Since 2004, the Chicago Botanic Garden has hosted a full-time ten week summer research experiences for undergraduates (REU) internship program with a plant biology and conservation (PBC) focus. One key goal of this program is to broaden diversity in the biological sciences, particularly by increasing the participation of groups historically excluded in science such as women, minorities, persons with disabilities, veterans, and others.
As part of the Chicago Botanic Garden's Science Career Continuum this internship is a critical link where undergraduate interns, mentored by graduate students, also serve as co-mentors to Chicago Public High School students while learning firsthand about post-baccalaureate opportunities.
We provide budding scientists opportunities to grow personally and professionally through:
- Professional-development workshops
- Field trips to local partner research institutions
- Participation in a near peer mentorship network (Science Career Continuum)
- Training in scientific communication
- Presentations at local research symposia
Internship Benefits
Through a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site grant, 10 internships are offered every year. Note that internships in 2025 are contingent upon renewed program funding. Additional internships are also offered for alumni of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s College First program. These are 10-week full-time (40 hours per week) paid internships.
The Chicago Botanic Garden REU program will provide funding for relevant and/or necessary costs associated with travel, housing, and some other costs incurred during the internship. This compensation would be in addition to the stipend of $7,000.00.
Program mentors include faculty and graduate students from the Chicago Botanic Garden and Northwestern University Graduate Program in Plant Biology and Conservation (PBC), and occasionally mentors from other partner internships. Projects typically involve fieldwork and laboratory work in the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, which provides participants access to innovative resources for their research.
NOTE: Every year we also welcome a number of interns that participate in our program with outside funding, or on a volunteer basis.
Eligibility
NSF-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) interns must be:
- Citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions
- Currently-enrolled undergraduate students
- Students between high school and undergraduate are NOT eligible to apply
- Must NOT graduate before fall 2025
- Graduating seniors or recent graduates are not eligible to apply
- Students who are transferring from one college or university to another and are enrolled at neither institution during the intervening summer are eligible to participate
- Able to participate during program period from June 16, 2025 to August 22, 2025.
The REU program is particularly interested in engaging students who lack research opportunities at their home institutions, who have not participated in a REU or similar experience in the past, and/or are from groups traditionally underrepresented in the biological sciences. The Chicago Botanic Garden values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in all its programs.
If you are graduating this academic year, please consider these alternative opportunities:
- The Conservation and Land Management Internship Program, which offers 5-month internships for recent college graduates.
- The Stewardship and Ecology of Natural Areas Program, which provides 9- or 12- month internships for individuals with diverse educational backgrounds.
Question about eligibility can be emailed to info@pbcinternships.org.
In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call 847-835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns
Application Requirements
All applications must be submitted through NSF's ETAP (Education and Training Application). You will need to create an ETAP account and log in. You will be asked a series of questions required by all NSF-REU applicants (i.e. educational background, contact and demographic information) before you are asked to provide application details specific to our program.
Application Website Link: https://etap.nsf.gov/award/7347/opportunity/9876
Application Deadline: February 14, 2025
Before you begin your application:
- Explore the previous internships as you will be asked to select the subject areas of interest for the application form. Potential projects for 2025 will be added by March.
- Speak with someone who knows you well and who will take the time to submit a letter of recommendation and complete a short recommendation survey. Discuss with them your goals and how an internship at the Chicago Botanic Garden fits into that plan.
- Create an ETAP account.
The following are necessary for your online ETAP application to be considered complete:
- Provide one reference writer who is able to submit a recommendation on your behalf. ETAP will email your reference an online link to with instructions on recommendation submission.
- Reference writers will be asked to submit a recommendation letter and complete a short survey where they are asked to rank the applicants' skills and abilities in categories such as work habits, leadership, writing and communication skills, and general motivation.
- Upload unofficial college/university transcripts
- If you are recently enrolled and do not yet have a transcript, you will be directed to upload a class schedule or enrollment verification form instead. We may reach out to you individually to request a transcript later in the process, if you are selected for an interview.
- Complete the "Additional Questions or Materials" section
- In this section of the ETAP application, you will be asked a series of questions about your goals, interests, and experiences relevant to our program. For long-form answer questions, please pay close attention to requested character limits.
If you have questions about the online application, please reach out to NSF ETAP by calling (800) 673-6188 or emailing etaphelp@nsf.gov. For questions about our program, contact our team at info@pbcinternships.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the application deadline?
We will accept applications submitted by 6:00 PM CST / 7:00 PM EST on the program deadline, February 14, 2025. Only completed applications will be considered. Please provide your reference writer enough time to complete the recommendation (minimum ten days is usually appropriate). Please discuss with your recommender about your goals and choose someone who is familiar with your skills, traits, and motivation.
How can I improve my application?
Ensure that all elements of the application are complete and carefully proofread. Answer all questions thoroughly. Whether you have past research experience or not, highlight assets that you feel demonstrate your potential and clearly articulate how an REU experience at the Chicago Botanic Garden would fit into your larger academic and professional goals.
What do you look for in an intern?
Applicants are matched to projects based upon interests, personal background, and enthusiasm. Other factors will also be considered such as relevant coursework and experiences. A subset of applicants will be interviewed by phone, email, or video. Final decisions on offers will be made by prospective mentors and the program co-directors.
Is there a stipend?
Yes, students with NSF-funded REU internships will receive a stipend $7,000.
Can I apply to multiple REU programs at different institutions?
Our program is highly selective (3-5% of those that apply are offered an internship), and we encourage people to apply to as many programs as they are interested in.
What are the start and end dates of the program?
The exact dates change from year to year but our program runs mid-June to mid-August. Program dates for 2025 are June 16 - August 22.
How binding is acceptance to the program?
If you are offered an internship, you will have a set amount of time to respond. We expect you to join the program if you formally accept an offer.
My classes end after the program starts. Can I still apply?
This situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and depends on a number of factors. We encourage you to apply if you forsee a potential scheduling conflict that is out of your hands (e.g., your finals week coincides with the beginning of our program), as it should not prevent you from being offered an internship. If you are offered an internship, we will discuss potential ways to accommodate the situation.
How will I get there?
The program will cover costs for participant travel to and from their home to Chicago.
Where will I live?
We will most likely have students stay at the University Center in downtown Chicago and commute up to the Chicago Botanic Garden, located in Glencoe, IL. This means interns will have a substantial daily commute (1.5 - 2 hours one-way via public transit) that includes up to 20 minutes of walking at a time. The Chicago Botanic Garden Summer REU program will provide funding for any relevant (as per grant guidelines) and/or necessary costs associated with housing and commuting costs incurred during the internship. REU mentors are encouraged to account for the long commute when scheduling their interns, including allowing interns to work from home, arrive late, or depart early from the Garden when possible.
What are some expectations outside of my research experience?
An important component of the REU program is the cohort experience. The connections and friendships made during the 10 week period at the Garden have long term benefits to all. Hence, we will host activities to nurture this experience. For this reason all attendees will be expected to participate in as many group activities as they can.
Summer REU: Genes to Ecosystems Mentors
This program is funded in-part by the National Science Foundation, and we aim to improve student retention in the STEM fields by providing high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students. One main focus of this program is to broaden diversity in the sciences, particularly by increasing the participation of groups historically underrepresented in science such as women, minorities, persons with disabilities, veterans, and others. The summer internship program entails students completing an entire research project, working full-time (40 hrs/week) for 10 weeks from mid-June to mid-August. If your project is selected for funding and you become a mentor, you will have a budget for field and lab supplies to use. The time commitment associated with this program is somewhat substantial, especially given the nature of the program. However, based on past accounts, this experience is very rewarding and can help mentors develop very important mentoring and collaboration skills.
Those seeking to mentor the next generation of scientists as part of the summer research experiences for undergraduates program can view more details on our Info for Summer REU: Genes to Ecosystems Mentors page
Who We Are
The internship is managed by the following individuals at Chicago Botanic Garden, and is supported by grants and generous contributions from our funders
For general questions about the internship program, please email us at info@pbcinternships.org
Sarah Jones, Ph.D., Co-principal Investigator
As the Program Manager of Student Research Experiences at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Sarah manages the REU program and provides support to high school, undergraduate, and graduate student researchers in the plant science department. This includes directly mentoring students working on research projects related to the Garden's community science program, Budburst. You can contact Sarah via email: sjones@chicagobotanic.org.
Susan Strickler, Ph.D., Co-principal Investigator
Suzy is a computational biologist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She has led numerous plant genome projects and studies the genomic basis of plant adaptation mainly in native plant species. By learning how plant genomes respond to things like climate change and pathogens, we can design approaches in agriculture and conservation to help mitigate the impact of these stressors. She loves helping people use bioinformatics approaches in their research, exploring members of the Annonaceae family, and has never met a cat she didn’t like.
Jeremie Fant, Ph.D., Senior Personnel
Jeremie is a molecular ecologist at the Chicago Botanic Garden who is interested in the genetic diversity of rare species. Even though we tend to think of them as a collective group, rare species often have very different reasons for their rarity. So although Dr. Fant’s work focuses on genetic data, field data is an invaluable component of all his studies, helping to ensure that the biology and ecology of the species inform the outcomes of genetic research. His lab page provides more detail about his research and lab members. Jeremie has co-managed the REU program since 2011.
Current Funders
The Chicago Botanic Garden's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in Plant Biology & Conservation-From Genes to Ecosystems is supported by:
- NSF awards:
- DBI-0353752
- DBI-0648972
- DBI-1062675
- DBI-1461007
- DBI-1757800
- DBI-2149888
- The Chicago Botanic Garden College First Program
- Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation
Additional Support
We would also like to acknowledge sponsors of individual students, who have enabled them participate in our Plant Biology & Conservation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. This includes:
- Northwestern University Undergraduate Research Grant (URG)
- University of Chicago Odyssey Scholar Program
- Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (University of Florida)
- Oakton College
- Carleton College