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The Howard Hughes Precollege Program in the Biological Sciences

June 16 - August 1, 2008

Program Description | Admissions | Printable Forms |  Financial Support | Program Schedule | Important Dates | Morning Seminars |  Examples of Past Projects | Frequently Asked Questions

 

The Howard Hughes Precollege Program in the Biological Sciences is designed to encourage high school students to continue with their science studies and to consider careers related to the life sciences. This seven-week summer program gives 15 rising seniors from Durham and Orange County schools and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics the opportunity to do hands-on research in laboratory settings with Duke University scientists who are especially committed to working with students.

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
In the first week of the program, students participate in a group orientation to laboratory science and also begin research mentorships in their individually assigned laboratories, working on either a specific individual research project or on a piece of one of the laboratory’s ongoing projects. During the following six weeks, students work in their assigned labs on a full-time basis. They are required to complete a scientific poster to be presented at a concluding student symposium.

The Precollege Program also includes a morning seminar series on a wide variety of scientific topics, as well as informational sessions on the college application process and college life. A once-a-week tutorial assists participants with the preparation of their poster. Students also have the opportunity to visit several of Duke’s unique science facilities, and to participate in informal social activities.

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ADMISSIONS
The Howard Hughes Precollege Program in the Biological Sciences is open to students who are currently in the 10th and 11th grades in high schools in Durham and Orange Counties and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. The program is designed for creative, highly motivated, and responsible students who have demonstrated interest and ability in their science courses, who are mature and academically disciplined, and who will benefit from the opportunities that this program offers.

The program is targeted, but not limited, to women and minorities traditionally underrepresented in the sciences (African Americans, Hispanic/Latino-a Americans, Native Americans, and Native Pacific Islanders). High school counselors, science teachers, or Principals may recommend students for consideration.

The student should fill out Section 1 of the Application Form and is responsible for giving the completed form, including the Teacher Recommendation Form (from a current science teacher) in a sealed envelope, to his or her guidance counselor.

The student’s guidance counselor is responsible for completing Section 2 of the Application Form, including obtaining a copy of the student’s transcript, and then mailing the completed Application Form to Duke University in time to be received by the deadline of March 17, 2008. 

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PRINTABLE FORMS (PDF Format)

Application Form

Teacher Recommendation Form
 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
There is no charge for the Howard Hughes Precollege Program; it is funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Students receive a $1,500 stipend for full participation in the seven-week program. The only expenses incurred by the participants include transportation costs to and from the University and daily lunches. 

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE
This year’s program will take place from June 16 through August 1. Students are expected to be on the Duke campus Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m., although departure times depend upon individual laboratory schedules and may vary from day to day. Absences from the program for reasons other than illness will be considered on an individual basis. Program participants are specifically requested to defer family vacations, as well as extra-curricular activities which take place during working hours, until the conclusion of the program.

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IMPORTANT DATES
March 17: Deadline for receiving applications
April 14:  Applicants notified of admission decisions
April 24: Deadline for acceptances by students
June 16: Program begins
July 4: Holiday
August 1: Concluding Poster Session and lunch

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MORNING SEMINAR SERIES
Our morning science seminar series is a unique feature of the Precollege Program. Duke scientists are invited to share their special research interests with the program participants. In the past, our students have heard from a wide variety of scientists from across the University, including the Arts and Sciences departments, the Nicholas School of the Environment, and both the basic science and clinical departments in the School of Medicine.

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TOPICS HAVE INCLUDED:

• Thymus Transplantation in DiGeorge Syndrome
  
• Preventing Brain Damage with Drugs
  
• Children’s Memory and Testimony
  
• Medical Ethics: The Tuskegee Experiment
  
• Using Cord Blood Stem Cells to Treat Human Diseases
  
• Genetic Studies in Neural Tube Defects
  
• Origins of HIV: How Do We Know, Why Do We Care?
  
• Molecular Evolution of Gene Networks: Finding the Genes that Make Us Human
  
• Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain              
  
• Murderers or Altruists? What Animal Behaviour Can Tell Us About the Nature of Competition and Cooperation
  
• Infant Heart Defects

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EXAMPLES OF PAST PROJECTS:

• Soil Sterilization and Microbial Recolonization
• Quantitative Measurement of Fluorescence in Drosophila melanogaster Embryos
• Secondary Consequences of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Adaptation in a Enhanced Retention of Cognitive Ability of Female Sprague-Dawley Rats into Advanced Age by Prenatal Supplementation of Choline Population of Atlantic Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)
• Effects of the Vitamin D Receptor Gene and Smoking on Affection and IQ in a sample of ADHD Families
• The Identification of an E. coli Conjugate that can Degrade Toluene
• Studies of Apoptosis in TRPC6 Knock Out (-/-) Mice
• Development and Optimization of Human PF4/Heparin ELISA: GSK Blood Bank study and IgG subclass investigation
• Non-verbal Ordinal Abilities in Human Infants and Lemurs
• Codependency of E. coli 317 Isolator Strains through Biofilms
• Genetic and morphological comparisons of high-elevation endemic Mimulus tilingii and widespread Mimulus guttatus
• Drug Addiction and Mice Deficient in the Neuropeptide Processing Enzyme PAM
•  Evolution of Endomesoderm Gene Regulatory Network in a Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Population
• The presence of CD56-high NK Cells in complete DiGeorge anomaly patients before thymus Ttransplantation
• Phylogenetic diversity of Buchnera aphidicola, primary endosymbionts of aphids

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I have to be nominated by a teacher or counselor or my Principal?
You may submit an application without being nominated by a teacher or guidance counselor, or a teacher or counselor may nominate you, but you must work with your guidance counselor to complete your application form, which includes your current science teacher’s recommendation form in a sealed envelope and your most recent transcript.

Do I need to have prior laboratory research experience?
No, absolutely not. This program is designed to introduce students to hands-on science research.

I am undecided about a career at this point. I like science, but I am interested in other areas of study (and career choices) as well. Should I still apply?
Yes. We don’t expect all our participants to become research scientists, but if you like science, you will enjoy this hands-on introduction to one possible career.

I don’t really like science much – I am more of an arts (or history, or English) person, but my folks want me to apply. Should I?
The final decision is yours, but this program is science-intensive, and students who don’t enjoy their science courses in school probably won’t enjoy being immersed in science full-time for 7 weeks during the summer.

I’m planning on going on vacation with my folks for a few weeks during July (or going to swim camp for a week). Can I still participate in the program?  How about if I plan to take a part-time job starting around 5:00 p.m.?
We ask that students defer family vacations, extra-curricular activities and part-time jobs (other than those on the weekend) until after the program ends on August 1. If your part-time job starts earlier than 7:00 p.m., you will need to make a decision about which activity suits you best. As we note above, this is a seven-week program and students are expected to participate in the entire program.

How do you place students in their assigned laboratories?
We look very carefully at the areas of interest that you rank highly (on your Application Form) and try to select a laboratory that is doing research that fits with your interests. We try to place all of our students in a first or second choice area, so you should be very thoughtful about your selections and your explanations of why you selected them. We also are careful to place students in laboratories that are enthusiastic about working with high school students.

Will I work with another Precollege Program student in the lab?
Generally, each student works in a separate laboratory, although on occasion we have had 2 students who have worked in the same lab, but on entirely different projects.

Do I have to come up with my own research project?
No, we do not expect our participants to formulate their own projects. In most instances, students work on a piece of their laboratory’s ongoing research. Sometimes the laboratory might give the student a choice of several possible projects from which to choose.

Will this program help me decide if I want to be a medical doctor?
No, not really, since our participants are not placed in a clinical setting. The Precollege Program is designed specifically to introduce students to hands-on science research, although since premedical and medical students must take rigorous science courses in college and in medical school, this introduction to science research should help you decide if you like the discipline enough to pursue it further.

Will I receive any assistance with putting together my final paper and poster?
Yes, definitely. We have special morning tutorials in how to assemble a poster, and your laboratory will help you as well. You're certainly not on your own!

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