Who can apply for this program?
All undergraduate students may apply. We are particularly interested in admitting students with little research experience and also students from diverse backgrounds that are underrepresented in science.
We are especially interested in students at OSU’s regional campuses, at community colleges, including Columbus State Community College, and at smaller schools with fewer research opportunities.
Home institutions of previous interns have included:
– Ohio State University, Columbus campus
– Ohio State University, Marion campus
– Columbus State Community College
– University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
– Upper Iowa University
– Ohio Wesleyan University
– Kenyon College
– Southern Arkansas University
What is the time commitment for this program?
The 2023 program will run for 8 weeks, from May 22 to July 14. Students with significant other commitments during the run of the program will not be a good fit for the program. The time commitment is 35 in-person hours per week throughout.
How will my time be allocated during the program?
You will be expected to put in 35 in-person hours each week. You will have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the STEAM Factory for most of the day (this includes a professional development lunch in the middle of the day). The rest of your time will be spent doing outreach and research, mostly at COSI. You will be allowed to schedule those hours on your own. Please note that there is an expectation that you will spend some of your time at COSI on the weekends.
Where does the program take place?
This program does not take place on the OSU campus. Most of your time will be spent at COSI, a public science museum in Columbus, Ohio, or at the STEAM Factory (400 W. Rich St., Columbus, OH), an OSU-sponsored co-working space near COSI.
What will I get to do?
The internship consists of three distinct elements: classroom sessions, hands-on training in research, and hands-on training in informal science education.
The Language Pod conducts research on many different aspects of language, including how children learn their native language; how people understand language as they listen to it; how people perceive, produce, and interpret regional accents; and more! Interns will learn about the ethics of human subjects research and how to appropriately recruit and consent human research participants. They will also work one-on-one with Ohio State University faculty members and contribute meaningfully to an ongoing research project.
The Pod is also an integral part of the Center of Science and Industry (COSI). Interns will be trained in informal science techniques by OSU faculty and COSI staff. They will shadow more experienced students and eventually work on the floor of COSI, teaching the public about language and the mind using engaging interactive demonstrations.
What are the language sciences?
Language science is a broad term we use to refer to fields that use scientific methods to investigate different aspects of speech and language. The researchers in our lab come primarily from the fields of linguistics, psychology, education, speech language pathology, and audiology. There are many different questions one can ask about language using scientific methods, including:
– Are objects referred to by plural and singular nouns represented differently in the mind when reading?
– Is it possible to ignore someone’s face when assessing how much of an accent their voice has?
– How soon can children recognize different regional accents?
If you’d like to learn more about the language sciences, you can check out the following resources:
What is linguistics?
About Speech-Language Pathology
What is an audiologist?
Psycholinguistics
Who will I work with?
Our faculty mentors work on a variety of different language topics and use many different methods. They come from the departments of Linguistics, Psychology, Speech & Hearing Sciences, and Teaching & Learning. The projects and mentors for each year are different, but in the past, interns have worked with:
Dr. Kathryn Campbell-Kibler
Dr. Cynthia Clopper
Dr. Lawrence L. Feth
Dr. Rachael Frush Holt
Dr. Nikole Patson
Dr. Christina M. Roup
Dr. Laura Wagner
I’ve never done any research or outreach before, is that OK?
Yes! Interns will receive training in both research and outreach techniques, and they will also receive attention and feedback from faculty during the program. We welcome all students who want to learn!
Will I get paid?
Yes! Interns will receive a stipend for the summer of approximately $600/week (or $4800 for the full program). In addition, the program will provide full access to OSU educational resources.
How will this program help me with my future plans?
This program will provide you with training in language sciences, in how to do research, and in how to conduct outreach. It will give you an opportunity to develop critical academic skills as well as public speaking skills. You will be able to use these skills to further your academic career, and they will be extremely useful for a variety of professional careers.
In addition, this program will provide professional development advice about going to graduate school, getting recommendation letters for school and jobs, and improving your resume.
Where will I live?
While we do provide a living stipend, we do not arrange your housing. You will be responsible for finding your own living accommodations in Columbus. Some previous students have chosen to stay in the dorms on campus. Please note that this program does not take place at OSU and you will need to take a bus to COSI/STEAM and the commute takes approximately 45-50 minutes each way. Also note that parking at OSU is extremely expensive (and the website is difficult to navigate). Bringing a car to campus is not usually very easy to do. If you don’t mind long commutes on public busses, then the dorms can be a convenient option. Other students have been able to sublet apartments closer to COSI during the summer, but noted that it can take a bit of effort to find a place available. In the past, students in the REU have found sublets together. If you don’t mind doing a bit of work finding a place, and you’d like to have your car with you, finding a sublet might be the best option.
When you are accepted into the program, we will send a list of resources to help you decide where to stay during the summer in Columbus. We will also put you in contact with all of the other students so you can coordinate with each other about living arrangements.
The stipend we provide will fully cover the cost of the dorms for the time you are in the program. Students who choose to live in apartments are usually able to find something cheaper than the dorms, so the stipend should also fully cover the cost of an apartment.
How will the Covid-19 pandemic affect the program?
We are planning to run fully in person depending on the status of the pandemic. Please be aware that OSU has a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for everyone working at the University included REU participants.
How do I apply?
You can find the application on the Application Information page.
What if I have more questions?
Feel free to send us an email at bln@osu.edu. We’re happy to help!
