CREATE Undergraduate Scholars

CREATE Scholars offers a paid research internship to SDSU, SDSU-IV, and UCSD undergraduate students to work on cancer-related or cancer health disparity research projects via a full-time summer research experience, followed by a part-time academic year research experience. SDSU students will have the opportunity to work with UCSD faculty and vice versa.

• Receive a $4,000 stipend to work on a cancer research project during the summer experience.
• Receive funding to present your research at a national conference.
• ​​Contingent on funding,​ receive support for graduate program application development, MCAT/GRE prep, and graduate application fees.

CREATE Scholars will also have the option (pending funding) to continue working on a cancer research project with SDSU or UCSD faculty during the academic year and will receive a $2,000 stipend per semester (about $1333.33 per quarter).

Cancer and/or cancer health disparities research areas include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Bench research: biochemistry, bioengineering, cancer genomics, microbiology, molecular biology, medical pharmacology, organic chemistry, immunology, structural biology
• Statistics and computer science: Bioinformatics, biostatistics, computational biology modeling, computer science
• Public health, population, and socio-behavioral science: community health science, psychology, sociology, epidemiology, geography, social work, health communication, health policy and management, health promotion and education, nutrition and cancer​, cancer survivorship​

Students must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States:
• Be a second or third-year undergraduate student from SDSU, SDSU-IV, and UCSD with at least 1-2 years left before graduation upton enrollment in the CREATE Scholars program. Fourth year and transfer students with at least one fulll academic year left before graduation are also eligible to apply.
• Have a cumulative grade point average commensurate with acceptance to postgraduate degree programs.
• Have a goal of obtaining a graduate degree(s) in a research-based STEM field (MS, PhD), public health (MPH), pharmacology (PharmD), clinical social work (MSW), clinical psychology (PsyD), health professional degree (e.g., PA, RN, MSN, DNP, MD, DO) or other certificate programs related to oncology (i.e., Certified Genetic Counselor).
• Be from one or more of the following underrepresented groups:
  • Individuals with a documented permanent disability or disabilities, such as physical or mental impairments, with sustantially limite major life activities.
  • Member from racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. as defined by the National Institutes of Health, such as American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Black or African Americans, Hispanis or Latinos, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders. In addition, we recognize that ethnic groups such as Southwest Asians, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Hmong, Cambodian, etc., and Middle Eastern or North African are underrepresented.

Please see here for more information determine eligibility

Research experience is not required to participate in the CREATE Scholars research program. We will train you.

CREATE Scholars must commit to participating in the full length of the program:

• A Full-Time (40 hrs./wk.) Summer Research Experience at UC San Diego from June 23 – August 15, 2025.

CREATE Scholars will have the option to continue into our academic year research experience

• A part-time (10-15 hrs./wk.) research experience (Fall 2025 – Spring 2026), working on a cancer research project with SDSU, SDSU-IV, or UCSD faculty.

CREATE Scholars from SDSU must also complete required coursework and professional development opportunities each semester as assigned.

• PSY 492: Responsible Conduct of Scientific Research – 1-unit CR/NCR course in the Fall 2025 Semester
• PH 499: Cancer Health Disparities Journal Club - 1-unit CR/NCR course in the Spring 2026 Semester

CREATE Scholars from UCSD and SDSU-IV must also complete the required in-person Responsible Conduct of Research training for the academic year internship via the UCSD and SDSU-IV campus.

Applications for the CREATE Scholars 2025-26 cohort will be accepted until Friday, February 14, 2025, at 11:59 PM PST. Fall 2024 SDSU, SDSU-IV, and UCSD transfer students are welcome to apply.

VISIT OUR APPLICATION WEBSITE!

For questions regarding the CREATE Scholars Program, its application, and/or student eligibility, please do the following:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• E-mail the Program Coordinator
• Schedule an Appointment
• Connect on Instagram

CREATE Scholars, from the San Diego State University/ UC San Diego Cancer Research and Education to Advance HealTh Equity (CREATE) Partnership is sponsored and supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers U54CA285117 (SDSU) & U54CA285115 (UC San Diego).