MIT has been awarded two major grants from the Amgen Foundation. The first will provide hands-on laboratory experience to undergraduate students through the Amgen Scholars Program. This marks the ninth year that MIT will participate in the program, which aims to inspire the next generation of innovators by providing undergraduates with hands-on summer research opportunities at many of the world’s premier educational institutions. The second grant awarded to MIT will support the Amgen Scholars Global/U.S. Program Office, which is responsible for coordinating the 10 U.S. institutions that will host Amgen Scholars Programs in the next four years, as well as promoting visibility for the program worldwide.
Overall, 17 educational institutions worldwide have been selected to host Amgen Scholars as part of the program’s latest expansion. The Amgen Foundation also announced additional host sites in the U.S., Europe, and, for the first time, Japan, providing greater access and opportunity for young scientists to engage in cutting-edge research across a wide range of scientific fields and deepen their understanding of medical biotechnology.
"The Amgen Scholars Program provides a unique opportunity for students to engage in the process of discovery and build intellectual connections with some of the most accomplished faculty in the world,” said MIT President L. Rafael Reif. “By immersing students in the practical challenges of exploration, experimentation, and discovery, the host institutions and the Amgen Foundation together provide access to an invaluable form of learning-by-doing. In expanding its global network of participating institutions, the Amgen Foundation is making a far-sighted investment in preparing a new generation of scientists to tackle our great shared human challenges in health, energy, and the environment.”
Amgen Scholars first launched in the U.S. in 2006 and expanded to Europe in 2008. MIT was selected as one of the initial sites for the program. Over the past eight years, Amgen Scholars has provided cutting-edge research opportunities under world-renowned mentors to nearly 2,500 undergraduate students. More than 90 percent of the program’s alumni who have completed their bachelor’s degree are currently pursuing an advanced degree or career in a scientific field. In the new phase of the program, which extends through 2018, an additional $18 million will be invested by the Amgen Foundation supporting nearly 1,200 undergraduate students’ participation in the U.S., Europe, or Japan.
“Amgen has seen the positive influence of the Amgen Scholars Program over the past eight years as alumni have gone on to earn PhD’s, be accepted as Rhodes Scholars, and work as scientists at leading institutions,” said Eduardo Cetlin, president of the Amgen Foundation. “We are proud to extend our network of world-class educational institutions and offer even more undergraduates this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to broaden their career perspectives and deepen their love of science.”
Financial support for students is also a critical component of the program, which seeks to ensure that eligible students, regardless of their financial status, are able to participate. Financial support details vary by institution. The host institutions, including MIT, are now accepting applications for the 2015 Amgen Scholars Program.
