Pharmacy students are encouraged to carry out undergraduate research for credit with a faculty mentor during the academic year. With a few exceptions, stipends are not available for this work. Please contact Dr. Val Watts, the Associate Dean for Research, for information on how to arrange this type of experience.

Interested in a Pharm.D./Ph. D. combined degree? Please see this webpage.

2009 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows
Front row, Left to right: Kim Sanders, Annelise Arth, Katie Balko, Erin Brown, Emily Richardson
Back row, Left to Right: Tyler Shugg, Cody Wenthur, Yang Song, Dr. Tony Hazbun (not an undergrad)
Sherman Coleman, Steven Fuchs, Craig Vargo, Eric Andreansky

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Purdue University expects to offer a total of ten Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships under the following five categories:

1. The Dean's Summer Undergraduate Research Program is available to all students interested in any aspect of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Positions are available in each of the three departments in the School. Up to 5 fellowships may be awarded. These fellowships are supported in part by The Janet '38 and Willliam Strang Pharmacy Endowment and The Jim and JeanAnne Chaney Pharmacy Student Support Fund.
2. The Khorakiwala Student Research Fund in Pharmaceutical Engineering will support a B.S.P.S., Pharm.D., or Chem. Eng. student to work on a summer research project relevant to pharmaceutical engineering.
3. The Lilly Endowment Gift Undergraduate Summer Research Award will support innovative research in one or more of the four target areas (see description and restrictions).
4. The Mark and Kandy Fitch Fellowship in Industrial Pharmacy will support a student wishing to carry out research with a faculty member in Industrial and Physical Pharmacy.
5. The Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (MCMP) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships are available to students interested in working with faculty in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (see program description).

General Program Information

An undergraduate selected to participate in any of these fellowships will, by the end of the spring 2009 semester, have completed at least his/her second year of undergraduate study with an excellent record, and will be interested in seriously investigating the possibility of a career in research. Preference will be given to students who have completed their third year of undergraduate study at a U.S. institution.

A stipend of $3200 plus a $800 housing allowance will be paid for ten weeks of full-time work. The anticipated starting date is May 18th and completion date is July 31st. These dates are negotiable upon agreement of the faculty mentor and Dr. Watts. However, there will be a formal seminar during the week of July 27, 2009, in which all participating students will be expected to participate. You may not take classes during the tenure of the fellowship without special permission from both your Professor and Associate Dean Watts. Although you may receive academic credit for this program if you wish, to do so you must enroll in Summer Session and pay tuition.

The successful candidates for these fellowships will have outstanding academic records and will have presented evidence of a commitment to scholarship and research beyond the requirements of the curriculum. Students who want to be considered for these fellowships in subsequent years should consider enrolling in undergraduate research for academic credit during the year to gain experience. Dr. Watts can assist you in finding a faculty mentor.

These fellowships are intended for students who have a serious interest in research as a possible career (including faculty positions) and who want to explore a research environment in more depth to enable them to make an informed career choice. Students who accept a fellowship appointment are under no obligation for choice of a career path.

Download, complete, and submit electronically the application form provided below. To ensure that you are considered for the fellowship/s of your choice, please mark the appropriate box/es on the application. A student may apply for all programs simultaneously, but may only hold one fellowship.

• Standardized Application for Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

Completed application forms and letters of references should be submitted electronically to Janine Mott at jmott@purdue.edu by 5:00 P.M on Friday, February 27, 2009. The selection will be made by Associate Dean Watts in consultation with the other deans and appropriate faculty, and will be based on the student's academic record, personal statement, letter/s of recommendation, and motivation and interest in research. A brief informal interview may also be required.

If you have further questions, please contact Janine Mott at jmott@purdue.edu or Dr. Val Watts, at wattsv@purdue.edu.

In addition, the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) offers several Gateway Undergraduate Research Fellowships. Information on these programs appears in mid-Fall, about October 15, and application deadlines are typically late January. This is a national competition. Please see Dr. Watts if you are interested.

Another national competition is the Pfizer Undergraduate Research Award in the Pharmaceutical Sciences. Applications for this program are typically due in March. If you wish to apply, you should be a Pharm.D. student completing the 1st or 2nd professional year or a BSPS student completing the junior year by this summer with an excellent academic record and some prior research experience. Because the School is allowed to nominate not more than two students, interested students and their professorial mentors should confer with Associate Dean Watts before submitting an application.

Other institutions also offer summer undergraduate research programs. As we receive information about these, we will post links here.

• Universities
  • University of California at San Diego, Department of Pharmacology
  • University of Cincinnati, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Duquesne University, Bayer School of Natural & Environmental Sciences
  • University of Kansas, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
  • University of Kansas, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy
  • Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  • University of North Carolina, Molecular Biosciences
  • University of North Carolina, Department of Pharmacology
  • Ohio State University, College of Pharmacy
  • University of Toronto, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
  • University of Utah, Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • University of Utah, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
• Other Institutions
  • American Psychological Association
  • CIRRUS (Chemistry Internet Resource for Research by UG Students)
  • HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Insitute)
  • NASA
  • National Science Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: U CA/Irvine)
  • YSER (Yale Science & Engineering Research)
• Other lists of opportunities
  • Amherst College, Neuroscience (links to other sites)
  • Columbia University, Department of Biology (links to other sites)
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (links to other sites)
  • University of Notre Dame, Department of Biological Sciences (links to other sites)
  • University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy (links to other sites)

Contact wattsv@purdue.edu for further information.