Director's Research Scholar program

The Director's Research Scholar (DRS) program offers research opportunities at FRIB to highly qualified undergraduate students, with the goal of expanding research participation in STEM fields for students from all backgrounds. 

This is a paid employment opportunity, and participation in the program is contingent upon successfully meeting employment eligibility and on-boarding requirements. Students selected for the DRS program will be provided with a mentoring network, which includes their faculty advisor, graduate students and/or postdocs of their research group, and the DRS program coordinator at FRIB. This enhanced mentoring structure will help DRS students be successful in their research and in a future career in STEM fields.

DRS award 

DRS awards usually last for one year (three semesters), and can be initiated at the start of any of the academic semesters. Extension of the scholarship beyond the first year can be made on the basis of mutual agreement between the awardee and the FRIB faculty mentor, in coordination with the DRS program coordinator. 

Awardees are expected to engage for at least an average of 10 hours per week, and will be supported by FRIB at an hourly rate on the basis of actual hours spent on the research project. During the summer semester, awardees are presented with the opportunity to pursue their research project full-time. Awardees are expected to follow all relevant rules, regulations, and practices at FRIB. They will receive appropriate safety and other trainings for their research activities at FRIB. Awardees are also expected to participate in scholarly and research activities of the research group they are engaged with, such as group meetings.

Upon completion of their research project, awardees are expected to present their research work at an appropriate venue. Possible venues for research presentations include the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum program at MSU or the Conference Experience for Undergraduates program at the American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics meeting, as well as opportunities at FRIB.

Application

Interested undergraduate students should apply using the online application form. The application should include:

  1. A research statement describing why the particular program is of interest to you
  2. A personal statement presenting your future career goals, how the DRS program will help you in that direction, and, if applicable, any hurdles you might have faced in engaging with research opportunities
  3. Undergraduate transcripts
  4. Two letters of recommendation from faculty members submitted through the online recommendation form

Applications are accepted at all times, and they will be considered once all materials have been received. For more information, contact the FRIB DRS program coordinator (drscholar@frib.msu.edu).