OHMS Scholars Internships
When: Summers after your first and second academic years
What is a research internship?
Why does OHMS strongly encourage research internships?
How do I get a research internship?
What activities will the OHMS internships include?
Are the research internships paid?
Is housing provided if the internship is not near my home?
Is it acceptable to find my own research internship?
Is my research graded? Do I get academic credit for it?
What is a research internship?
To learn more about the career they’re aiming for, students can take an internship position—a short-term professional work situation that often provides a summer of full-time work and may continue part-time over an academic semester. In a research internship, the intern participates in a particular laboratory or scientific team, typically with an independent project that contributes to a larger project in the lab/team.
Why does OHMS strongly encourage research internships?
We want you to be excited by your undergraduate career as a scientist, and “doing” science is the most interesting part! Reading about the discovery process of other scientists is necessary and often inspiring, but having your own questions to answer is fun and very satisfying. We also want you to explore some of the many possible career pathways in STEM, so you have a better idea where you would like your curiosity to take you. Finally, research experience gained through a research internship can help strengthen your application for graduate experience or professional positions as a research scientist after graduation.
How do I get a research internship?
The OHMS Scholars Program faculty/staff team has assembled a crowd of partners who have indicated they would have a summer research internship available most years and would welcome OHMS Scholars. Many are research faculty at OSU, some are local manufacturers and businesses, and others are local non-profits. The OHMS team and Office of Career Development will coordinate the list of available internships in the spring semester, and help OHMS Scholars choose and apply to the internships.
What activities will the OHMS Scholars program internships include?
STEM encompasses many, many disciplines, and the activities are highly dependent on the specific internship opportunity. Whether in the field, a lab, a factory, an office, or some combination, the supervising scientist(s) will consult with the Ohio State Newark Office of Career Development to define the student activities and skills required for the project prior to offering the internship. Because our partners include scientists across industry, business, community non-profits, and the university, we expect that you’ll have a very wide range of interesting possibilities to apply to!
Are the research internships paid?
Many of the summer research opportunities that our academic, industry, and non-profit partners have for OHMS Scholars are paid through the supervising scientist’s organizational or grants funding. Other research opportunities will not automatically come with a summer stipend or pay, however, you will have the opportunity to apply for grants on campus or through outside organizations that can provide you with hourly pay or a stipend. The OHMS community (faculty, mentors, peers) will help locate grants and guide your grant applications and proposals. We understand that you are likely to need summer income, and we will do all we can to make your summer job relevant to your scientific interests.
Is housing provided if the internship is not near my home?
Some of the possible internships include paid housing, for instance at Stone Laboratory and The Wilds. Some may be near your home (many on the OSU Columbus campus, for instance), and others may coordinate housing for interns. We expect to have a wide range of available internships that meet a variety of OHMS Scholar needs and interests.
Is it acceptable to find my own research internship?
Absolutely! If you have contacts to arrange your own supervised summer investigations in your area of interest, do it! You may also be able to apply for OSU grants to support your self-arranged summer supervised research if it is not otherwise paid. We would like to connect our Office of Career Development with your research supervisor ahead of your research, to smooth the process and provide some guidance about the OHMS program, but this is not required.
Is my research graded? Do I get academic credit for it?
Most research internships do not confer academic credit. You won’t get graded on your project(s), but you likely will have opportunities to present your research at various student research forums on the Newark and Columbus campuses, some of which have awards. Some research supervisors may also help you present at conferences or meetings. Active research experience as an OHMS Scholar will be a huge boost to your applications for funding the second half of your bachelor’s studies, and for graduate school.