SynBio Manufacturing of Materials Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program
The Synthetic biology Manufacturing of Advanced materials Research Center (SMARC) and the Skandalaris Center is offering an interdisciplinary research, innovation, and entrepreneurship experience that gives current students hands-on experience in a local biotech company and a WashU research lab.
About the Program
We will provide the support, training, and experience students need to prepare for careers in the exciting fields of synthetic biology and biomanufacturing. Students will learn about start-ups, intern at a start-up company and gain lab experience.
Application deadline is January 26, 2024.
Training Activities
Spring
- Participate in monthly meetings from March-April. In these meetings, you will explore the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in St. Louis. This may include site visits to local incubators and startups, professional development, and networking opportunities to assist the fellows in securing your summer internship. Fellows will design programming for summer 2024 during the seminar.
- Learn about the St. Louis area start-up ecosystem and the benefits of interning at a start-up
- Standard internship best practices
- Build your resume and apply to internships
Summer
- Move in to on-campus housing June 2.
- Attend Kickoff dinner on June 2.
- Complete a summer internship between June 3 and August 9. Over the summer you will:
- Receive a $6,000 paid summer internship stipend without on-campus housing OR $4,000 stipend with free on-campus housing during the internship
- Intern at an early-stage (generally less than 5 years old), St. Louis-based startup and a WashU research lab
- Monday through Friday, you will intern half the week at a startup and half the week in a WashU research lab
- Participate in weekly programming (usually held on Wednesday afternoons)
- Write a blog and record a video about your experience that will be shared on Skandalaris channels
- Lead activities associated with the weekly programming
End of Summer Presentation
- Summer presentations and celebration of the startup and research work from the summer. Fellows will:
- Meet once a week with fellowship staff to discuss progress on projects.
- Spend about 2-3 hours per week outside of the regular meeting time working on the presentation.
- Work in small groups on the presentation.
Benefits
- Paid summer internship
- On-campus housing for the summer (if needed)
- Professional development (resume building)
- Hands-on work experience
- Connect with the St. Louis start-up ecosystem
- Make an impact on our community!
Who you are
- Undergraduate students (first year-juniors, or anyone who will be here January-December 2024)
- Innovative
- Creative
- Self-motivated
- Good communication skills
- Adaptable
- Dedicated
Read about the Fellowship:
- WashU The Source: A ‘choose your own’ entrepreneurial adventure
- Student Life: ‘We want the students to be able to develop networks in the St. Louis area’: Skandalaris Center launches Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program
- A Summer Full of Chocolate by Aisha Adedayo BU ’25
- No Longer Door to Door by Griffin Lovato LA ’25
- A Summer of Project Management and Coding by Chris Lopez LA ’25
- Read more blogs from our St. Louis Entrepreneurial Fellows’ summer 2022 internships here.
The fellowship is open to current WashU first-years, sophomores, and juniors from all majors. You do not need to have an interest in starting a business on your own to be a SynBio Manufacturing of Materials Entrepreneurial fellow.