About Project SEED

Project SEED is an organization which allows high school students to be involved in research at a college level. Founded in 1968, Project SEED has continued to provide opportunites to high school students.

Photo Project SEED students receiving the Chem Luminary Award
Photo Michael Ashmore (SEED '09) with AIT Laboratories CEO Michael Evans & Preceptor Tim Dahn
Photo Project SEED 2010
Photo Kyle Torain (SEED '08) with Dr. Joseph Bidwell and Dr. Jim McAteer

Welcome!

The Indianapolis Project SEED Committee welcomes you.  The website is created to be an information center for the high school summer research interns and applicants, in addition to the interested public and supporters.  This website undergoes periodic changes, so please stay posted!  For further information and updates, please write us at indyprojectseed@yahoo.com or call the program coordinator, Elmer Sanders, at    (317) 514-3212      

Now Accepting Applications for the
2012 Summer Program (Click)

The 2012 summer internship program dates and application are now available. There  will be a required meeting on March 13.  The details of this meeting are on the application page that can be accessed by clicking the application tab at the top.  The application deadline is on April 2.  We anticipate interviewing students between April 10 and April 27 and announcing acceptances on May 1.

Interested students should also email indyprojectseed@yahoo.com to be added to the 2012 broadcast list for news and updates.  To go to the application page, please click here.

SEED and Superbowl XLVI:
Congratulations Gigi Cabello

2011 Summer Research student Gabriela ‘Gigi’ Cabello, President of the Ben Davis High School Class of 2012, is featured as one of the ‘Faces of Superbowl XLVI’ representing her work with the Green Corps and the integrity, passion, and heart of Indianapolis. The entire SEED community is proud for all of her good work and accomplishments and we are very pleased to have her represent us.  Click this link to view her video.

About Project SEED

Since 1973 Project SEED has served over 500 interns.  The 2011 Program was a phenomenal success and program students are now reporting outstanding scholarship offers and college acceptances to great schools here in the State of Indiana,  the Ivy League, Stanford and others.  Click Photos to view all past interns and 2011 Roster to view the 2011 student roster with their project abstracts.

The 2011 student interns had a productive fall semester.  On October 8, the students put on hands-on science projects for grade school children at Celebrate Science Indiana event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  Hannah Kassab, a junior at Pike High School was a finalist for the essay contest. Congratulations Hannah!

On October 13, many SEED students presented their research with college students and industry professionals at Eli  Lilly and Company for the 13thAnnual Poster Session of the American Chemical Society.  The event drew together one  of the largest assortments of industry leaders.  Brian Stemme from BioCrossroads Indiana made the keynote address that night on Indiana’s Life Sciences Sector, Chartering the Course for Continued Success.

On November 5, SEED students participated in the Indianapolis NOBCChE conference again at Eli Lilly.  Hannah Kassab, Susanna Adjei and Roshni Bag won awards for their research presentations and Namratha Kolur was also honored for her active role in recruitment and promotion for the conference.

On November 7 at the Indiana Junior Academy of Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington, 2011 intern Roshni Bag was named Most Outstanding Junior Scientist for the State of Indiana.  Roshni is a junior at University High School. Congratulations Roshi!  

On October 14, 2010 the students from the Indianapolis Project SEED were presented the ChemLuminary Award that the program was honored with at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston on August 24.  The award was formally presented to the Indianapolis students by Dr. Jeannie Phillips, Chair of the Indiana Section of the ACS, at the 12th Annual Poster Session and Dinner Program at Butler University.  The president of the national ACS, Purdue Professor Dr. Joe Francisco was the keynote speaker that night and the 2010 Summer Research Interns also presented their research. 

Program Basics:  Students are accepted into the program based on their high school grade transcripts (one year of chemistry is mandatory), written essays, and teacher recommendations.  Those who meet the income guidelines of the A.C.S. National SEED Committee are provided a stipend during the summer; $2,500 for Summer I or $3,000 for returning Summer II participants.  In Indianapolis, other qualified students who do not meet the economic requirements are accepted into our local program (the Indiana A. C. S. Summer Research Program) and can receive a small honorarium in appreciation of their research contributions.  Through an interview process, students are matched with research preceptors who host and mentor them in their labs.  As a training ground for future careers, it is a full time experience for the students, Monday-Friday, 8 hours a day.

 History.  Project SEED was established in 1968 by the American Chemical Society as a means to provide students the opportunity to explore a career in science.  SEED is an acronym for: Summer Experience for the Economically Disadvantaged.  The Indianapolis Program started in 1972 with Professor Edwin Harper (retired) of the Indiana University School of Medicine as an educational outreach of the Indiana Section of the ACS.  In addition to ACS membership professionals, many local companies have supported the Indianapolis SEED program over the years, especially Eli Lilly & Co., Dow Agro, Mays Chemical, AIT Laboratories and recently, the Indiana CTSI – Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.

Thank you, CTSI.  The Indianapolis Project SEED program is very thankful to the Indiana CTSI for its support for the future scientists who intern with the program since 2009.  The research consortium under the leadership of Dr. Anantha Shekhar (M.D.) is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and  supports many scientific research efforts across the state of Indiana.  The Institute's Director of Finance, Lisa Dinsmore has also joined the advisory Project SEED Committee .  Their support for Project SEED is in collaboration with other K-12 education outreach efforts with Dr. Kim Nguyen, Director of UCASE Operations at the IUPUI School of Education who also serves on the Committee.

 The Indiana CTSI is funded in part by an award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and operates as a partnership of the IU School of Medicine, IU-Bloomington, IUPUI, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame. The overarching goal of the Indiana CTSI is to improve the health of people throughout the state of Indiana by supporting research, education and community outreach.

We welcome your support!

Project SEED cannot operate without the generosity from individuals and companies that support these young scientists-in-training.  Are you able to financially support the program?   You can find more information by clicking the Donate tab at the top of this page.   There are also many ways in which you can volunteer your time to help this program.  Each year, Committee volunteers and local scientists and their lab colleagues who do not receive any monetary support from Project SEED volunteer countless hours to provide this amazing educational experience to these  young scientists-in-training.  

Thank you sponsors!

Project SEED embodies the spirit of volunteerism and community support.  The 2011 program volunteers registered over 15,000 hours of public service. Each one of our contributors – whether individual or corporate – is indispensable to the success of the program.

We are thankful to Dean Simon Rhodes and the entire faculty of the IUPUI School of Science who partner with the Indiana Section of the American Chemical Society in providing a geographical and an administrative support center for Project SEED.  In addition to their financial support and the volunteer mentorship of so many of their research professors, they also help with the administration of a scholarship for students who have participated in this outstanding research program.   Dr. Jeffrey Watt, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Outreach, along with Dr. Kathy Marrs, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs provide grant support for the program.  AnneMarie Chastain, Executive Director of Development and External Affairs, coordinates with the IU Foundation to facilitate donations to the Indianapolis Project SEED Fund (click here) .  Joe Thompson, Natalie Mazanowski and Jonathan Berg  from the Office of the Dean every year provide administrative support to not only to the students in the summer research program but also to those who continue their studies at IUPUI.   

Lastly, our program is forever grateful to the leadership of Dr. Jim McAteer and Dr. Rosanne 'Rosie' Bonjouklian who have each served the program 30 years and counting. Dr. McAteer, Professor of Anatomy at the School of Medicine recruits, trains, and coordinates the contribution of our talented research professionals who volunteer their time in mentoring the students we serve. Dr. Bonjouklian, hosted students in her research lab before she retired as a Medicinal Chemist from Eli Lilly & Co.  She has had a lifelong distinguished career of public service - from her early days in Africa with the Peace Corps, to serving Project SEED in many capacities over the years.  Most significantly she established the Project SEED Scholarship with the IUPUI School of Science, enabling our program to serve students beyond their summer research experience into their college education and professional training.

And to the many research scientists from the School of Medicine, the School of Science, and other IUPUI Schools, to the many others not mentioned by name - but whose contributions nonetheless are indispensable to the success of our program - we say, Thank YOU!