Project SEED

You and your organization are invited to apply to participate in Project SEED, the American Chemical Society's social action program that places economically disadvantaged high school students in academic, industrial, and governmental research laboratories for eight-to-ten weeks during the summer.

Project SEED offers high school students two exciting, hands-on research opportunities:

• The Summer I program will provide first-time participants (rising juniors and seniors) a fellowship award of $2,275.
  
• A second-year program, Summer II, provides Project SEED Summer I students an additional summer of scientific research. These students will receive a fellowship award of $2,600. Additionally, Summer II students will be eligible for a travel grant of up to $100 to present their research at an ACS or other scientific meeting.

Each student does a scientific research project in chemistry or related field under the direct supervision of a scientist/mentor. The students must be economically disadvantaged and must be enrolled in high school or be recent high school graduates; no student who has matriculated in college is eligible. The students must have taken one year of high school chemistry.

In addition to hands-on research, Project SEED students receive guidance on their career and personal development.  Mentors provide strategies for helping students reach their objectives, give feedback, and allow opportunities for growth that may include exposure to key members of an organization.  SEED I students who have completed a summer I program and have not matriculated in college can return a second summer and do more research.  On completion of a SEED II research program, the students also have the opportunity to apply for one of the Project SEED college scholarships.

You need not have a student yet in order to apply. Apply now to sponsor a student and the local Project SEED Committee will work with you to obtain a student.  Funding for the student will come from the National Project SEED office and/or matching funds from the local Section.

Be sure to visit the Project SEED website for more information: www.chemistry.org/education/SEED.html

You may submit your 2005 Project SEED summer I or Summer II Application(s) online at:  https://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/24237/seed_application.htm
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You can also obtain an application form, program guidelines, and other information from your local Section Project SEED co-chair, Cherlyn Bradley at (630-510-0352, cbrad1027@aol.com) or from the National ACS Committee on Project SEED staff at 1-800-227-5558, ext. 4380.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2006 SUMMER PROGRAM WILL BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER.

APPLICATION DEADLINE WILL BE FEBRUARY 1, 2006.

If you are NEW to the Project SEED program, your willingness to expose students to a scientific environment is one of several steps that will allow students to discover the world of chemistry.  The Council Committee on Project SEED office looks forward to reviewing your application.

Since Project SEED's inception in 1968, more than 7,400 talented high school students nationwide have spent the summer conducting research in local chemistry laboratories under the guidance of mentors.  Both students and the community benefit.  The students, while earning a stipend, find out what chemistry research or development is about and whether it might interest them as a career.  These students become role models for younger students and almost all attend college.

For the Chicago area, less than 100 students have participated---not because we don't have students that qualify or aren't interested in the program (each year we can find plenty of students), but due to lack of academic, industrial, and governmental scientists willing to be mentors. We continue to have the few, dedicated scientists who have been involved in the program several years-- and we salute you!

In order to get more Chicagoland students involved in the program, we need two things: 1) more scientists willing to participate as mentors/preceptors to foster the successful continuance and growth of this worthy program in the Chicago area for scientifically promising, but economically disadvantaged high school students and 2) more funding from Chicagoland corporations, foundations, and individuals to sponsor our students.

For you scientists who are NSF, NIH, or PRF grant holders, it is possible that you can get funding to sponsor a Project SEED student within your proposed research programs.  Check with the ACS National SEED office at 1-800-227-5558, ext. 4380.

If you or your company would like to donate to your Chicago Section's Project SEED program to sponsor a local student, contact the Chicago Section office at (847) 647-8405.

Cherlyn Bradley
Chicago Section Project SEED Chair