Research Apprentice Program

The USD Research Apprentice Program is funded through the SD Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network. The program is designed to introduce economically, socially or educationally disadvantaged high school students to health-related research. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the number of disadvantaged students interested in science and health careers.

Students are expected to have an interest in science and/or health careers and to actively participate in a research laboratory during the program. The program exposes participants to contemporary concepts in health sciences, updates computer-based skills and modern laboratory techniques, and shows how a research team designs and conducts experiments using the scientific method. The high school students will work as laboratory assistants to the team. The students live in the USD residence halls, spend their days learning scientific techniques and assisting in a research laboratory, and spend evenings and weekends participating in the social and counseling activities of the Upward Bound program. The students receive a stipend and room and board for the six weeks of the program. Each participant will be required to participate in a final presentation.

 

Who is eligible?

• Students must have been in high school the academic year before the summer program; however priority is given to the students after 10th, 11th and 12th grade who have taken numerous math and science courses.
• Students must be interested in a science or health career.
• In order to have room, board, and activities covered by the Upward Bound program, students must be low income or first-generation college or both. Economically disadvantaged applies to a "low income family."  Socially disadvantaged applies to a student from an environment that has made it difficult for them to be prepared for college (could include: foster care, first generation, rural, inner city, reservation, single parent family, etc.). Educationally disadvantaged applies to a student who is underachieving or has low standardized test scores, comes from a school with low standardized test scores or a financially poor school district, or has parents who are not high school graduates.

 

Next summer's schedule is yet to be determined.

 

RAP students receive a stipend package of $1500. Room, board and activity expenses are covered by Upward Bound.

 

How to Apply:

The application form is available in both MS-Word and PDF format. The MS-Word form can be completed using Microsoft Word before printing. The PDF must be printed and then completed using a typewriter or legible printing. All completed forms and attachments must be returned directly to:

Luci Drapeau
USD/SD BRIN
Lee Med #233
414 East Clark St
Vermillion, SD 57069-2307

2009 Application Form in Word Format
2009 Application Form in PDF Format

 

Our program is sponsored by the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

 

RAP Faculty Handbook (PDF).

If you are having difficulty downloading the PDF documents, please download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

 

July 2008

Five South Dakota high school juniors and seniors participated in 2008. Three females and two males took part. The students spent five weeks working in four research labs on the USD campus in Vermillion.

Drs. Adhar Manna and Yi-Fan Li of the Sanford School of Medicine, and Drs. Andrew Sykes and Merry Berry of the USD chemistry department mentored the students. The students learned a variety of laboratory skills including how to grow bacteria, plating, chromosomal DNA isolation, plasmid isolation, how to run polyacrylamide gels and agarose gels, and how to make polymers out of reactants. All of the students reported that they enjoyed their experiences in their individual labs as they got to experience an actual lab setting which many of them do not experience back in their high schools.

The student researchers were also participants in the USD Upward Bound program. The students were involved in daily research experience in their labs, while also participating in evening study sessions and weekly journal club meetings to share and discuss their laboratory experiences. At the end of the program, the students presented their research findings to peers and mentors. The RAP students received a stipend of $1500 and a certificate of achievement. Their mentors received $500 for lab supplies.

The students received a stipend along with a certificate of achievement for their work in the lab and high school credit for their RAP experience. Their RAP mentors also received a stipend for lab supplies.

The 2008 RAP students enjoyed their summer of research and thought the experience would help them reach their future goals.