Expectations | Reports | Communications Program
The Caltech Amgen Scholars program operates under the Caltech
Honor Code.
Meet all requirements – on time
Requirements for applicants and scholars are few but extremely important:
- Meet the eligibility requirements.
- Applications are due by the stated deadline; there are no extensions!
- Students awarded a scholarship should expect to work hard on
the project during the ten-week summer period.
- Students must submit two progress reports.
- They must write and submit an abstract for publication in the
annual abstract book.
- They must give an oral presentation on one of the scheduled seminar
days (or another time mutually agreed upon with mentor and Student-Faculty
Programs office).
- Participants are required to submit a technical paper by the
stated deadline.
Get help!
The friendly, helpful staff of the Student-Faculty Programs office
is here to assist you with questions or problems that arise during
the summer. If you need help, please do not hesitate to contact
us or come in. The summer passes very quickly, so it is better
to address issues sooner than later!
You get out of your Amgen Scholars program what you put into it
Like most any opportunity, students will get out of the Amgen Scholars
program what they put into it. Those who work hard on their projects,
ask questions, delve into the subject and reflect on what they are
doing and why they are doing it, will learn a great deal. They will
gain self-insight about what they like (or don’t like) to do.
They may get strong recommendations from their mentors for graduate
school or jobs. Participants can develop good communication skills,
which will benefit them throughout their careers. Mentors and co-mentors
expect students will commit themselves fully to the research.
The Amgen Scholarship is not a summer job!
This program is designed to be an educational and professional research
experience. Students should devote full effort to the project during
the ten-week period and are discouraged from holding jobs, taking
classes, etc. Students should have their own small projects that
are part of the ongoing research in the mentor’s lab. Students
should become colleagues with other members of the group. Students
are not paid on an hourly basis; they are not “laboratory
or research assistants.”
Laboratory relations
Students are expected to participate fully in the life of the research
group, respect the work of all members of the laboratory, and attend
and participate in laboratory meetings or other gatherings. Students
should work as much and as long as other members of the group work.
Often students work directly with a co-mentor, a graduate student
or postdoctoral scholar who will have day-to-day supervision. The
co-mentor’s responsibility is to guide and assist the student,
provide expertise, and answer questions.
Communicate!
Students should ask questions! For most students, this program will
be an introduction to research. It is a chance to learn a lot, and
it is important to ask questions about things you don’t understand.
Participants should also communicate their expectations to their
mentors and/or co-mentors, just as mentors/co-mentors should discuss
expectations with students. Most problems that arise during the summer
come from misaligned expectations.
Stipend
The Amgen Scholarship stipend is $5,500, which is taxable income
and may be reported to federal and state governments.
