The University of Alabama IRES Site: Portugal Undergraduate Research Experience in Biotechnology and Life Sciences (PURE BLISS) is housed in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. This program spans 8 weeks and offers opportunities for up to 6 students from UA to work in research laboratories at Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET) in Oeiras, a suburb of Lisbon, in Portugal.
Research projects focus on biotechnology and bioengineering experimental techniques. This exciting research opportunity begins in June and is available for up to six motivated STEM undergraduates with a minimum 3.0 GPA. The weekly stipend is $700 with an additional $100/week provided for food. Housing and travel will be arranged by the program at no cost to the students.
Faculty from Chemical & Biological Engineering are organizing the program while the students will work directly for the research groups at iBET.
Important Dates
- Application Opens: September 15, 2024
- Final Application Deadline: November 15, 2024
- Accepted Applicants Notified: Week of November 25, 2024
- Tentative Program Dates: May 30 – July 31, 2025
Contact
For more information about this program, contact the following program managers:
Dr. John Kim – Program Director
Application
All applications will be reviewed soon after November 15, 2024, and students who are selected in the initial round of screening will be asked to schedule an interview with the program directors prior to final decisions on offers. Please upload your academic transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) with your application.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- UA undergraduate majoring in STEM discipline with preference given to Chemical Engineering students
- Minimum 3.0 overall GPA
- Must have passed CHE 445 and either CHE 416 or CHE 418 before start of the program
Benefits
During the program, students will
- participate in hands-on, supervised research in the field of biotechnology and bioengineering
- attend seminars on graduate school and career preparation, with an emphasis on opportunities in Portugal and the E.U.
- attend workshops to improve technical writing and oral presentations
- tour regional research/industrial facilities and visit other regional attractions
- present research results at a summer-end symposium
- present research results at the SERMACS (or another similar) conference in the U.S.
Financial Support
- The 8-week stipend is $5,600, along with $100/week for food
- Round-trip travel expenses from UA to Oeiras, Portugal are fully covered by the program
- Housing is provided at no cost to the student
- Travel insurance will be provided to all students at no cost