The Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars program (MIRS) is a 10-week summer research internship for Mississippi undergraduate students. Dates for the 2023 program are May 22 – July 27, 2023. Selected students receive one week, May 22 – May 26, of biomedical research training at The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus which includes: basic biomedical laboratory techniques, laboratory safety certification, responsible conduct of research, research ethics, biosafety, bioinformatics, and professional skills for career development. Following training, students complete a 9-week internship in their choice of mentor’s laboratory where they will develop an abstract to present as a research poster at state, regional and/or national conferences.
MIRS is an excellent opportunity for students to gain research experiences that enhance their competitiveness for post-baccalaureate (graduate) programs in biological and biomedical sciences. Apply for MIRS today and take your undergraduate studies to the next level.
** Applicants must be an undergraduate, Mississippi resident and a valid U.S. citizen to be eligible to apply. **
During the biomedical research training session, housing and meals will be provided for students. For the remaining nine weeks at the host laboratory, students will be expected to find housing in the area. Students will receive an award of $6,500, which they can use for their living arrangements and travel to their host university.
Prior to application, students should get permission from a principle investigator of a research lab at the eligible Mississippi research universities (listed below) prior to submitting an application. Mentors may be found via our online mentor database, or may be any researcher you choose working in a biomedical-related research field. Mentors must be secured before sending in the application if you are planning to mentor under a faculty member found on our mentor database. 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.
If you have any questions, please email us at msinbre@usm.edu.
Key Dates
Applications Due: January 31, 2023
Program Dates: May 22 – July 27, 2023
Award
Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars receive an award of $6,500. This award can be used to cover your living expenses throughout the nine-week summer internship and to help pay for travel expenses to present your research at required professional meetings.
Requirements
All Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars (MIRS) are required to be undergraduate students, Mississippi residents and U.S. citizens. Applications from students who do not fit these requirements will not be considered for funding. There are no restrictions based on undergraduate classification. 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.
For the duration of the program, student interns 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 Conference, held in late July each year. Students are encouraged to present at the annual Mississippi Academy of Sciences meeting as well, although it is not required. Travel and professional conference presentation costs are considered as part of the award provided to MIRS awardees at the beginning of their summer internship.
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. Mentors will be provided an award to help cover the cost of supplies the students use throughout 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.
Eligible Mississippi Research Universities
- Jackson State University
- Mississippi State University
- University of Mississippi
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- The University of Southern Mississippi
Application
To apply for the Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars 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.