Meet the Interns *
See the Research * Visit
the Research Sites * Important Dates
Become an Intern * Become a
Sponsoring Research Site
Information for Interns * Instructional Resources
* MESRP Home *
|
MESRP Guidelines for the Summer Internship
Other helpful links: |
ON-SITE INTERVIEWS / INITIAL SITE VISIT
To ensure the best possible match between interns and their respective research sites, each intern is asked to contact the person named in the acceptance packet to schedule an initial on-site visit. Site visits should take place prior to Program Orientation.
Most sites should be able to arrange a visit after school; however it may be necessary to visit during school hours. If it is necessary to visit during school hours, interns may have their principal contact the MESRP coordinator to discuss any concerns.
In some cases, the site may not yet have identified a specific mentor or research project for you; therefore it is to the intern’s advantage to discuss his/her interests, background and skills in detail with the site representative. Based on interests and skills, the site representative will work with the scientists on staff to arrange an appropriate placement for the intern.
In other cases, sites have already selected mentor scientists who have expressed interest in working with Interns and have identified specific projects. The mentor should be able to provide detailed information about the research and the intern’s role in the project.
In either case, each intern is encouraged to learn as much as possible about the research during the initial site visit, and not to hesitate to ask questions. Interns should also try to obtain background reading materials and see if there is anything that can be done to prepare for the internship in advance. A Site Visit Checklist is provided to assist interns, and the same list is also provided to the site representatives.
Interns are to notify the MESRP Coordinator (410-704-2532) / smross@towson.edu after their visit with a statement of their initial impressions and any questions.
MESRP expects that Interns will be contributing members of a scientific team, and that the exposure to scientists and "real world" science will impact their approach to teaching. Interns are encouraged to think carefully about their role as a member of a scientific team and how it relates to their role as a teacher. Interns are asked to look for examples of how to link the research experience to science and mathematics teaching and outreach.
Click here for a complete list of Intern Responsibilities agreed to upon acceptance of an internship placement.
The key to a successful summer experience is the relationship between intern and mentor. MESRP suggests that interns establish contact with their mentors as soon as possible, and keep in contact with her/him throughout the spring. Interns who have access to the Internet should exchange e-mail addresses.
To assist interns in completing a meaningful research assignment that is useful to
the research site and consistent with their background and experience, Mentor
Scientists are asked to
* enrich the Intern's content knowledge and skills in mathematics, science,
and technology,
* motivate Interns to promote career opportunities in science and
scientific literacy among students, and
* assist the Intern in developing innovative ideas for the classroom based
on the summer research experience.
MESRP also recommends that interns invite the mentor to their schools before the end of the school year, so that the mentor can learn more about what the interns do and see them in an environment where they are “the expert."
The Maryland Educators’ Summer Research Program requires that Interns fulfill the length of internship required by the site. In most cases, the research site is able to negotiate start and end dates with each individual intern for mutual satisfaction.
Sample schedule (2004):
Eight Week Internship: June 21 - August 13
Internships are based on 40 hours per week. A regular arrival and departure time should be agreed upon before the start date. Interns are to find out the site's work schedule and whether their project requires any variation in the daily schedule (working evenings, weekends, "flex-time," etc.).
The program does not provide paid vacation or sick days. Any days missed during the summer should be made up. Arrangements for celebrating the 4th of July holiday may be made with the approval of the research site. (The 4th of July holiday is considered a paid holiday, assuming you have already started working by that date.)
Inservice Level 1 Interns receive a $500 (pretax) per week stipend for the summer internship program; Inservice Level 2 Interns receive a stipend of $400 (pretax) per week; Preservice Interns receive a stipend of $300 (pretax) per week. Stipend checks are issued by MESRP in four installments of 25% each. The first three installments will be made on or about the following dates: July 7, July 21, August 4. (Note: Dates are approximate due to variances in payment processing times.)
To receive the final installment, interns must present their research experience at the Fall Symposium and submit a satisfactory CIP first draft.
Appropriate taxes and withholdings will be deducted from each gross stipend amount in accordance with applicable laws. Interns are considered Contractual Employees of Towson University for the duration of the Summer Internship and are required to complete employment documents in accordance with Towson University Human Resources Department. These documents will be reviewed and available for signature at Program Orientation.
The Internship Coordinator will visit each Intern on-site during the summer. During that visit, the Coordinator will meet briefly with the assigned mentor to ensure the internship is proceeding smoothly, address any concerns, and answer any questions. Interns will receive a copy of the summer visit schedule and will be asked to notify mentors of the date for their Site Visit. If there is a conflict with the date provided, every possible attempt will be made to reschedule the visit. If the visit cannot be successfully rescheduled, the mentor may assign a representative to meet with the Coordinator to discus the Intern's progress.
A primary goal of the Maryland Educators' Summer Research Program is to enable Interns to transfer their research experiences into the classroom. During the school year following their internship experience, Interns are required to participate in several individual and collaborative outreach activities designed to enhance and extend new approaches to mathematics and science learning through the larger education community.
Each week, Interns are asked to spend up to 10% of their time (four hours per week) planning activities consistent with their research projects that can be used in their classroom. It is our hope that mentors will "build bridges" by helping Interns understand how their laboratory research experiences can be transferred back into the classroom, and take an active part in facilitating the transfer of experiences from the laboratory to the classroom.
Details of the Outreach requirements are listed on the Intern Responsibilities.
At the end of the summer internships, Interns will deliver a formal presentation on their summer
research project at the Fall Symposium held in mid-late September. All site representatives
and mentors are invited to attend, as well as interns’ peers, university affiliates, and selected other
dignitaries from the educational and scientific communities.