Research Trainee Program

The MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) U* Training Program is a 2-year Fellowship Program for under-represented minority students, which include Hispanics, Latino, African American, Native American and Pacific Islanders in the sciences who are Juniors and Seniors and are interested in pursuing a research career in the sciences. 

The MARC Program will pay tuition, insurance, and fees, and the students will receive a monthly stipend. In the MARC U* Training Program, students are required to do an average of 12 hours per week of research during the fall, winter and spring quarters, and full time during the summer period. The program will also take advantage of summer internship programs at other universities. Along with research, students will attend biweekly MARC U* meetings, seminars, colloquia, and scientific conferences.

MARC U* Trainee Program eligibility criteria:

• 3.0 GPA
• Earned a minimum of 90 university credits
• Have attained either Junior or Senior standing
• Agree to conduct at least 12 hours per week of research during the regular school year and full-time during the 9-week summer period
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Be an under-represented minority in the sciences
• Be a science major in Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biology, Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences or Statistics.

Additional Trainee Program Information

The MARC U* Star Trainee Program provides an opportunity for juniors and seniors to conduct mentored research in laboratories for a full 2-year period. Underrepresented students in the Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Chemistry and Statistics who are selected for the Trainee program will receive a fellowship which includes tuition, fees and insurance as well as a monthly stipend.

Two courses will be available to the MARC U* Star Trainee junior and senior students. One will teach students how to prepare and give oral presentations (BCH-188). This will begin with faculty lectures on making oral presentations. The students will then gain experience in the preparation and presentation of short formal talks. In addition, the course will include instruction in the electronic preparation of Figures and Tables. A second course will include an examination and analysis of selected current research papers (BCH-189). This will include reading, and critiquing papers. All students will read the paper for that week and discuss it following a presentation by one of their members. A faculty member will be present to guide the discussion and elucidate the appropriate nuances of the paper.

As juniors, the participating MARC U* Trainees will attend a scientific meeting as an observer with participants from the laboratory in which s/he is working. There are a number of national meetings held each year in Southern California and an appropriate meeting here or elsewhere will be identified. As a senior, the student will attend a second meeting at which they can present their own data. The program will also take advantage of summer internship programs at other UC campuses for interested MARC trainees at the end of their junior year.

MARC Trainees will be required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their major to remain eligible. Students’ GPAs will be audited following the receipt of grades each quarter. A student dropping below the required standards will be placed on probation for one semester, during which time they will be given tutoring and counseling assistance if desired. A trainee may request a leave from the program for one semester. A student must reapply for the program if absent for a longer period.