REACT Summer Student Researcher in Grenoble, France

REACT’s final cohort of students completed their summer research in Grenoble in July 2022. Penn students interested in summer research in Grenoble at the GIANT campus can now apply through Penn Abroad here.

Summer Research at GIANT for Penn Students:

REACT offers the opportunity for students to do summer research at GIANT in Grenoble, France. GIANT is a one-of-a-kind research campus that co-localizes world-class institutions ranging from universities to national and European research facilities to start-up companies. This highly interdisciplinary research infrastructure provides a unique and stimulating environment for researchers and students alike.

Summer research projects were proposed by researchers at GIANT. Penn applicants can rank their preference among the projects proposed by the GIANT host labs and then will be matched to projects based on their preference and the lab’s needs for particular experience/background.  If selected, students take part in a larger internship program (GIANT International Internship Programme or GIIP), which hosts students and trainees from a number of non-European universities during the summer.

Program Details

Dates: May 16 – July 29, 2022  (Travel to Grenoble would occur around May 12; there is some start date flexibility in cases where a student has an academic conflict.)

Provided by the program: Travel costs to/from Grenoble, housing in Grenoble, a modest cost-of-living reimbursement, and stipend.

Expectations: Students work in GIANT labs full-time during the program under a French mentor/supervisor and participate in GIIP programs (e.g., research seminars, facility tours, social events, poster and research presentations) and REACT events (e.g., seminars, annual summer meeting).

Eligibility: Participants must be

a) U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents who will be enrolled at Penn at least through summer 2022

OR

b) non-French citizens who i) have not spent significant time living in France and ii) will not be graduating (i.e., who will return to Penn for the academic year of 2022-2023) and iii) are undergraduates or master’s students (not PhD students).

Undergraduates who will have completed at least their second year of studies by May 2022 will have priority over students who have completed less of their undergraduate programs.  This 2022 opportunity is for Penn students (REACT partner schools, Villanova, Bryn Mawr and Alabama State University, should contact the email below to inquire about their eligibility).

Apply:

a) Fill out the application form.

b) Email the below items to react@seas.upenn.edu

(i) Resume (1-page limit)

(ii) Transcripts – unofficial are OK for initial review

(iii) Statement responding to the below items

  1. Read about the projects for 2022 and identify up to three projects of interest, ranking them in order of interest.  Why would you like to do research at GIANT in Grenoble and/or be part of the GIANT International Internship Program? (300-word limit)
  2. Briefly describe any prior research experience and technical skills you have. (350-word limit)
  3. List two faculty members (provide emails) who we can contact about you and your fit for this experience.  At least one of these should be a Penn faculty member; the second can be from another institution, if appropriate.  Try to choose references who know you well enough to provide substantial feedback about your suitability for this opportunity (e.g. roles include, professor for a course, research/job supervisor, mentor).

Application Review:  We will review all completed applications starting on February 3, 2022. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis, if there are positions that remain to be filled. We encourage you to apply as EARLY as possible.

If you are selected by the Penn REACT team, you will then be asked to fill out a brief GIIP form and to submit a cover letter for your project.  You will then be reviewed by the GIANT host lab/GIIP team, with a potential interview should the host lab request one.