PREP: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits?

Research Scholarship and Mentoring

PREP provides support for up to two years of research experience in a scientific laboratory. The program matches participants with a faculty mentor in their field of interest at the University of Kansas. Student participants complete research projects in conjunction with the mentor and present the results of the research project at local and national meetings.

Special Coursework

Participants enroll in program-sponsored seminars as well as specialized coursework to enhance skills needed for graduate study and research, including GRE preparation.

Program Activities

Additional program activities include services designed to prepare participants for graduate study, including personalized academic counseling, graduate school selection, travel to national meetings, an annual research symposium, and opportunities to enhance research and academic skills.

Who is eligible?

PREP scholars must:

Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Have received a bachelor's degree within the last three years
Intend to attend graduate school in a science-related field
The purpose of the PREP program is to achieve greater participation in the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise of this country of students from underrepresented groups. Therefore, selection of students in the PREP program takes into consideration whether the student's participation would help achieve the overall goals/objectives of the proposed institutional program. Based on relevance to the NIGMS/MORE mission, this research education program will be used to increase, consistent with the University Policy on Diversity of the Student Body, the number of students from underrepresented groups. Individuals belonging to a particular ethnic, racial or other underrepresented (e.g., economically disadvantaged, first generation college student, etc.) group are encouraged to apply.
The University of Kansas Policy on Diversity of the Student Body is available at: http://www.diversity.ku.edu/student_diversity.shtml

What majors qualify?

A broad range of areas qualify for this program. Examples include:

Applied Behavioral Sciences
Behavioral Ecology
Biochemistry
Chemistry
Computer Science
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Engineering
Environmental Studies
Exercise Physiology
Mathematics
Microbiology
Neuroscience
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Psychology
Speech, Language and Hearing
and more!

How do I apply?

PREP is now accepting applications for Spring 2010. You may download the application as a PDF file. Click here for application.

Please return applications to:

Lynn S. Villafuerte
Molecular Biosciences
Office for Diversity in Science Training
1200 Sunnyside Avenue
1002A Haworth Hall
Lawrence, KS 66045-7534

How do I credit PREP support?

Please remember to credit the National Institute of General Medical Science's support for your research in your publications and presentations. Your acknowledgments of NIGMS funding should read as follows:

"This publication was made possible by grant number 5R25GM078441 from the National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)."

"The project described was supported by grant number 5R25GM078441 from the National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)"

and as appropriate,

"Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of NIGMS or NIH."