SRE is one of the ways students participate in the summer program. Students having been accepted into CAMP, UC LEADS, and Dean’s Excellence Fund programs work with UC Santa Cruz’s faculty in their labs to gain valuable lab experience while being introduced to the theoretical and practical aspects of laboratory research. During SRE students will be able to grow academically and professionally develop their skills. The SRE program requires students to find lab placement (STEMDIV staff will support the process) before the summer begins.

Program Director

Amount & use

The stipend amount is dependent on the program.

Eligibility

To participate in SRE, you must be accepted into one of the STEMDIV Programs (CAMP, UC LEADS, DEF).

Deadlines
The annual application deadline to apply to participate in SRE is the second Friday of every February.
Selection criteria
Applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of staff, faculty, and students. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview with staff and current scholars. Candidates will be evaluated based on a holistic review process of their applications, education/ career goals, and aspirations.

How to apply

To participate in SRE you must be accepted into one of the STEMDIV Programs (CAMP, UC LEADS, DEF). You apply to the UC LEADS, CAMP and DEF Programs simultaneously with one application. Only COMPLETED applications will be reviewed.

The application for the STEMDIV Research Programs will be available on January 3rd of every year.

Click here to access the application

The application components include:

Online application & supplement documents (to be uploaded with the online application) – Due Friday, February 13th, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

  • Completed online Application (this includes essay questions, see questions below)
  • Resume or CV (Career Center Resume Guide)
  • Copy of Your Unofficial Transcripts (UCSC and/or community college, just print them from your student portal) 

Two letters of recommendation – Due Friday, February 27th, 2025 at 11:59 pm: from a faculty or staff member (These should be emailed directly from the recommender to stemdiv@ucsc.edu).

Essay Questions

Please limit your responses to 200 words for each question(see questions below)

                                                                                                                                                                                                             ESSAY QUESTION #1: Please describe your personal background and what experience(s) led you to where you are today in your education? Do not hesitate to express relevant extracurricular activities, any interesting or unusual circumstances or obstacles in your personal or academic background.                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                           ESSAY QUESTION #2: Please describe any UCSC relevant work experience in the sciences, research, or as a volunteer. Also, what you have learned from these experiences, and how these experiences make you a good candidate for the program? 
                                                                                                                                                                                                          ESSAY QUESTION #3: After you obtain your bachelor’s degree, what are your long-term academic/career aspirations? If you are unclear about a specific career/academic path, please share a number of possibilities you foresee in your future. How do you plan to reach these goals?                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                        ESSAY QUESTION #4: How are the STEMDIV Research Programs going to support your academic/career goals? What do you hope to gain from this experience?

For questions and additional information about the application process, please contact our office at 831-459-4770 or send an email to stemdiv@ucsc.edu.