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<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><b><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA050ebd60-92f6-2dae-9c06-cd7b0b7001fe" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://versa.ucsd.edu/">Virtual
Education Research in STEM Academy</a></u></b></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>UCSD Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Program Dates:</b> 6/17/2026 - 8/14/2026</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: red;"><b>Application Deadline:</b> 4/5/2026</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br>
To learn more or apply, visit: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA88127ece-4778-4f4f-0d9d-61ecedc0c696" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://versa.ucsd.edu/">https://versa.ucsd.edu/</a></u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>DESCRIPTION</b><br>
Do you want to learn how to make a difference in STEM Education? </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA9a4a77ff-769b-8c65-858b-97fa3de25e83" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://versa.ucsd.edu/">The
VERSA (Virtual Education Research in STEM Academy) @ University of California, San Diego program</a></u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> is looking for undergraduate students who want to conduct research on STEM education at the college level this summer.
Our faculty mentors study teaching and learning in a variety of STEM disciplines, including chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering.<br>
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It is a hybrid program: the first and last weeks are in person, while the middle weeks are virtual- meaning you can do research from home! The program is 9 weeks. Each
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA3584cb71-627b-ac8d-f88d-c5fbaf864d16" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://versa.ucsd.edu/">VERSA</a></u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Fellow
will receive a $5,400 stipend and an additional $1,255 allowance for housing and food.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA8c825df9-3721-4fea-f86f-b7bab28c6c37" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://versa.ucsd.edu/">VERSA</a></u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> is
a 9-week NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in discipline-based education research (DBER). You'll work directly with a faculty mentor to study and transform how college STEM is taught, no prior research experience required.<br>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>HIGHLIGHTS</b></span></p>
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<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">$600/week stipend ($5,400 total)</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">$1,255 housing and food allowance</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Free on-campus housing + travel covered during in-person weeks</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">First and last week in-person at UC San Diego — the rest is virtual (work from home!)</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Present your research at the UCSD Summer Research Conference</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Professional development: journal clubs, guest seminars, and academic skill-building<br>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>PROGRAM DATES</b></span></p>
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<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">June 17 – August 16, 2026</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">In-person weeks: June 22–26 and August 11–14 at UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA</span></li></ul>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>WHO CAN APPLY?</b></span></p>
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<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Current undergrad at any 2- or 4-year institution</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">U.S. citizen or permanent resident, age 18+</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Background in any STEM field or education/social science</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Good academic standing</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Available full-time (Mon–Fri, ~9am–5pm) during the program</span></li><li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-size: 11pt;">Community college students and those with no research experience are strongly encouraged to apply</span></li></ul>
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<b>Questions? CONTACT:</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Owens, Melinda</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Associate Teaching Professor<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA3bb8f8c2-d144-b4b7-0480-da93e0bd3431" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" href="mailto:mtowens@ucsd.edu">mtowens@ucsd.edu</a></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Bussey, Thom</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Teaching Professor<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA84f19940-1ade-9004-9b19-df31b36d7175" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" href="mailto:tbussey@ucsd.edu">tbussey@ucsd.edu</a></u></span></p>
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