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REWU Program: Student FAQ's University of Cincinnati logo.

1. What is the WISE REWU Summer Program?

The REWU Summer Program is a 12-week summer research program that engages women students in research projects with faculty in a wide variety of disciplines.

2. When is the application deadline?

The entire application material is due on March 1st

3. Where do I find a listing of the various WISE projects for the summer?

A listing and a brief description of each WISE project is available at http://www.wise.uc.edu/wise/rewu/rewu.php3..

4. How do I select the projects/advisors pertaining to my field of interest?

You should setup appointments and meet with the faculty advisor for the project of interest to discuss their interests and prior experience, is any, pertaining to the project objectives. Also, remember that the projects that you list in your application require a meeting date with the concerned faculty. So, plan well in advance of the application deadline.

5. How many projects/advisors should I list in the application?

A completed application form should contain three projects/advisors, in order of preference. If an applicant fails to list three projects, it is possible that the review Committee might be unable to place the applicant in the requested project in case a better candidate exists to those projects.

6. Do I need to submit official transcripts?

The REWU application form requires official transcripts to be attached. Often, official transcripts require a few days processing time from the date of applying for them. Again, request the transcripts early.

7. How many recommendation letters are required for the application, and who should they be from?

TTwo completed recommendation letters are required per applicant. We suggest that the letters be from faculty with whom you have interacted through course work, through your meetings during the WISE application process, and/or other avenues. The recommendation letters for your WISE application need to be from individuals who can comment on your potential for research, your work ethics, and professionalism (taking responsibility, following instructions, etc.). Please take a look at the Recommendation Form posted on the WISE website to see the items that your recommenders need to assess for you. Remember to follow-up with your recommendation-letter writers to make sure that the letters reach us by the application deadline.

8. When will I know the results of the application review?

The review process will occur soon after the application deadline and the applicants will be informed of the results in early April.

9. To apply for the WISE program, two letters of recommendation are needed; can one of those recommendations can be from an advisor with whom I am hoping to work during the program?

Yes, one of the recommendations can be from the research mentor on whose project you hope to work during the summer Program.

10. Will I be allowed to take one or two courses during the summer when I participate in the WISE program? These courses are available only in the summer, and I need these courses in order to graduate in my major.

The WISE program requires you to work full-time on your research project, for 40 hours a week. Moreover, this is a full-immersion program; hence, no concurrent course work is permitted, even if these courses are scheduled in the evening hours.

11. Can I retain my part-time job for which I work only in the evenings or on the weekends?

The WISE program requires you to work full-time on your research project, for 40 hours a week. Moreover, this is a full-immersion program; hence, no concurrent employment is permitted, even if the hours for this part-time employment are scheduled during the evenings and/or weekends.

12. Our family has already scheduled a vacation during the WISE program period; will I be permitted to join them on this vacation?

If this is unavoidable, and is for no more than one week, you may be permitted to begin your research work earlier than the scheduled start date in June, so as to ensure that you contribute the full 12 weeks of time to your research project. All arrangements for this must be discussed and finalized at the time of the original application to the Program, and of course, must be coordinated with your project mentor as well.

13. I am a College undergraduate student, but not a University of Cincinnati student; am I eligible for the UC WISE program?

Thank you for your interest in our WISE program. The UC WISE REWU Program is only for UC's current undergraduate students, because of the sources of our funding. Otherwise, we would have very much liked to have you in our WISE program. You might look at our Medical School Programs, as some of them are open to non-UC students as well.

14. What are the start and dates of the WISE REWU Summer Program?

The WISE REWU Summer Program is a 12-week program. The start date of the Program coincides with the start date of the Summer quarter at UC, and is typically the Monday of the third week of June. See "http://www.uc.edu/registrar/academic_calendar0809.html for the start date of UC's Summer Quarter. The end date of the 12-week Program is the date in mid-September that provides full 12 weeks to the Program. The 2010 WISE REWU Program period is Monday, June 14 through Friday, September 3, 2010.

15. The application form requires that I list 3 projects on which I would like to conduct research during the WISE program. In reviewing the available projects on the website, I find only one of interest to me. May I list just this one on the application?

Yes, you are required to list three possible research projects on your application. The reason for this is the following: if you list only one research project, and another student (who gets ranked higher in the Committee's evaluation) also lists the same project, then she may be assigned to that project. Therefore, to ensure a project match for you, we suggest that you include three research projects in your list.

This is a summary of the program procedures. Please be sure to contact the WISE Program Director if you have questions. Thank you for your interest in WISE.