Program at a Glance
The Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars program (MIRS) is a 10-week summer research internship for Mississippi undergraduate students. MIRS Scholars gain experience in biomedical research. It begins with one week of training at the Mississippi INBRE headquarters on the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus. There, students are taught the basics of biomedical research, including biomedical laboratory techniques, laboratory safety certification, responsible conduct of research, research ethics, biosafety, bioinformatics and professional skills for career development. After training, scholars engage in a 9-week mentored internship in a research lab at 1 of the 5 research-intensive institutions in Mississippi. Mentors are chosen by students prior to application, utilizing our mentor database. During the 9-week internship, students develop an abstract based on the research they have conducted in the lab. At the conclusion of the program, Scholars create a research poster based on their abstract to present at state, regional and/or national research conferences.
MIRS is an excellent opportunity for students to gain research experiences that enhance their competitiveness for graduate programs in the biological and biomedical sciences.
Accepted Scholars Will Receive:
- Training, which includes biomedical laboratory techniques, laboratory safety certification, responsible conduct of research, research ethics, biosafety, bioinformatics and professional skills for career development
- Real-world research experience at a professional research lab
- Peer and faculty mentoring
- 9 weeks of hands-on training in research process, methods and analysis
- Professional and personal development support toward graduation, advancement to graduate programs, and/or employment in a research-related field
Award
$6,500
MIRS Scholars receive an award of $6,500. This award is used to cover your living expenses throughout the nine-week summer internship and to help pay for travel/registration expenses to present your research at required professional meetings. Students are expected to find housing in the nearby area of their chosen institution. During the biomedical research training session, housing and meals will be provided.
Requirements
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Undergraduate Classification with 30 Credit Hours
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Mississippi Residency
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U.S. Citizenship
All MIRS Scholars are required to be undergraduate students, Mississippi residents and U.S. citizens. Applicants who are not Mississippi residents but attend a Mississippi institution are also eligible, provided they meet all other qualifications. Applicants are required to have sophomore classification (30 credit hours) at their institution to be eligible. Graduating seniors are eligible as long as they have not begun their graduate program at the time of the internship. Previously-funded MIRS applicants will not be considered. Applications from students who do not fit these requirements will not be considered for funding.
For the duration of the program, Scholars are expected to work hard, learn new research methods, develop interpersonal skills and build professional relationships. MIRS awardees are required to present their summer research in a poster format at the annual Mississippi IDeA/EPSCoR Conference, held in late July each year. Students are also encouraged to present at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences meeting, but it is not required.
Eligible Mississippi Research Universities
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Jackson State University
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Mississippi State University
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University of Mississippi
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University of Mississippi Medical Center
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The University of Southern Mississippi
Choosing a Mentor
First, potential applicants browse our mentor database (found below), and choose a mentor conducting research in a field of study which interests them. Working at the 5 research-intensive institutions in Mississippi, our mentors are experts in their respective fields. The student then contacts the mentor to see if they will agree to train them for the summer. If the mentor agrees, the student then applies for the program.
If you are a student and have found a mentor from one of the research-intensive host universities using our mentor database, the mentor must agree before application to allow you to intern in their lab for the summer. If you are unable to secure a mentor, please submit your application without mentor verification following the instructions on the application page, and we will help find the mentor right for you based on your research interests.
Alternatively, your mentor may be any researcher you choose working in a biomedical-related research field. If you wish to join the lab of a faculty member not listed in our database, have the faculty member contact Jordan.Laster@usm.edu to see if they are eligible to become a mentor with Mississippi INBRE.
Application
To apply for the MIRS program, fill out the form below and attach a resume/CV and a personal narrative. Please be sure to enter the required information correctly as this will be crucial in notifying students of their award status.
The personal narrative should include information about the student applying, personal interests, academic and career goals, purpose of being in the biomedical research field, past lab experience and other information that would be useful during the selection process. For more information about the narrative, please email us at msinbre@usm.edu.
Please note that Mississippi INBRE uses email as the primary form of communication for following up on application details as well as notification of acceptance or declination of student awards. All Mississippi INBRE program staff are affiliated with The University of Southern Mississippi, and therefore will communicate via email from a usm.edu email address. Please make sure that our email communication is not being flagged to your junk mail folders.