UCSB inaugurated a new NSF-sponsored program this summer called the Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP) offering a range of learning opportunities for both students and their faculty mentors. Two GRIP cohorts visited campus this summer, staying at UCSB for one month each. GRIP students from Howard University in Washington, D.C., Jackson State University in Mississippi, and the University of Florida visited UCSB to: work with faculty who share their research interests; explore opportunities for postdoctoral appointments upon graduation; and get acquainted with the UCSB community and the larger UC system. In just one month, the GRIP cohort accomplished all of that and more.

Former Associate Dean John Mohr, who initiated GRIP, gathered student and faculty participants at the end of the summer to discuss their experiences with the program. Some GRIP participants reported that work on faculty publications helped them further enhance their resumes, while others reported that review of successful postdoc applications helped them pinpoint what separates the good proposals from the winners. Still others commented that they benefited greatly from the opportunities provided by GRIP to reflect upon their research in a different environment, through a new lens.

Faculty mentors from Computer Science, Education, Mathematics, Sociology, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology enthusiastically described the contributions that GRIP students made during their stay, and suggested that the length of the program be extended beyond one month to allow more time for collaboration. Mentors also confirmed that they look forward to continued relationships with the GRIP students they have come to know.

John Mohr said that he is "very pleased with the success of the new program," and is "already planning program enhancements that will result in an even more meaningful experience for graduate students next summer."

Stay tuned to Grad News for information about next summer's GRIP.