About the summer school
Kupcinet-Getz International Summer School
The Kupcinet-Getz International Science School accepts a select number of outstanding undergraduate students each summer to participate in research projects in mathematics, physics, chemistry and the life sciences . This is an enrichment program designed for undergraduate students from all over the world who are majoring in the sciences, and it is an opportunity to experience science by becoming part of a research group at the Weizmann Institute. Participation in the Kupcinet-Getz International Science School has had a significant impact on past participants of the program, reinforcing the students’ interest in conducting research in their future careers.
As a student in this program, you will be associated with a laboratory or a theoretical research project under the supervision of an experienced scientist and, for a short period of time, will become a full-fledged member of the scientific team.
Timeline (Summer 2017)
Online application begins: November 15, 2016
Application deadline: December 24, 2016
Official results of the application review process: February 28, 2017
Start of the program: June 11, 2017
End of the program: August 3, 2017
Duration of the program: 8 weeks
Stipends and Costs
Stipends
Participants receive a stipend of NIS 500 per week (up to NIS 4,000 in total).
Accommodations
All overseas students are provided with eight weeks of free rooming in the dormitories of the neighboring Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University. If you arrive before the beginning of the program, or stay beyond the end of the program, you are responsible for your own living arrangements. Special circumstances will be handled on an individual basis.
Fees
There are NO application, registration, visa or tuition fees.
Travel arrangements and costs
Airfare or any other travel costs are not covered by the program. You are responsible for your own travel arrangements.
Medical Insurance
Upon arrival at the Institute, overseas students must purchase a medical insurance plan for the duration of their stay. Please note that any illness contracted before arrival in Israel are generally not covered by these types of insurance plans.
Meal Plan
You are responsible for your own meals during your stay. There are cafeterias available on campus, and cooking facilities are available in the dormitories.
Application and Admission
The Kupcinet-Getz International Science School is open to all qualified students regardless of religion, race, color, national origin, age, disability or gender. Each year, the Feinberg Graduate School may accept a limited number of candidates to this program. Therefore, at times, FGS is forced to reject worthy candidates because the number of suitable applicants exceeds the number of positions available.
Minimum Requirements
In order to participate in the Kupcinet-Getz International Science School program, it is required that you:
- are a student enrolled in an undergraduate science degree program in the Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics or Computer Science. BSc and BA degree holders are not eligible to apply.
- give evidence of a serious interest in scientific research. Previous experience is an advantage, but not a requirement.
- have a grade point average of 3.6/4.0 or the equivalent in the grades associated with your major subject.
- are fluent in English, as English is the language of instruction.
How to Apply
To apply for the Kupcinet-Getz International Science School, you must complete an online application form. In addition, you are required to upload the following required documents:
- Copy of the title page of your passport.
- Your CV. If applicable, please include information about previous experience in research, and list any publications that you have authored. A passport-size photo, printed to the first page of your CV.
- Current official and authorized transcript, including grades. An English translation signed by your university registrar must be submitted if the original transcripts are issued in a language other than English.
- Letter of motivation, up to one page in length. Include a couple of brief paragraphs describing your interest in science and in the program, and why you believe you should be admitted.
- Reference letter(s). It is obligatory to have at least one letter of recommendation written by a scientist or lecturer. Letters from workplaces not related to your studies will be ignored.
The first four documents listed above should be combined into a single PDF file, and uploaded through the online application form.
You may send updated documents by email up until the admissions deadline of January 15.
Reference Letters
All letters of reference should be emailed directly to: undergraduate.summer@weizmann.ac.il
The subject of the email should be: The applicant's Full Name + Undergraduate Reference Letter.
Reference letters may be sent to the Feinberg Graduate School even before you complete and submit your online registration form.
Choosing and Indicating Your Preference of a Research Group
On the online application form, you are required to list the name of at least one Weizmann Institute scientist, the Head of a research group, whose group you would like to join within the framework of this program. You may name up to three Heads of research groups.
The best way to find a scientist you’d like to work with is to thoroughly search the Weizmann Institute of Science website, including the homepage of the various faculties and departments. You may also find the following links useful:
WIS Scientists by Keyword
WIS News, Features and Discoveries
Scientific Activities
Current Research Projects
Reviewing the Applications
The Head of the Kupcinet-Getz program and the Feinberg Graduate School Board of Studies review all application files and rank them based on the information provided in these files, including CV, transcripts, letters of reference and letter of motivation. Only applications submitted by the deadline and in full, with all relevant documents, are reviewed and considered.
Matching Candidates with Weizmann Institute Scientists
The top-ranked applications are sent to scientists at the Weizmann Institute, who decide whether or not to accept the candidates who have requested to work with them specifically.
Acceptance to the Program
Once the matching process is done, the Feinberg Graduate School notifies you about the results of your application. This is usually done by March 31.
Confirmation of Acceptance
If you are accepted to the program, you are required to confirm or decline your participation, in writing, by April 30.
Academic Activities
Scientific Research
You will spend approximately eight weeks working on a research project assigned to you by the Head of your research group .
Safety Seminar
All participants are required by law to attend a short safety seminar designed especially for this program.
Lectures
Four lectures in four different disciplines are scheduled for each cycle.
Mini-Symposium
Toward the end of the program, you will be required to present your work to the rest of the group, and the Head of the research group hosting you. You will need to obtain the PI’s approval for your PowerPoint presentation. A week before the presentation, you will have to submit an abstract, which will also need the approval of the Head of your research group.
Time Allocation
Participation is obligatory in all the above-mentioned activities.
Scientific research never ends. While you are welcome to work as many hours as you wish, you are expected to spend a minimum of at least eight hours per day in your research group. If you will be absent from your research group for one day or more, you must coordinate your absence in advance with the Head of your research group AND the Program Coordinator at the Feinberg Graduate School. Weekends – Fridays and Saturdays in Israel – are usually considered as free time from the program. You may spend your weekends anywhere you choose in Israel. However, the Head of your research group may request your presence at the laboratory for a few hours on Fridays for group meetings, special scheduled experiments, or other activities. In that case, your presence is required.
As a student in the Kupcinet-Getz International Science School, you are expected to devote most of your time to research within the framework of the program. In addition, it is obligatory to participate in all of the program’s activities – both scholastic and extracurricular – including the mini-symposium, lectures, and a safety seminar. Absence from any part of the program must be coordinated in advance with the Program Coordinator.
Your PowerPoint Presentation
Your presentation should include the following:
Part 1: A brief description of the general question
Part 2: A brief description of the individual project
Part 3: Summary of the results
Part 4: Conclusions
Structure of the Presentation
Length of abstract: 1/2 a page
Length of presentation: 12 minutes
Number of slides: Up to 10
Questions & discussion: 3-5 minutes
Level
Common denominator for all four disciplines (so for example biologists should prepare a presentation at a level understandable to mathematicians, and vice versa).
Extracurricular Activities
The program also includes several extracurricular activities:
Tour of the Institute
All participants are invited to participate in a guided tour of the Weizmann Institute Campus. This tour includes a visit to Dr. Chaim Weizmann’s laboratory, the First President’s House, the Garden of Science, and more.
One-Day Excursions
As a participant in the Kupcinet-Getz International Science School program, you will have the opportunity to go on a couple of one-day excursions to tour different parts of Israel. The tours may vary from one cycle to another. Places and areas that were toured in the past (not necessarily all of them during one cycle of the program) include: Jerusalem, Caesarea, Acre, Haifa, Rosh Hanikra, Masada, the Dead Sea, Qumran Caves, Ein Gedi and more. Note: Participation is obligatory in all the above-mentioned activities
Sports and Recreation Facilities
You are welcome to use the facilities at the Meyer and Shirley Weisgal Recreation Center, located on the Institute grounds, for a low fee. These facilities include tennis courts, swimming pools, basketball courts, and more. Also available for students is the David Moross Fitness Center, located at the heart of the campus.
Further Background on the Program
The Kupcinet-Getz International Science School was established in memory of Karyn Kupcinet by her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Irving Kupcinet of Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1971. In 2001, it expanded in memory of Emma and Oscar Getz through the two co-executors of their estate, Mr. William Getz and Mr. Ralph Silver. In 2010, the Feinberg Graduate School began to administrate the program, which had been administrated earlier by the Academic Secretariat of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Since its inception, over 1,100 overseas students have attended this highly successful program.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.weizmann.ac.il/feinberg/admissions/kupcinet-getz-international-summer-school/about-program-0