HIGH SCHOOL and Undergraduate INTERNSHIP Program

HIGH SCHOOL and undergraduate INTERNSHIP Program

2012 Summer Program

Application Deadline – March 1, 2012 (emailed on or before this date)

Application Decision – late March to early April 2012

Internship period - at least 6 weeks with flexible start and end dates.

· All interns must start by June 25 (or earlier) and continue through July 27 (or later).

· Undergraduate students: total of 300 internship hours ($3,000 award)

· High school students: total of 200 internship hours ($1,500 award)

The University of Hawaii Cancer Center summer internship program is supported by the following sources:

· The University of Hawaii’s Diversity and Equity Initiative (DEI)

· The University of Hawaii Cancer Center

· The Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company

· The National Cancer Institute (NCI)

The internship program offers a mentored research experience to encourage high school and undergraduate students to pursue future careers in the biosciences, particularly cancer research, giving practical meaning to academic coursework. At the same time, students make a valuable contribution to the Center’s research mission. By participating in a research program at UH Cancer Center, an NCI-designated cancer center, interns will learn from experts who are devoted to preventing, treating, and curing cancer. Interns work in a cancer research environment, getting hands-on experience alongside scientists, learning what a research career is really like, and developing a wide range of skills. You will be assigned your own mentor who will oversee your research and offer guidance. In addition to working on a research project, interns attend an orientation, scientific research seminars, and journal clubs and prepare a final presentation.

Examples of past intern projects:

· Smoking Cessation: An Intervention Study

· Surveying residents to determine barriers to performing physical activity and eating fruits and vegetables for the Healthy Hawaii Initiative

· Nutritional Patterns & Diabetic Patients in the Multiethnic Cohort Study of Diet and Cancer

· Breast Cancer Risk and Survival by Ethnicity

· Adiponectin and Colorectal Cancer

· Post GWAS Analysis of Genes Neighboring Risk Alleles

· Prostate Cancer Risk in Japanese Americans and Latinos and Identification of Intra- and Interchromosomal Interactions at the Colorectal Cancer Risk Locus on 8q24

· Determination of Clonal Pattern in Mesothelioma

· A specific SphK1 inhibitor, SKI-II, inhibits human colon cancer growth

· The Effects of PEA15 in Glioma Cells

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible, you must:

· Be a high school junior or senior OR a college sophomore or junior

· Be at least 16 years old

· Have 3.0 or higher GPA

· Be a Hawaii resident

· Have an interest in cancer research and in pursuing a biomedical or health-related career

Preference is given to applicants who belong to one or more of the following underrepresented ethnic/racial groups in the sciences:

· Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Filipino, Native American, African-American, and/or Hispanic/Latino

APPLICATION

To apply, submit your completed application form, CV/resume, and copies of high school or college transcripts by March 1, 2012, via email with the subject line "INTERNSHIP APPLICATION" to: Ms. Karin Koga, . Paper applications will not be accepted.

· Download the application form

· Deadline: March 1, 2012

CONTACT INFORMATION

University of Hawaii Cancer Center

Summer Internship Program

Ms. Karin Koga, Program Coordinator

1236 Lauhala Street, Suite 407
Honolulu, HI 96813

Email:

Tel:(808) 441-7704

Fax: (808) 586-2982

INTERN EXPECTATIONS

Research Experience

· Interns will complete necessary paperwork, training, and clearances.

· Interns will attend an orientation session and complete research training.

· Interns will participate in a mentored research project.

· Interns will attend research seminars and journal clubs at the Center.

Presentation and Evaluation

· In conjunction with their mentor, interns will prepare and provide a well thought-out 5-10 minute PowerPoint presentation of their research experience.

· Interns will complete a program evaluation form at the end of the summer.

Work Schedule

· The summer research experience requires 200 hours for high school students and 300 hours for undergraduates.

· Interns must start by June 25 (or earlier) and continue through July 27 (or later).

· The intern’s start and end dates and work schedule are arranged with the mentor

Attendance

· Interns should be present and on time for every scheduled workday.

· For unplanned absences, promptly notify your immediate supervisor.

Stipend or Hiring Forms

· Interns will complete stipend forms or new hire documents.

· Interns will log hours and hourly interns will submit timesheets.

Dress Code

· Each research setting has varying requirements. Please follow-up with your supervisor or mentor.

MENTOR EXPECTATIONS

Research Experience

· It is important that a person in the research environment be identified as the intern’s day to day contact or mentor. This person should know what the Principal Investigator (PI) has planned for the intern. This person must be available to spend time working with the intern. It is also important that the PI spend a small amount of time each week with the intern.

· Prior to the intern’s arrival, the mentor will identify a project for the intern.

· Mentors will be responsible for ensuring that interns obtain a hands-on experience in cancer research. In addition, mentors will be responsible for providing direct feedback to the intern. Mentors will be responsible for encouraging and ensuring that interns attend and actively participate in the orientation meeting, presentations, and seminars.

· Mentors are encouraged to provide interns with a journal or references regarding the lab’s historical and current research activities and to get the interns involved in their research experience.

· Mentors are encouraged to include the interns in the regular activities of the lab/department. Interns will find it valuable to meet and get to know a wide variety of faculty, staff, graduate assistants, and postdoctoral fellows.

Presentation

· Mentors will be expected to assist the interns in the preparation of a thoughtful 5-10 minute PowerPoint presentation of their research project. This includes, but is not limited to, review of the presentation for accuracy, layout, and the intern’s ability to orally present the materials.

· Mentors and fellow research staff are highly encouraged to attend their intern’s presentation.

Work Schedule/Attendance

· The mentor and intern will agree upon workday hours for a total of 200 hours for high school students and 300 hours for undergraduates.

· Mentors will be expected to ensure that their interns are present and on time for every scheduled workday.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the UH Cancer Center?

· The UH Cancer Center is a cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute that conducts research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of cancer across a broad array of disciplines. Research areas include epidemiology, molecular carcinogenesis, cancer treatment, prevention methods, quality of life in cancer survivors, new therapeutic approaches to cancer treatment, and community-based interventions to promote cancer preventive lifestyles in our multiethnic population.

What are the potential areas of research where I will be working?

· Interns are assigned to research in cancer biology, epidemiology, behavioral sciences, nutrition, and biostatistics. Research may take place in a laboratory, office, or community setting. Cancer Center laboratories and offices are located at several sites including buildings in downtown Honolulu and Kakaako.

Will there be housing accommodations for interns from outside Oahu? If not, is there assistance in arranging housing?

· Housing is not provided for interns—it is the intern’s responsibility to acquire his or her own housing.

How are mentors paired with interns?

· Every attempt is made to match interns and mentors who have similar research interests, however, assignments are made according to mentor availability. Mentors must be Center members.

Will I be working on a project that I want to develop/continue or will it be one that is assigned?

· Most projects are a subset of a larger project that is designed and developed by the mentor and assigned to the intern.

What is the program schedule?

· Interns begin their experience with safety or other training and an orientation session. Interns spend weekdays in their research environments and are encouraged to meet each other for lunch and to attend seminars. At the end of the summer, interns meet to give PowerPoint presentations of what they accomplished.

Is my project in the research environment supposed to be completed by the end of the program?

· It is not necessary to complete your research project by the end of the summer. Interns are required to present their research findings, whether complete or incomplete, to colleagues and researchers at the end of the summer. Interns may follow up with their mentors later on to get periodic updates regarding the research they participated in.

Is there an opportunity to continue research next summer?

· Interns may re-apply for an internship next summer, or apply for a student assistantship with their mentor if funds are available.

Do all interns have the same research project?

· Interns are paired up individually with different mentors. Research may sometimes be similar if interns work in the same research environment together. Interns are encouraged to discuss their projects with each other.

Are there networking opportunities?

· There are ample networking opportunities for interns—as part of their research internship, they are encouraged to attend regular Center seminars/lectures given by experienced researchers. Interns are also highly encouraged to network within their own department and seek out opportunities for themselves.

How much are interns paid?

· High school interns receive $1,500 for 200 internship hours, and undergraduates receive $3,000 for 300 internship hours.

What are the start and end dates for the summer program?

· Start and end dates are flexible as long as the intern starts by June 25, 2012 and continues through July 27, 2012. The dates must be agreed upon by mentor, and interns must give advance notice of any changes.