Summer Research Scholarship Program swamped with interest

25 November 2005

Applications have flooded in for the 2005 Summer Scholarship program offered by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney.

The Summer Scholarship Program gives undergraduate students a taste for life at the lab bench. By connecting students with leading research experts in world-class facilities, the program offers students a chance to experience research, contribute to meaningful projects and get paid during their summer holidays.

A total of 149 students applied for 60 scholarships. Young women dominated, with 70% of applications and scholarships being awarded to female students.

Successful applicants were predominately in their 2nd and 3rd year, studying medical science, science, pharmacy, medicine and engineering. Most came from the University of Sydney; however 22% came from universities across the country.

Successful scholars chose from the 94 research projects on offer. Research topics included; examining the quality of life after stem cell transplants, investigating the genetics of brain tumors, looking at childhood mortality from pneumonia, determining the effects of antibiotic selection in intensive care and seeing how diet affects behavior.

The number of students choosing a career in research has steadily declined over the last decade with many research institutes struggling to find suitable candidates to conduct their important work. The Summer Scholarship Program aims to reverse this trend by recruiting, mentoring and encouraging students into a research career.