{"id":12652,"date":"2021-01-16T09:01:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-16T14:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/?page_id=12652"},"modified":"2026-03-24T10:58:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T14:58:45","slug":"biology-prospective-scholars-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/biology-prospective-scholars-program\/","title":{"rendered":"The Biology Prospective Scholars Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"color: #cc0000;\">We are in the process of restructuring the PSP event; check back at a later date for updated information!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container  bu_collapsible_open\" id=\"top\" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">About<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" >\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Biology Prospective Scholars Program (PSP) at Boston University (BU) invites prospective graduate students to a virtual event that provides an overview of the graduate admissions process in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/apply-grad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biology at BU<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The PSP event will connect participants with BU faculty and graduate students within Biology and affiliated departments, provide opportunities to meet one-on-one with prospective faculty mentors, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">introduce graduate student groups on campus, provide professional development resources, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and facilitate discussions with participants and current graduate students on issues of diversity and inclusion, academic life, and living in Boston, among others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prospective students from under-represented backgrounds in science are strongly encouraged to apply (details below). Note that this is not considered an official application to the Biology graduate programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSdfTkvWsLuZ-xJOeXGM7TFf55raFDaS2gFtgnTgZi2butRfFA\/viewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apply Now<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Participating Departments and Programs<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within the Department of Biology, there are four research areas: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/biology-graduate-program-research-areas\/cell-and-molecular-biology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cell &amp; Molecular Biology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">;\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/biology-graduate-program-research-areas\/ecology-behavior-and-evolution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ecology, Behavior and Evolution<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/biology-graduate-program-research-areas\/marine-biology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marine Biology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/biology-graduate-program-research-areas\/neurobiology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neurobiology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The Department of Biology MS and PhD programs allow you to conduct research with faculty in any of these groups. In addition, there are a number of affiliated graduate programs and initiatives that BU offers, which you can learn about through the Biology PSP event:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/mcbb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MA and PhD programs in Molecular &amp; Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCBB)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bioinformatics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduate programs in Bioinformatics<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/anthrop\/graduate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduate programs in Biological Anthropology<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/urban\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental health (BU URBAN)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bio-geo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduate Certificate Program in Biogeoscience<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/microbiome\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BU Microbiome Initiative<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Biology Department guarantees support for five years for all PhD students, contingent on satisfactory performance in the program, but does not guarantee financial support for MS students. Limited partial scholarships are available MS students, and there may be Teaching Assistant positions available for MS students. Contact us for more information about these graduate programs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Eligibility to Apply <\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The PSP event is open to prospective students who are interested in either the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/phd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PhD program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/ms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MS program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Biology at BU, and who are committed to increasing diversity in the graduate student body at BU. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We particularly encourage applications from the following historically underrepresented groups in Biology:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants who are considered a minority ethnic or racial group in the Biology community (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ncses.nsf.gov\/pubs\/nsf19304\/digest\/field-of-degree-minorities#hispanic-or-latino-graduates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">defined by the National Science Foundation)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other identities and\/or experiences historically underrepresented and\/or marginalized within graduate education including (but not limited to):<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> First generation students<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Those who manage a disability<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Being of a gender and\/or sexual orientation historically underrepresented in your field of study<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Being of a religious identity historically underrepresented in your field of study<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Those who identify as a military veteran<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Holding DACA, TPS, refugee, or asylee status<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Those who have experienced housing and\/or food insecurity<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Single parents<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Award: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prospective students who are selected to attend the Biology PSP event, and who apply to the Biology graduate program at BU, will have their graduate application fee waived.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">How to Apply<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>To apply to the Fall 2021 Biology PSP event, please fill out this Google Form by September 1, 2021:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/Xeb4n3M1kgr97VHs9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/forms.gle\/Xeb4n3M1kgr97VHs9<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Application to the Biology graduate programs is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/apply-grad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">separate process<\/a> (with applications due to the BU Graduate School in December 2021). <\/strong>PSP event participants will learn about, and receive assistance with, the BU Graduate School application process during and after the PSP event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Deadlines<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><b>PSP event application: accepted on a rolling basis through September 1, 2021<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PSP event invitations: sent by September 10, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual PSP event: September 21, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Contact<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<h4>Prof. Jenny Bhatnagar, PSP event coordinator <a href=\"mailto:jmbhat@bu.edu\">(jmbhat@bu.edu)<\/a><br \/>\n\n\t<ul class=\"profile-listing profile-format-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<li class=\"profile-item profile-item-basic post-1246 profile type-profile status-publish hentry\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/people\/profiles\/jennifer-bhatnagar\/\" class=\"profile-link profile-link-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"profile-photo profile-photo-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"136\" height=\"136\" src=\"\/biology\/files\/2015\/07\/talbot2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"profile-details profile-details-basic\">\n\t\t\t<h6 class=\"profile-name profile-name-basic\">Jennifer Bhatnagar<\/h6>\n\n\t\t\t<p class=\"profile-title profile-title-basic\">Associate Professor of Biology; Director, Biogeoscience Program; Associate Chair, Ecology, Behavior &#038; Evolution<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/WordPress-logotype-simplified.png\" alt=\"Wordpress Logo\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/WordPress-logotype-simplified.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/WordPress-logotype-simplified-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/WordPress-logotype-simplified-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 25px) 100vw, 25px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Biology Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BU_Biology\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Twitter-social-icons-circle-blue.png\" alt=\"Twitter Logo\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Twitter-social-icons-circle-blue.png 400w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Twitter-social-icons-circle-blue-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Twitter-social-icons-circle-blue-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 25px) 100vw, 25px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BU_Biology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Biology Twitter (@BU_Biology)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bu.biology\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB-636x636.png\" alt=\"Instagram Logo\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB-636x636.png 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 25px) 100vw, 25px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bu.biology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Biology Instagram (@bu.biology)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/biologybu\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-636x636.png\" alt=\"Facebook Logo\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-636x636.png 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-2048x2048.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/files\/2021\/06\/f_logo_RGB-Blue_1024-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 25px) 100vw, 25px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/biologybu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Biology Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Event Agenda (Coming Soon)<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>Coming soon!<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Other Resources<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/biology-graduate-program\/student-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduate Student Groups on the BU Campus<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Student Health Services<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/antiracism-center\/the-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BU Center for Antiracist Research<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/thurman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/diversity\/living-in-boston\/cultural-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crowd-Sourced guide to BU from the BU D&amp;I office<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"#top\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are in the process of restructuring the PSP event; check back at a later date for updated information! &nbsp; Back to Top<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10876,"featured_media":0,"parent":5391,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12652"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10876"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12652"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22484,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12652\/revisions\/22484"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}