academic Transcripts

An official academic transcript must be submitted in an envelope, sealed by the appropriate school official, to the address indicated below.

Letters of Recommendation and Transcripts should be mailed to:

STEP-UP High School Program
The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc.
656 Quince Orchard Road, Suite 210
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-4990

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Students in the San Francisco area should contact:

University of California, San Francisco

UCSF STEP-UP Coordinator
Program Coordinator
STEP-UP High School Program
UCSF Biomedical and Health Sciences
Internship for High School Students
STEP-UP Program Coordinator
3333 California Street Suite 245
San Francisco, CA 94118
TEL: (415) 476-4575
EMAIL: stepup@ucsf.edu

Students from Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico should contact:

University of  Hawaii at Manoa

Ms. Kae Pusic
Program Coordinator
STEP-UP High School Program
Dept. Tropical Medicine
Medical Microbiology & Pharmacology
John A. Burns School of Medicine
651 Ilalo Street, BSB 320
Honolulu, HI 96813
TEL: (808) 692-1627  
FAX: (808) 692-1979 
EMAIL: kae@hawaii.edu

Students from all other areas should contact either:

Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

Ms. Emma Taylor
Program Coordinator
STEP-UP High School Program
11705 Deputy Yamamoto Place Suite B
Lynwood, CA 90262
TEL: (323) 249-5704
FAX: (323) 357-3795
E-MAIL: emmataylor@cdrewu.edu

OR

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ms. Jennifer Curry
Program Specialist
Office of Minority Health Research Coordination
Two Democracy Plaza, Room 902A
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-5454
TEL: (301) 594-9649

EMAIL: niddkstepup@mail.nih.gov