STEM

Pre-Grad Club

09/23/2024

​

Introductory Meeting &

Summer Research Programs

Club Overview

Goals:

• providing resources and information for students that will be applying to STEM oriented graduate programs
• meeting with professors, professionals, and alumni in different departments
• creating a database of information and contacts for undergraduate students to reach out to and use on an individual basis

President - Sara Murray

Major: Chemistry Computing, Energy Studies minor

Year: 2025

Research on campus: Kamat Lab, energy/electron transfer in solar cells

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: studied abroad in Chile, Santiago

Summer Sophomore-Junior: NSF IRES at University of Heidelberg, Computational Chemistry Research

Summer Junior-Senior: Slatt Fellowship at ND, continued my research in the Kamat lab

VP - Katie Burns

Major: Biochemistry

Year: 2025

Research on campus: Del Valle Lab, medicinal chemistry research

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: spent time at home, worked pre-season camp with Football

Summer Sophomore-Junior: COS-SURF, Del Valle Lab

Summer Junior-Senior: COS-SURF, Del Valle Lab

​

Secretary - Marissa Panethiere

Major: Chemistry & Italian

Year: 2025

Research on campus: Smith Lab, organic chemistry and biochemistry

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: Washington University in St. Louis Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

Summer Sophomore-Junior: Organic Synthesis at the University of Milan, IT. Foreign Lang. Internship Program (FLIP)

Summer Junior-Senior: CoS-SURF REU on campus in the Smith Lab

​

Events Coordinator - Gio Kharchilava

Major: Physics

Year: Senior

Research on campus: Ptasinska Lab, Low-Energy Electron Interaction

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: Participated in Notre Dame’s Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP)

Summer Sophomore-Junior: REU at Stony Brook University in Computational Simulation of Rydberg Electrons

Summer Junior-Senior: ND Slatt Fellowship, research for my senior thesis on campus at Notre Dame

Treasurer - Mackenzie Kelleher

Major: Neuroscience and Behavior

Year: Senior

Research on campus: Schafer Lab, cancer cell metabolism and cell death pathways in ECM detachment

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: Worked as a Behavioral Health Technician at NeurAbilities Healthcare

Summer Sophomore-Junior: London Neuroscience Study Abroad

Summer Junior-Senior: Mechanistic Biology Summer Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, research on leptomeningeal metastasis

​

​

Resources and Information

Summer Research Programs

Goals of Summer Programs

Help determine what field, subfield, or type of research you are most interested in

Visit other countries, universities, and labs to identify where you want to do research in the future

Gain invaluable research and professional experience

1. Summer Experience Student Networking Directory 2024
2. Summer Experience Student Networking Directory 2023
3. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
4. NSF International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)
5. Linkedin and Handshake for Industry
6. Upperclassmen in classes/dorms/departmental clubs
7. ND Professors and PIs with classes or research areas you like
1. Can guide you toward a lab at ND or another institution

Resources

Industry Contact - Emma Powers

Major: Biochemistry Major, Data Science Minor

Year: 2025

Research on campus: Breast cancer metastasis research in mice models under Dr. Littlepage

Summer Freshman-Sophomore: nannied and was a remote academic advisor for ND

Summer Sophomore-Junior: Undergraduate research fellowship at Mayo Clinic. Studied a chemotherapy drug under Dr. Steven Offer

Summer Junior-Senior: Summer growth experience intern at Pfizer. Genetically engineered organisms that create a drug intermediate or active drug

Expectations

• Summer programs should last between 8-10 weeks, usually from May to Aug.
• You should have a stipend pay. Amount varies across programs
• Consider travel, housing accommodations, etc.
• Deadlines vary:
• ND programs are usually Feb. (ish)
• Some can be as early as late Nov.

Extra Money

• CCD offers Summer Experience Funding
• They also have resources for finding roommates in the city you will be living
• ND Departmental awards/funds
• Look at their website or reach out to your advisor about opportunities
• ND Honors programs: Glynn, GCSP, Galvin, etc.

General Application Requirements

-CCD offers resume review services

-Chance to showcase any previous experience.

• CV/Resume

• Transcript

• Written Statement

• Recommendation Letters

-Nearly all first year courses have free tutoring options at the Learning Resource Center

-Can request this on parchment at InsideND

-Can be about your future plans and/or research

-Can check your essays before with PIs, professors, or the writing center

-Reach out early! Professors will appreciate it

-Aim for professors within the discipline, research PIs, or ones that know you well

Where to Start

1. Ask yourself a few questions about what you want to get out of this experience. This will help guide you through what programs are best for you

1. Do you want to learn about a new field? Do you want to get in contact with a specific professor or program? Do you want to get a publication out of it? Do you want to try out industry?

2. Use your resources to find the best programs for you and craft a superb application!

1. e.g. the ones mentioned in the slides, google, friends, classmates, etc.

3. You might need to apply to many depending on how competitive they are and make sure you look into programs early if you want many options to choose from

​

Future Events

-Dr. Wingert will present on the graduate school application process

-Debartolo Hall room 129, 7-8 pm, Chipotle!

-University of Michigan Medical School Program in Biomedical Sciences Virtual Information Session -Discuss graduate, post-bachelor, and undergraduate summer programs

PLEASE PAY DUES

It is only $10 and the money goes towards events and activities for you guys!

Click here

Sara Murray - smurra23@nd.edu

Katie Burns - kburns22@nd.edu

Marissa Panethiere - mpanethi@nd.edu

Mackenzie Kelleher - mkelleh7@nd.edu

Gio Kharchilava - gkharchi@nd.edu

Emma Powers - epowers3@nd.edu

​

Contact Info

Thank you!

Questions?