The Ramp up to Research Summer Program is a flexible and part-time summer program for enrolled MESA students. The program helps students prepare for internships, research, transfer, & careers in STEM! The flexible nature ensures that all students are able to gain extracurricular STEM experience, especially those who work full-time, have caretaking responsibilities, are unable to travel, or are not yet prepared for traditional internships. This Program is developed for you, our MESA students!
2026 Dates: June 15 - July 23
Non-competitive Application due May 15, 2026: tinyurl.com/RU2R26
Program Overview:
Prepare for internships, research, transfer, & careers in STEM! Through this program, you will learn how to:
- Week 1: Develop a research topic
- Week 2: Find and evaluate journal articles
- Week 3: Read dense scientific articles
- Week 4: Write a literature review
- Week 5: Meet with current researchers
- Week 6: Present your work, submit 3 page literature review, & graduate from the program
You will meet regularly with a faculty instructor and MESA Director who will support you while you research a topic of your choosing.
This Program is for....
- You! Developed specifically for our MESA students ❤︎
- No prior experience required!!
- We encourage students may not be able to do traditional internships to apply:
- Those who are early in their STEM studies
- Those who work
- Those with caregiving responsibilities
- Those in summer classes
- Undocumented students
- Students from any STEM majors are encouraged to apply - no limit per major
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Have completed 2 STEM classes at College of Marin
Active member of MESA or Friends of MESA
Program Expectations
Minimum 45-hour commitment
- 1-2 in-person meetings per week through summer term (6 weeks)
- Includes weekly presentations and meetings with faculty mentor
Complete six weekly assignments, culminating in a literature review & presentation
Program Benefits
- Learn skills that will be important for future internships
- Gain STEM experience to list:
- On your resume
- In your transfer applications
- In REU applications
- In Interviews
- Build a relationship with faculty mentor ⟶ possible letters of recommendation!
- $650 stipend at successful completion of program*
★ 100% of 2025 participants felt that the program was a worthwhile use of their time.
★ 100% of 2025 participants learned important skills related to the research process.
★ “I have gained knowledge on how to read & analyze scientific papers, understand the structure of research writing (including abstracts, methods, and data analysis), and look into real-world research topics. The meeting with panelists was awesome. It gave a clearer view of the academic & industry paths & inspired me to think more about my research interests.” -M.V., 2025 Participant
2025 Student Research Topics:
- “Biofuels or EVs: Which one will Drive the Future of Transportation?” by Brandon A.
- “Exoskeletal Enhancements: Surpassing Human Limits” by Andy C.
- “The Renewable Energy Paradox” by Marcelo G.
- “The Need for Diversity: Latina Women in Aviation” by Yanira G.
- “Environmental and Health Effects of Chemical Waste in Academic Laboratories” by Lisette G.
- “A Life of Dérive Reprieve” - The effects of nature on mental health & well-being by Hailey M.
- “Heartbeats and Hardware: How Pacemakers and Defibrillators Revolutionized Heart Disease Survival” by Nelson M.
- “A Psychogeographical Analysis of Latine Youth Development and Access to Outdoor Recreation” by Karen R.
- “AI powers more Intelligent Electric Vehicles” by Alvaro R.
- “Quantum Computing for Climate Solutions” by Mateus V.
This program is made possible by generous support from the BioMarin Latinx Employee Resource Group & MESA state funds.
