LGS-SOAR

Apply HERE; Application Guidelines HERE

Extended Deadline: January 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST

The LGS-SOAR Program (May 29-August 2) partners with the well-established Emory College SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) Program and will host potential LGS students (current NON-Emory Undergraduate scholars) who want to explore, experience, and conduct full-time independent and mentored research in the biomedical, biological, natural and public health sciences along with scholarly inquiry in the humanities and humanistic social sciences for the summer.

The program highly recommends scholars from 1) racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in graduate education, 2) scholars with disabilities, 3) scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds such as first-generation college students, scholars who grew up in US rural areas, or scholars from low socioeconomic (SES) status backgrounds, and 4) scholars who identify as women in certain STEM fields to apply. Additionally, scholars who have participated in NIH-RISE, NIH-IMSD, Mellon Mays, McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, OR who are first-generation college scholars who participated in Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunities Centers, or similar programs are also encouraged to apply. All who qualify for the eligibility criteria listed below are welcome to apply.

About the Program

The 2024 LGS-SOAR Program will be a 10-week summer learning experience. LGS-SOAR scholars will participate in Professional Development and Research Ethics Sessions with the LGS-SOAR Leadership team. LGS-SOAR provides an opportunity to build your professional network and have a targeted experience that will help prepare you for graduate school in all fields of studies offered at the Laney Graduate School. The sessions will include topics such as:

  • Making the Most Out of Your Summer Experience
  • Graduate-Level Research Papers, Proposals, and Presentations
  • Developing My IDP and More
  • Applying to Graduate School? (or Not)

This learning experience will be offered both in-person and virtual. Below are the different learning experiences:

LGS-SOAR ON-CAMPUS EXPERIENCE (RESIDENTIAL)

  • A 10-week residential summer program where scholars conduct full-time research and are mentored by Emory faculty, postdoctoral fellows, research technicians, graduate students and other undergraduates.
  • Financial support includes a housing award for residence on Emory Campus, sponsored travel to and from the campus at the beginning and the conclusion of the program and a stipend provided by either LGS or the home institution of the visiting scholar.
  • The scholar will be required to participate in the LGS-SOAR Professional Development and Research Ethics sessions over the summer, beginning May 29, 2024, and ending August 2, 2024. Additionally, a final report will be required, as well as participation in a 2024 Research Symposium.
  • This program option is ideal for scholars currently in the 2nd or 3rd year of their undergraduate degree who have conducted some research, are interested in graduate school, and desire an intensive, immersion research experience.

Finding a Mentor

  • What areas of research interest you? It is likely that you have a few topics that truly catch your attention.
    • Use local media, the library, and other web resources to seek additional information and review our tips for identifying a mentor on our Finding a Mentor page).
  • Talk to your academic advisor and to your instructors for suggestions. It is very likely that one or more researchers in the Atlanta area are currently working on topics that you enjoy.
  • Do not contact any Faculty Members at Emory. The LGS-SOAR Program Administration will handle all the initial contact and faculty mentor matching, however, do list at least 3 faculty in your application to ensure matching is possible. Here are some tips on how to identify a potential research mentor.
    • Please contact Dr. Amanda Marie James (amandamariejames@emory.edu) with any questions or concerns about identifying potential mentors and their availability.

LGS-SOAR VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE (REMOTE)

  • A 9-week remote program differs from the On-Campus experience in that scholars will not work directly with Faculty Mentors to conduct research; however, they will participate in highly curated Research Discipline sessions led by current Laney Graduate School students.
  • LGS-SOAR Virtual provides an opportunity to build your network with some of our top Laney Graduate School scholars who conduct research in a variety of disciplines.
  • This program option is ideal for scholars currently in the 1st or 2nd year of their undergraduate degree who have conducted some research and are interested in graduate school; however, due to numerous factors, they cannot engage in person.
  • This experience is offered at no cost to the selected scholars, but it does NOT provide any finanical or stipened.

Eligibility

All students who have an interest in applying to and attending a doctoral program at Emory University's Laney Graduate School are encouraged to apply. Applicants must also fit these criteria:

  • Must NOT be graduating before December 2024.
  • Must be on track to graduate by June 2027.
  • U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA recipients, undocumented scholars, and international scholars are all eligible to apply.

Program Requirements

  • All applicants must complete an application by January 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Attend and participate fully during the entire program (May 29 – August 2, 2024).

Apply

  • Before Applying
    • Confirm your availability for the entire program (May 29 – August 2, 2024).
  • Application

Notification

  • Notifications will be sent via email the week of March 18, 2024. Thank you for your patience.

Public Safety at Emory

Emory maintains its own police department that manages law enforcement, fire safety, and emergency medical services.  Emergency "blue light" phones, located throughout campus, link callers directly to the department to report emergencies and request security escorts.

The Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) coordinates campus-wide activities related to unusual events.  The Emory Emergency Notification program is a multi-modal system for alerting students, staff, faculty, and visitors of an emergency affecting the Emory community. The wide array of notification options affords Emory the flexibility to convey emergency information in the most appropriate manner and provides redundancy to help ensure the message gets out. These options include outdoor sirens, Emory email, text messages, and the Emory CEPAR social media pages (@EMORY_CEPAR on Twitter and EmoryCEPAR on Facebook).  For more information on campus safety, please click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

SHOULD I CONTACT ALL THE FACULTY MEMBERS AT EMORY THAT I MIGHT WANT TO WORK WITH?

No. The LGS-SOAR Program Administration will handle all the initial contact and faculty mentor matching; however, do list at least 3 faculty in your application to ensure matching is possible. Here are some tips on how to identify a potential research mentor. Please contact Dr. Amanda Marie James (amandamariejames@emory.edu) with any questions or concerns about identifying potential mentors and their availability.

WHY DOES THE PROGRAM TARGET RISING SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND SENIORS AND NOT FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS?

Many available projects require students who have completed freshman-level coursework and beyond.

ARE GRADUATING SENIORS (SENIORS THAT WILL GRADUATE AT THE END OF THE SPRING QUARTER/SEMESTER PRECEDING THE SUMMER EXPERIENCE, OR IN THE SUMMER) ELIGIBLE?

No. The program is designed to support students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program. You are not eligible for the summer research program if your bachelor's degree has been awarded by the time the program starts or before the program ends (Summer term degrees).

IS THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM OPEN TO STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT AMERICAN CITIZENS?

Funding is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International students are also eligible to apply but funds are limited. Undocumented students are also encouraged to apply.

CAN I PARTICIPATE IF I HAVE MY OWN FUNDING?

We encourage students who have funding from their home institution or special program to indicate this on their application and to contact Dr. Amanda Marie James (amandamariejames@emory.edu). Assuming the student is a competitive candidate and that laboratory and housing space are available, we will do our best to place the student in our program. Note that funding availability alone does not guarantee a position: all applicants must be competitive as determined by the selections committee.