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Pharmacy students are encouraged to carry out 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.

2025 Summer Research Fellowships

Application Deadline: January 31, 2025

The College of Pharmacy of Purdue University expects to offer a total of ten Summer Research Fellowships under the following four categories:

  1. The Dean's Summer 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 College. Up to 5 fellowships may be awarded. These fellowships are supported in part by The Janet '38 and Willliam Strang Pharmacy Endowment, The Jim and JeanAnne Chaney Pharmacy Student Support Fund, and The Henry and Sherrill Bryant Endowment.
  2. The Lilly Endowment Gift Undergraduate Summer Research Award 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 College.  One or two fellowships may be awarded.
  3. The Garnet Peck Summer Research Scholarship in Industrial Pharmacy will support a student wishing to carry out research with a faculty member in Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics. One scholarship may be awarded.
  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 Molecular Pharmaceutics. One or two fellowships may be awarded.
  5. The Khorakiwala Student Research Fund in Pharmaceutical Engineering will support a student (BSPS, PharmD, or B.S. in Chemical Engineering) to work in summer research projects in pharmaceutical engineering. One award may be provided.
  6. The Janet ’38 and William Strang Award will support a student (Prepharmacy, BSPS, PharmD or B.S.) to work on summer research projects in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.

General Program Information

A student selected to participate in any of these fellowships will, by the end of the spring 2025 semester, have completed at least his/her second year of undergraduate or professional 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 or professional study at a U.S. institution.

A stipend of $4,500 will be paid for the 10 weeks of full-time work. The anticipated starting date is May 12 and the completion date is July 18. 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 14, 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. Students may also participate in the Summer Stay Scholar program provided they have permission from their faculty mentor.

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 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.

Completed application forms and letters of references should be submitted electronically to Jamie Moffatt at jmoffat@purdue.edu by 5:00 P.M on Friday, January 31, 2025. 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 Jamie Moffatt at jmoffat@purdue.edu or Dr. Val Watts, at wattsv@purdue.edu.

Other Purdue opportunities for Undergraduate Research

Other summer undergraduate research programs

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

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.

Contact wattsv@purdue.edu for further information.