The Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville (UofL) announces the availability of the High School Summer Research Internship Program (HSSRIP) for 2024.  The HSSRIP is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in Louisville and the Jefferson County Metro area who will be 16 years old by June 10, 2024.  This year the program will accept up-to fifteen high school students for an 8-week research internship (Monday, June 10 through Friday, August 2). 

The goal of this summer program is to afford students an opportunity to obtain a hands-on wet-lab research experience through working with Brown Cancer Center (BCC) faculty in their research laboratories.  In order for the interns to be immersed in the research culture, students are expected to commit a minimum of 16, but preferably 20, hours per week to working in the research lab for the entire 8-week period of the program.

A seminar series – organized specifically for this group – will be held at noon each Wednesday during the program.  Speakers, primarily research faculty at the UofL, will discuss their current cutting-edge research projects or, in some cases, the hottest topics in cancer research today.  Interns also are welcome to attend the regular departmental and BCC seminar series.

At the end of the 8-week period, each intern will prepare a poster of their research results for presentation at a special poster session organized for the last Friday of the summer research programs at UofL for college and high school students, at the BCC Retreat in late August, and at Research!Louisville – the annual celebration of research at the UofL [in October].  Most previous interns have gone on to local, state and national science fairs (many have won in their category), a number have presented their work at national scientific meetings, and a few are co-authors with their mentors on scientific publications resulting from their work.

At this time, it is not clear if we will be able to pay a stipend this year – but we are working to raise the funds necessary.  All other expenses will be funded by the Brown Cancer Center, including modest funds for intern research supplies, seminar lunches and personalized lab coats. 

If you are a current high school student who is interested in science and in participating in this program, and you will be 16 years oof age by June 10, 2024, we invite you to submit a completed application packet, consisting of: 

(1) application form and essay (HSSRIP24ap), (2) consent form (HSSRIP24consent), and (3) letter of recommendation from your primary science teacher or, as appropriate, your counselor (the letter may be included in the packet or sent separately by the teacher).

Please send your application materials to arrive by Monday, March 11, to:

Diane Konzen
BCC Summer Research Program Director
505 South Hancock Street, #315
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40202

Please direct any questions you may have to Ms. Konzen at diane.konzen@louisville.edu.

Decisions of the HSSRIP Selection Committee will be announced by April 12.