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If you’re ready to dive into research and explore graduate school pathways, West Virginia University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) is calling. This 8-week program pairs students with faculty mentors for full-time research across disciplines—from STEM to the humanities—while paying a $5,000 stipend. Open to West Virginia residents and students at in-state institutions, SURE offers hands-on experience, seminars, and the chance to develop real-world skills for your academic future.

Next up, scientists are finding new ways to fight bacteria with fewer side effects. Researchers are developing antibiotics that precisely target bacterial proteins without wiping out beneficial microbes, potentially reducing antibiotic resistance and improving patient outcomes. It’s a targeted strike against some of our toughest infections.

Finally, let’s rewind to October 1900, when Max Planck cracked the black body radiation problem. His “lucky guess” led to the concept of quantized energy—a revolutionary idea that shattered classical physics and laid the foundation for quantum mechanics.

Upcoming Opportunities

🎓 Upcoming 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at WVU

West Virginia University’s SURE program offers an 8-week, full-time summer research experience for undergraduates in any discipline including STEM, the arts, and the humanities. Students will work closely with WVU faculty and graduate/postdoctoral mentors on original research or creative projects, while also attending workshops, seminars, and completing a one-credit research course.

Participants receive a $5,000 stipend and gain valuable preparation for graduate school or research-based careers.

📅 Program Details

• Award: $5,000 stipend (40 hours/week for 8 weeks)
  Duration: May – July 2026
  Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
  Application Deadline: Late February or Early March, 2026

• Apply Here: [Website]

✅ Eligibility

• Enrolled undergraduate at a WV higher education institution or WV resident enrolled out-of-state

• Sophomore, junior, or senior in Fall 2026 (grad date Dec 2026 or later)

• All disciplines welcome

• Additional support available for STEM majors from underrepresented groups

⚠️ 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

🦠 Two-Dose Antibiotic Matches Standard Therapy for S. aureus Bloodstream Infections

An NIH-supported Phase 2b clinical trial found that treating complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia with two IV doses of dalbavancin was just as safe and effective as the standard 4–6 weeks of daily IV antibiotics.

Conducted across 23 sites in the U.S. and Canada with 200 patients, the study showed similar clinical success rates, safety outcomes, and quality-of-life scores between dalbavancin and traditional therapy. Dalbavancin treatment also reduced catheter-related complications, offering a potential alternative for patients who want to avoid long-term IV lines.

Researchers say the findings expand treatment options for a serious infection that caused nearly 120,000 cases and 20,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2017. Cost-effectiveness studies are underway.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

Tip of the Day

☁️ Store Smarter: Use the Cloud for Your Research Data

Storing your research data on cloud servers isn’t just about convenience—it’s about security, collaboration, and efficiency. Here’s why more researchers are making the switch:

• Access Anywhere: Whether you’re in the lab, at home, or halfway across the globe, cloud storage keeps your files just a login away.

• Disaster-Proof: A spilled coffee or fried hard drive won’t wipe out months of work because your data lives safely offsite with automatic backups.

• Collaboration-Ready: Share datasets, code, or drafts instantly with collaborators without the email attachment chaos.

• Version Control: Many cloud tools track changes, so you can roll back to earlier versions if you make a mistake.

Subscribe to explore daily research opportunities!

Today’s Theme: Throwback Thursday

⚛️ Planck’s Quantum Leap: The Birth of Energy Quanta

In October 1900, German physicist Max Planck presented a formula for black body radiation that would quietly ignite a revolution in physics. While trying to resolve discrepancies in existing radiation laws, Planck introduced a radical idea: energy could only be absorbed or emitted in discrete packets—quanta—rather than continuously.

Initially treating it as a mathematical trick, Planck soon realized the concept challenged the foundations of classical physics. This quantization principle would later underpin Einstein’s explanation of the photoelectric effect and lay the groundwork for quantum mechanics.

Planck, a reluctant revolutionary, earned the 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery. Though he made no other breakthroughs of comparable scale, his influence on modern physics was profound, and the “Planck constant” remains a cornerstone of science today.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

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