Frances Velay Women and Science Research Fellowship | Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities

Frances Velay Women and Science Research Fellowship Program

*View videos of Velay Fellows - Summer 2022, Summer 2023

Application Deadline:
March 14, 2025 (applications can be submitted up to midnight!)

Dates:
May 27 - August 1, 2025

Description:
The Frances Velay Women and Science Research Fellowship program supports a faculty-mentored summer research experience for undergraduates in the following STEM areas: Astronomy, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Sciences, Engineering Chemistry, Geology, and/or Physics. Students with demonstrated need (e.g. Pell-eligible students), first-generation college students, and/or underrepresented women considering STEM careers, are particularly encouraged to apply.

A major feature of the program is the opportunity for undergraduate researchers to participate in professional development workshops/events that will advance their academic and/or professional careers in the sciences, including a Women in STEM Career Panel and a Velay Fellows luncheon. At the end of the ten-week period, the Velay Fellows will prepare abstracts of their work, present at the closing poster symposium, and produce a YouTube video segment showcasing their research experience.

The Frances Velay Women and Science Research Fellowship program at Stony Brook is administered by URECA in collaboration with Dr. Maria Nagan (Department of Chemistry; Associate Dean for Curriculum, College of Arts and Sciences) and the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). Advisory Board: Dr. Peter Gergen (Undergraduate Biology Director, Biochemistry & Cell Biology), Dr. Navid Vafaei-Najafabadi (Physics & Astronomy), and Dr. E. Troy Rasbury (Geosciences).

Award:
Program participants receive a $5,100 stipend.

For the Velay program, additional support for on-campus housing may be available to a limited number of students, based on need. To apply for supplemental housing support, please complete the following form, after submitting your summer application for the Velay Fellowship summer program.

Eligibility:

The Frances Velay Women and Science Fellowship program is open to current Stony Brook women undergraduates who are US citizens and/or permanent residents, are committed to doing research full-time, in-person, in a STEM field for 10 weeks in the summer under the supervision of a faculty mentor, and are pursuing majors and proposing research in the following eligible areas: Astronomy, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Sciences, Engineering Chemistry, Geology, and/or Physics. Please note that seniors graduating in May/August 2024 are not eligible to apply. A GPA of 3.0 and or above is recommended.

Applicants should identify a faculty mentor who has agreed to supervise the project*; students who are just starting research are encouraged to apply!

*If you are still in the process of obtaining a placement and haven't yet confirmed the mentor at the time of the application - please list the general area of research you are interested in, and contact URECA for advice/help on identifying a research placement).

Project summary/length?: A brief description of the proposed research project (one paragraph with 3-4 sentences) is fine.

Note on selection process: The personal statement and letters of recommendation from your faculty mentor will be weighted most heavily. In your personal statement, please articulate any special reasons why you will particularly benefit from funding for full time research this summer.

History:
This program was established at SBU in Summer 2022 with the support of the Panaphil Foundation.

Application/Form:
The application consists of the following:

ONLINE APPLICATION - found here -- requires uploads of the following documents/files

a ) Personal statement (up to 1 page). Please indicate why you are applying to be a Frances Velay Fellow. Why is participating in undergraduate research important to your long-term career goals as a woman in STEM? What makes you particularly excited about the upcoming summer research project? You may also include any other information you would like the faculty selection committee to know about you.
b) Research description (up to 300 words). Describe the research project that you plan to become involved in during the upcoming summer, if selected for the program. The project description/proposal should be written entirely by the applicant, in consultation with the faculty mentor/research supervisor. Clearly state the goals of the project and why it is important; briefly summarize the particular activities and area of work which will be the focus of your summer activities.

If you are new to research but the faculty mentor has said he/she will sponsor you in the lab, please state that you are new to research and give a brief description of the research (3-4 sentences) that you will be carrying out, if selected for the program.

c) Transcript (unofficial)
d) CV/resume
Letter of Recommendation from the sponsoring faculty member (please direct to Karen Kernan at: karen.kernan@stonybrook.edu) The faculty letter should confirm the intention of hosting the applicant in a mentored summer research experience; and where possible may comment on the student's research or creative capabilities and potential to carry out the specified project.

All application materials should be submitted by the application deadline.

Summer Research