Description:

Consistent with the SOT goal of enhancing recruitment of students into toxicology, the Education and Experiential Opportunities Committee (EEOC) administers funding to enable the support of additional undergraduate internships in toxicology. Intern hosts can be from both existing and new summer research programs that offer opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in high-quality toxicology research under the guidance of an SOT member. Applicants may request up to $4,000 per student and funding for no more than 3 students, for a maximum of $12,000 per institution. Institutions will use their stated methods to select the SOT-supported interns but are encouraged to carefully consider the applications from students accepted for the SOT Undergraduate Diversity Program.

Application deadline is February 8, 2025.

Essential Elements for a Successful Application

A successful application will include the following information:

• A carefully devised intern recruitment plan, including efforts to reach students typically underrepresented in science and those wishing to go to graduate school in toxicology.
• A demonstration of strong research mentorship during the program.
• A well-defined structure to the program, including clear goals and professional development activities to complement the laboratory work.
• An evaluation plan for assessing program success, obtaining intern feedback, and a description of any follow-up activities to track students after the internship is complete.

In addition, there are two requirements to be considered for funding:

1. Only SOT Full or Associate members will be allowed as research mentors for SOT-supported interns. Those who are not members will need to apply for SOT membership by March 31, 2025, and become members before the funds will be distributed.
2. Evidence that the research projects are toxicology-focused or belong to a closely related field.

Guidelines

• SOT funds will provide direct support for the intern and their research costs. SOT funds will not be used to pay indirect costs (overhead). 
• To promote equal access to research opportunities, the EEOC encourages the host to provide a research stipend for the intern that is competitive with the applicable minimum wage in relation to the hours of student investment.
• The host will inform SOT of any changes to the program or the program participants at the time plans change.
• It is expected that SOT-supported interns will submit an abstract for the next SOT meeting and apply for any SOT travel awards for which they are eligible if they are able to collect sufficient data during the internship.

If the applicant’s institution requires an institutional signature for the application, upload this completed form as part of the application.

For more information contact SOT Headquarters.