Amgen Scholars at UCSD complete an ten-week program that includes the following components:
- 30 hours per week of faculty-mentored hands-on research;
- Five weeks of GRE preparation, beginning with a diagnostic pre-test, individual tutoring as needed and a post-test;
- Mandatory workshops on writing research papers and abstracts, and presenting work at scholarly meetings;
- Seminars by UCSD faculty on current research projects;
- Participation in the mid-summer Amgen Scholars Symposium;
- Presentation at the annual UCSD Summer Research Conference; and
- Regular individual meetings with the UCSD Amgen Scholars Program coordinator.
- On-campus housing is provided, but students may opt to live off-campus and receive a housing allowance.
The Scholars’ disparate backgrounds, academic training and career aspirations enrich the program and help foster the scholars’ abilities to view problems and challenges from new perspectives. Moreover, the length of the research project and the mentor/mentee nature of the arrangement provide the scholars with numerous incidental opportunities to discuss their personal goals and concerns in a safe environment.
Finally, many UCSD faculty members who have substantial experience as mentors and research directors request two or more undergraduate researchers so they can take on larger projects and preside over a more dynamic research environment.
In addition to the structured activities, UCSD’s Amgen Scholars participate in several social activities with students participating in the UCSD Summer Research Program (SRP). SRP social events include a beach cookout, pizza party, and opportunities to network with faculty members and undergraduate scholars in other UC San Diego summer research programs, as well as several activities that allow students to explore greater San Diego.
