FAQ

To apply to the GEO REU, students must be:

• US citizens or permanent residents of the US or its possessions.
• Undergraduates currently enrolled in a degree program and not graduated by the first day of the program.
• 18 years of age before the first day of the program.

Students who are under-represented minorities, first generation college students, or from small colleges are strongly encouraged to apply.

Summer interns receive a $600/week stipend over the 10 week program, totaling $6000. The program also provides all research and course-related expenses, room and board, travel to and from Cambridge, MA, and a $500 meal allowance.

GEO interns will most likely be staying in GSAS housing, which has single rooms but share a bathroom and common space. This housing is very close to OEB/HEB labs, allows for air conditioning, and has shared kitchen space.

There is no meal plan, your stipend is intended to cover food costs. There are several regular weekly meeting that include meals, but most meals are your responsibility. There are lots of affordable food options in the area surrounding the labs.

Yes, all travel is covered, both to and from Cambridge, MA, and to and from the LANS conference. We will help you make travel arrangements so that we can pay for them directly, you do not have to be reimbursed.

No, health insurance is not provided by the program. Students should ensure that they have insurance through their family or undergraduate program.

You will receive an email from the GEO program by mid-February confirming your acceptance to the program.

Accepted interns will be matched with host labs based on mentor availability and the interests outlined by the applicants in their statement of purpose. Accepted interns will be notified of their host lab and proposed project at the time of acceptance.

Every week, the GEO REU interns will meet with their PhD student peer mentors over dinner. During week 1, this meeting will be focused on Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), including how to keep an organized, accurate lab notebook, and ensure accuracy of your data. During weeks 2-10, the first hour of the meeting will feature a guest faculty member who will discuss their personal career trajectory and how they choose their study subject. The second hour will be focused on professional and personal development topics ranging from fighting imposter syndrome to designing posters in Powerpoint to applying for scientific society grants to critical fieldwork skills.

The GEO REU is supported by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.

The program will organize a series of weekend Peer Mentor outings, which will involve all of the SROH interns together with their PhD student mentors. These outings include things like tours of the Boston Aquarium, whale watching trips, visits to the Museum of Science, and behind the scenes tours of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Cambridge, MA is a diverse, urban environment that is home to several of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions. During the summer, it is also home to hundreds of summer interns. There are numerous restaurants, summer festivals, concerts, and opportunities for outdoor fun. Moreover, right next door is Boston, a cosmopolitan city that is easily accessible via public transport, which also includes access to more rural areas (Walden Pond! Concord and Lexington!) via the commuter rail.

Yes, both previous successful and unsuccessful applicants are allowed to apply again, as long as they meet the requirements of being currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have graduated by the first day of the summer program.

Yes! There are several different ways we can accommodate students who can’t come until a few days after our start date.

Feel free to reach out to Elena Kramer, the Director of the REU, at ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu.