AEOP
Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School and Undergraduate Internships
The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School and Undergraduate Internships program is an AEOP-funded program that supports four students local to the Chicagoland area (2 high school, 2 undergraduates) for a 8-10 week summer program of mentored, research-intensive activities in the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology. In this program, students carry out projects related to our PreMaDe grant. This research is done under the guidance of one or more of the program’s faculty mentors from departments including Molecular Biosciences, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
During the program, students will participate in a carefully designed curriculum to expose them to a variety of laboratory techniques as well as the skills necessary for success in their future STEM careers, including ethics, responsible conduct of research, communication, and networking.
Specific curricular activities include:
- Laboratory skills training and introduction to synthetic biology techniques
- Workshops, seminars, and activities to strengthen related skillsets including communication, design, ethics, teamwork, and entrepreneurship
- Tea time with faculty
- Field trips to local synthetic biology companies.
At the end of the program, students will present their projects and results at a research symposium. A stipend will be provided. Since this is a commuter program, housing meals and transportation will not be provided. Applications will be accepted at the AEOP website, and reviewed by participating faculty and an admissions committee.
Program Duration
The program will take place from June 15th – August 23rd, 2025.**
- Participants’ work cannot exceed 300 hours.
Application Deadlines
The deadline for the receipt of applications: February 28th, 2025
Decisions expected: March 2025
Funding
This program is supported by the AEOP. High School interns earn up to $4,500 for up to 300 hours. Undergraduate interns earn up to $6,000 for up to 300 hours.
Eligibility
In order to participate in the program, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
- Be a resident of the Chicagoland area
- Be a current high school or undergraduate student. If you have not graduated by the program end date, you are eligible.
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Open to high school students who received a high school degree within 60 months and have not started college and
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Open to undergraduate students or those who received an undergraduate degree within 60 months and have not started graduate school.
- Undergraduate participants must be enrolled in an undergraduate STEM-related program.
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- Be available for at least 8 weeks during the summer of 2025
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Commuter program: Housing, meals and transportation not provided
No prior research experience is required.
- We look for students with and without experience
Students from universities without a PhD program in a synthetic biology-related area (such as biology, bioengineering, or chemistry) are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Complete and submit the required online application. You will need to create an account.
Link to apply