PUMAS (Promoting Underrepresented Minority Advancement in the Sciences) is our flagship internship program aimed to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in the sciences.
Join a Gladstone lab for the summer.
Selected applicants will:
- Gain hands-on lab experience in state-of-the-art facilities.
- Work with a scientific mentor(s) on an independent research project.
- Network with researchers including investigators, graduate students, and postdocs.
- Learn lab skills and techniques, including etiquette, safety, and pipetting basics.
- Improve public speaking and communication skills with workshops.
- Increase their understanding of different career paths in science.
- Learn what it means to be a scientist and get paid for their work.
2022 Cohort by the Numbers
100% |
42% |
were from underrepresented populations Alumni |
were first-generation college students |
100% |
95% |
intend to pursue STEM-related careers |
have completed, are currently enrolled at a 4-year institution, or are transferring to a 4-year institution |
89% |
|
still in contact with their PIs and/or mentors |
88% |
were from underrepresented populations |
75% |
were first-generation college students Alumni |
69% |
of mentors were still in contact with their mentee in the last year |
89% |
completed or are currently attending a 4-year institution |
2022 PUMAS Interns
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a United States citizen or permanent resident.
- Be currently enrolled as a community college student who is planning to transfer to a 4-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
- Have successfully completed at least two semesters of college-level science courses with a lab component (chemistry and molecular biology preferred, but not required), before the start of the PUMAS internship.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50.
- Prior PUMAS interns are encouraged to apply.
Emphasis is placed on identifying applicants who are historically underrepresented in biomedical research, including students of certain ethnic backgrounds (African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Pacific Islander Americans), students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, first-generation college students, or students with disabilities. In-state candidates are preferred.
Discover the different career paths in science.
About the PUMAS Program
The Promoting Underrepresented Minority Advancement in the Sciences (PUMAS) summer internship program aims to provide historically underrepresented community college students with laboratory experience before they transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
2023 Program Details
- Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of the program may be held virtually.
- Gladstone follows a comprehensive COVID-19 protocol and the 2023 PUMAS program is dependent on the status of the pandemic. For latest updates on the 2023 program or to learn more about Gladstone’s COVID-19 guidelines, reach out to the program administrators.
- The program is limited to eight (8) qualified students.
- Selected participants are paid minimum wage ($16.99/hour) and work part-time (approximately 20–25 hours per week).
- The tentative dates for the 2023 PUMAS nine-week internship program are from June 12, 2023 to August 11, 2023.
- PUMAS interns are assigned a project and conduct hands-on biomedical research in a laboratory, working one-on-one with at least one scientific mentor.
- Throughout the summer program, PUMAS interns also participate in weekly professional development meetings that cover a variety of topics, including résumé writing, research ethics, applying for graduate school, and scientific communications.
- The program ends with a scientific poster session, during which each PUMAS intern must present their research results to the community of Gladstone scientists and trainees.
- The internship will take place at Gladstone Institutes, located at 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158.
- Housing is not provided. PUMAS interns are responsible for their own housing and their own transportation to and from Gladstone. However, interns are eligible for an allowance to support housing, travel, or remote working.
The PUMAS program, first established in 2014, is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health through a grant that supports educational activities that enhance diversity in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research. The principal investigators of the grant are Melanie Ott, MD, PhD, Director of the Gladstone Institute of Virology, and Sudha Krishnamurthy, BDS, PhD, Director of Gladstone’s Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Education and Research Development Affairs.
Network with scientists at all levels of their careers.
Questions
Contact Emma Doctors, program coordinator, Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Education and Research Development Affairs, academicaffairs@gladstone.ucsf.edu