Research overview: ILS Program Requirement
In order to pursue a career in the life sciences, it is critical that students acquire an appreciation for the research process responsible for generating the new knowledge that will shape their future careers. It is an extraordinary time for ILS students to become research scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, biologists, and clinical physicians.
The experiential component of ILS is designed to facilitate meaningful experiences in basic biological, biomedical, and clinical research on the UM campus and at federal research centers and biomedical institutes in the Washington, DC area, including: NIH-Bethesda, FDA-College Park, USDA-Beltsville, and Smithsonian Institution-Washington, DC, all of which have international renown for research excellence. All ILS students are expected to complete a 240-hour relevant biology related research experience, including an electronic portfolio, in their first two years on campus in order to receive the ILS honors citation.
If you haven’t done any research before, great! If you have, great! All ILS students will learn significant transferable research skills through their research experience and ePortfolio project that they complete at the conclusion of their work.
We strongly advise that students DO NOT begin their research until summer after their first-year at the earliest for several reasons: 1) build the foundation for a strong transcript before adding in other responsibilities, 2) acclimate to the pace and rigor of the college environment and learning a new self-care routine to meet that pace, 3) gain enough experience to know what to look for in a lab, 4) be a more attractive candidate by PIs and supervisors for their research, and 5) avoid regret for jumping into a lab that is a bad fit.
We will help you find that research experience with resources, advice, and guidance, but every student selects their own research experience across a broad range of life sciences disciplines, organizations, projects, and responsibilities. Some things to consider and resources are below.
FINDING RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS
There are several places to start looking for internships. You should consider the following factors when deciding on where to apply or request a position.
Where is the internship?
There are internships on- and off-campus. On-campus labs offer a walking distance proximity and convenience to complete during the school year, or you may choose an internship off-campus. Research can be completed any time; fall or spring semesters, winter sessions, or during summer break.
Paid vs Unpaid internships
While we would all like to get paid for the hard work we put in, there are far fewer paid internships than unpaid. If you require a paid internship, then keep this in mind while looking through the options below. Also, consider applying for a grant to help support your research if you plan to stay on campus.
Summer/Winter vs During the Academic Year
Lilli Pedersen decked out in purple in the lab.
The commitment of 240 hours of research is approximately two semester's worth of work at 10 hrs per week or one summer full-time (40 hrs). ILS staff will help ILS students find a meaningful internship experience that will further their ability to acquire transferable skills and achieve their professional goals. ILS students can pursue internship opportunities in many ways, including:
Resources to assist with cover letters, resumes, CVs, and cover letters are available at the Career Center and Writing Center.
On-campus research opportunities in the life sciences
International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) team
iGEMs student team at their national competition with Dr. Ed Eisenstein and Dr. Jason Khan.
Every year, student researchers from around the world come together for the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM). This paramount event engages student-led teams from major universities worldwide to present novel synthetic biology projects targeted towards addressing real-world problems. For the past two years, the University of Maryland has sent a team composed of students from the ILS program and bioengineering to the iGEM jamboree held in Boston, Massachusetts. The first year the team earned a gold medal for their work developing a biosensor to detect for the presence of the oyster pathogen, Perkinsus marinus. This parasite is commonly found over the eastern shore of North America, including in Maryland's own Chesapeake Bay. The team won gold for a second year for their work developing a new method for plasmid maintenance without the use of antibiotics and the construction of an inexpensive thermocycler using parts from a hairdryer which also earned them a nomination for best new application. To learn more about the 2016 UMD team's research visit their Wiki. Being a member of the iGem team is just one way students can fulfill the ILS research requirement.
Departmental Honors
After completing your ILS research internship requirement, we hope that you will consider engaging in further research experiences, especially if you are planning to pursue a Ph.D. in graduate school or a MD/Ph.D. in medical school. We encourage you to participate in departmental honors, which involves 2-4 semesters of independent research on your own project that culminates in your writing of an undergraduate honors thesis. Your research is supervised by an on-campus faculty mentor working in an UMD department, or by an off-campus researcher working in collaboration with a UMD faculty mentor. Typically, a student researcher participates in the departmental honors program that is administered by the mentor’s department and/or by the student’s major.
ILS students who are interested in exploring departmental honors should refer to the links below for general descriptions of and application procedures for several departmental honors programs offering research opportunities that have appealed to successful ILS student researchers.
Cole Marra cradles a sheep’s heart.
Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics
For the links to other departmental honors programs, see the Honors College website.