Frequently Asked Questions regarding SIP’s response to the COVID-19 situation
Will SIP happen in 2021?
The Science Internship Program team is committed to the health and safety of our interns, mentors, faculty, and staff. The well-being of those affiliated with our program is our highest priority. As such, we are currently planning for a fully online program in Summer 2021, meaning there will be no in-person component for interns.
During our Summer 2020 session, in accordance with UC Santa Cruz’s guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, SIP successfully operated 100% online. Though this was very different from previous years, we found that interns were able to reach the same level of critical thinking and depth of learning as they would during our in-person program. The uncertainty with COVID-19 remains, and we continue to adhere to all state, county, and university guidelines as the situation evolves. It is possible that we may eventually be able to add limited in-person participation as protocol allows (for a portion of the summer and/or only in cases where the research project requires physical presence), but those who apply in 2021 should be prepared for 100% online participation.
How does the online program differ from previous in-person years?
During a typical year, most SIP interns spend the majority of their internship time at the UCSC campus, working in the labs/workspaces of their mentors. Some interns commute daily, and others make use of our on-campus housing option. During a fully online program, however, we are unable to host students on campus in any capacity. Instead, research projects are adapted so interns can work on them virtually from anywhere with a WiFi connection. Interns will still be working in groups with their mentors, and are expected to stay in contact with their mentors and fellow interns throughout each week of the program. While working from home is obviously a very different experience from working directly in the lab, interns will still be able to engage in open-ended problem solving and learn a variety of important skills as they work on their research projects.
What is the schedule like for an intern during the online program?
Typically, an internship with SIP consists of 6 hour work days, 5 days a week, for a minimum of 6 weeks. (Ideally, interns will be able to work for 8–10 weeks, but we understand that this may not be possible for all interns.) One benefit of the online program is that we can be flexible about when the work hours take place. Throughout the program, mentors are expected to spend 12–15 hours per week actively mentoring their interns, which they will do through video conferencing and other online platforms such as Zoom, Slack, Google Hangouts, Google Drive, email, etc. If possible, all mentor/intern meetings should be scheduled between 9:00AM and 4:00PM (PDT), but we understand this may not always be possible (especially for interns in different time zones) and will allow for meetings to occur until 8:00PM (PDT) at the latest if absolutely necessary.
What if an intern doesn’t have the equipment they need for their project at home?
SIP works hard to provide each intern with everything they need to participate in the program successfully. During the Research Preparation Weeks (Weeks 1 and 2 of the program), mentors will reach out to their interns to introduce themselves and discuss any actions interns will need to take to prepare for their projects. This includes discussing what equipment/materials are required for each project. If an intern does not have the necessary equipment to work on their project, the intern and/or their mentor should let the SIP staff know immediately so we can find a solution before the main segment of the program begins.
How does the cost of the remote program compare to the cost of the in-person program?
The tuition (program fee) for the online version of SIP is the same as for the in-person version. The program fees are used to pay for the SIP mentors’ time, to support their research, and to pay for staff time to ensure that we can offer a vibrant and engaging summer program. This is true whether SIP is operating remotely or in person.
Naturally, there are no housing, meals, and transportation costs associated with the online version of the program.
Is the online program as enriching as the in-person program?
While some aspects of the program have changed significantly in the transition from in-person to online, the SIP team is working very hard to provide an equally enriching experience. Though we cannot allow interns on campus to work directly in their mentors’ labs or experience dorm living, operating remotely has allowed us to expand our services and be much more flexible with how interns participate in the program. During the online program, interns are able to have more control over their daily schedules than they would during the in-person program, which usually confines interns to a 9 AM – 4 PM work day. This allows us to serve a much wider array of students than we have in previous years as students from all over the world can now participate in our program without having to leave their homes.
We cannot claim that the online program is exactly the same as the in-person program, but we can confirm that it is still very successful in providing the real life research experience to high school students. The feedback we have received from SIP 2020 interns, parents, and mentors was overwhelmingly positive, and we are taking everything we learned from the 2020 program and incorporating it into our plans for Summer 2021.