Project SEED

Participation in the year 2001 Project SEED Program

Project SEED offers high school students two exciting research opportunities—

• The Summer I program will provide first-time participants (rising juniors and seniors) a fellowship award of $1,750.

• A second-year program, Summer II, provides Project SEED Summer I students an additional summer of scientific research. These students will receive a fellowship award of $2,000. Additionally, Summer II students will be eligible for a travel grant of up to $100 to present their research at an ACS or other scientific meeting.

Chicago will be the host city of the Fall, 2001 ACS National Meeting and Project SEED students from several local sections will present posters in Sci-Mix.

Each student does a scientific research project in chemistry or related field under the direct supervision of a scientist/mentor. The students must be economically disadvantaged and must be enrolled in high school or be recent high school graduates; no student who has matriculated in college is eligible. The students must have taken one year of high school chemistry.

You need not have a student yet in order to apply. Apply now to sponsor a student and the local Project SEED Committee will work with you to obtain a student. Funding for the student will come from the National Project SEED office and/or matching funds from the local Section.

You can obtain an application form, program guidelines, and other information from your local Section Project SEED co-chair, Cherlyn Bradley (630-510-0352, cbrad1027@aol.com ) or from the National ACS Committee on Project SEED staff at 1-800-227-5558, ext. 4380.

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT FOR SUMMER I AND SUMMER II APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 2001.

If you have decided to sponsor a student(s) again, welcome back! The Council Committee on Project SEED office looks forward to reviewing your application.

If you are NEW to the Project SEED program, your willingness to expose students to a scientific environment is one of several steps that will allow students to discover the world of chemistry. The Council Committee on Project SEED office looks forward to reviewing your application.

Further information---

Since its inception in 1968, more than 4,000 youths have participated in the Project SEED program nationwide. For the Chicago area, fewer than 75 students have participated---not because we don't have students that qualify or aren't interested in the program (each year we can find plenty of students), but due to lack of academic, industrial, and governmental scientists willing to be mentors. We continue to have the few, dedicated scientists who have been involved in the program several years-- and we salute you!

In order to get more Chicagoland students involved in the program, we need two things: 1) more funding from Chicagoland corporations, foundations, and individuals to sponsor our students and 2) more scientists willing to participate as mentors/preceptors to foster the successful continuance and growth of this worthy program in the Chicago area for scientifically promising, but economically disadvantaged high school students.

For you scientists who are NSF, NIH, or PRF grant holders, it is possible that you can get funding to sponsor a Project SEED student within your proposed research programs. Check with the SEED office at 1-800-227-5558, ext. 4380.

If you or your company would like to donate to your Chicago Section's Project SEED program to sponsor a local student, contact the Section office at (847) 647-8405.