What’s Happening Today!

Welcome to a new & exciting daily post from That Black Chemist! 

The Knight Cancer Institute is offering its Biomedical & Bioinformatics Research Internship and Training Experience (B-BRITE) for Summer 2026. This 8-week, $4,500 paid program immerses undergraduates in cutting-edge biomedical and quantitative cancer research. Participants will gain hands-on lab experience, mentorship from established scientists, professional development workshops, and opportunities to present their work.

Meanwhile, researchers at NIST have developed the first standardized test to measure pollutants released by portable air cleaners. While these devices are designed to scrub indoor air, some also produce unwanted by-products like ozone, formaldehyde, and ultrafine particles. The new ASTM International standard offers a consistent way to detect and compare emissions across devices, paving the way for safer designs.

Upcoming Opportunities

🧬 B-BRITE Summer Internship in Biomedical & Bioinformatics Research

The Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) offers the Biomedical & Bioinformatics Research Internship and Training Experience (B-BRITE)—an 8-week immersive program for undergraduates interested in biomedical and data sciences. Interns will join cutting-edge cancer research labs, work with established mentors, and gain hands-on training in experimental design, data analysis, and quantitative methods.

📅 Program Details

• Award: $4,500 stipend (8 weeks)

• Duration: June – August 2026

• Location: OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, Oregon

• Support: Limited housing and airfare assistance available

• Apply Here: [Website]

✅ Eligibility

• Undergraduate students (completed ≥2 years, not graduated by June 2026)

• Strong interest in biomedical or data science (biochem, comp sci, etc.)

• U.S. citizens or international students on a valid U.S. visa

• Full-time summer commitment (~40 hrs/week), no vacations permitted

• First-gen and underrepresented students encouraged to apply

⚠️ Bonus Opportunities You Should Know

• 🧪 NSF REU Summer Research Programs: List of funded undergrad research programs. (Search here)

• 🎓 Zintellect: List of scholarships, research fellowships, and internship opportunities funded by the U.S. government or private sector. (Search here)

• 💰 NASA OSTEM Internships: List of NASA Internships for high school and undergraduate STEM students. (More info)

• 🪖 Department of Defense (DoD) SMART Scholarship: $30,000-$46,000 scholarship awarded to top STEM students. (Link)

🌍 International Opportunities

• 🧲 Pathways to Science: List of upcoming internships, scholarships, and research programs hosted by any country [open to international students]. (Search here)

• 🔬 Amgen Scholars Program: Prestigious summer research program for undergraduate students in the U.S., Europe, or Asia. (More info)

• ⚛️ European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): Search for any upcoming internships related to chemistry, physics, engineering, or data science! (Link here)

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Intrax Global Internships: STEM-focused internship program for international students hosted by the U.S. Department of State. (More info)

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Scientist’s Scroll

😤 New Standard Text Reveals Hidden Pollutants from Air Cleaners

Air cleaners are meant to purify indoor air—but some devices can unintentionally release harmful by-products like ozone, formaldehyde, and ultrafine particles. Until now, there was no consistent way to measure these emissions.

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), working with ASTM International, have developed the first standardized test method to assess these by-products by using sealed-room experiments, UV absorption, and particle-sizing techniques.

The new standard will allow manufacturers to improve devices, regulators to set fair emission limits, and consumers to make reliable comparisons between products, ensuring air cleaners truly make indoor spaces healthier rather than introducing new risks.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

Tip of the Day

💡 From Lab Bench to Launch Pad: Balancing Research and Entrepreneurship

You don’t have to choose between being a scientist and being an entrepreneur. Many breakthroughs start as research projects, then evolve into startups that make real-world impact.

Here’s how to bridge the two:

• Think Application Early: While doing research, ask: Who could this help? What problem does it solve? This mindset makes your work more translational.

• Build Both Skill Sets: Research sharpens deep technical skills; entrepreneurship builds communication, pitching, and market sense. Together, they’re powerful.

• Leverage Campus Resources: Many universities offer innovation centers, startup incubators, and pitch competitions for students to test ideas.

• Team Up: Scientists don’t have to be CEOs. Partner with business-minded peers who complement your technical expertise.

• Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Just like experiments, startups require iteration. Treat each setback as data, not defeat.

Subscribe to explore daily research opportunities!

Today’s Theme: What’s Happening Wednesday

This Week in Science: A Comet Soaring Through the Solar System

☄️ NASA Trains Its Telescopes on Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS

NASA astronomers are racing to study comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet passing through our solar system before disappearing back into deep space.

Discovered in summer 2025, the comet has been observed by multiple missions, including SPHEREx, which captured detailed data from Aug. 7–15. Insights from SPHEREx, alongside observations from the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes, are helping scientists measure the comet’s size, chemistry, and physical properties.

Though it poses no threat to Earth, 3I/ATLAS offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study material from another star system—advancing NASA’s mission to understand the objects that travel through and beyond our cosmic neighborhood.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

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