At a glance
Dates:
June 19–August 16, 2010
Application deadline:
February 5
Cost:
$7,350
Accommodations:
Dorms
Slideshow
Contact
- Robert Lue, e-mail
Harvard Summer Program in Shanghai, China
Harvard Summer Program in
Shanghai, China
Biological studies and hands-on laboratory research in Shanghai
Faculty: Yves Chretien, Robert A. Lue, Xiao-Li Meng, and Alain Viel
Located on the mouth of the Yangtze River, Shanghai is one of the world’s most exciting and fastest-growing cities. It emerged as an important nexus for international trade and cultural exchange in the 1920s and today is the vibrant center of China’s economic ascendancy, a fascinating mixture of East and West and a global city for the twenty-first century.
This 8-week program combines coursework in the life sciences and the social sciences, and is specifically designed to promote interdisciplinary learning across both broad fields in the context of contemporary China. Offered in collaboration with a major university and a biotechnology company in Shanghai, the program enrolls both US and Chinese students, creating an exciting cross-cultural learning environment. All instruction is in English.
Course of study
Students enroll in BIOS S-101, or both BIOS S-103 and STAT S-105, designed to present multiple combinations that are both intellectually coherent and highly interdisciplinary.
Note: Students who are interested in taking a 4-credit version of BIOS S-101 (and either BIOS S-103 or STAT S-105) should contact Professor Viel at aviel@fas.harvard.edu as soon as possible.
BIOS S-101 Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Supervised Laboratory Research in the Life Sciences (32423)
Alain Viel.
(8 credits: UN) Limited enrollment
This course offers an intensive research experience in a Chinese laboratory across a range of fields in the life sciences, including molecular and cellular biology, developmental biology, and biochemistry. Students participate in experimental projects linked directly with ongoing research in their host laboratories. In addition to their time in the lab, students also meet as a group to form a close-knit community based on the sharing and discussion of their ongoing projects.
Prerequisites: introductory coursework with laboratory in chemistry, molecular biology, or cellular biology.
BIOS S-103 Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Living Science—Biology, the Self, and the World (32424)
Robert A. Lue.
(4 credits: UN) Limited enrollment
The life sciences are a pervasive part of society today and affect the individual lives of every citizen around the world. This course uses the vibrant social backdrop of China to showcase the changing impact of life sciences research on rapid economic and cultural change. An emphasis is placed on how developing drug therapies for disease are based on understanding cell biology and further influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Students also collaborate with participating biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies for an inside view of how therapies are being developed specifically for China, and will include 5 weeks of lecture and field trips coupled with a 3-week, full-time internship at a local biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or healthcare company.
Prerequisite: introductory coursework in laboratory chemistry, molecular biology, or cellular biology.
STAT S-105 Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Vital Statistics for Life and Medical Science (32422)
Yves Chretien and Xiao-Li Meng.
(4 credits: UN) Limited enrollment
This course introduces vital statistical thinking and tools for designing, collecting, and analyzing quantitative evidence in the life sciences, with a focus on drug development and more generally on biological and medical research. Through case studies involving the well-known drugs Viagra, Fen-Phen, and Vioxx, as well as quantitative analysis of DNA evidence, students learn the vital importance of understanding the fundamental principles and techniques for statistical inference, particularly experimental design, observational studies, hypothesis testing, and Bayesian statistics.
Prerequisite: introductory coursework in statistics.
Course credit
See Study Abroad Credit Information.
Faculty
Yves Chretien, AM, Doctoral Candidate in Statistics, Harvard University
Robert A. Lue, PhD, Professor of the Practice of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Xiao-Li Meng, PhD, Whipple V. N. Jones Professor of Statistics, Harvard University
Alain Viel, PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Application
Students must be at least 18 years old, have completed at least 1 year of college or be a first-year student, and be in good academic standing to apply.
The application materials, outlined below, are due February 5:
- A completed online applicationthat includes:
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee
- A supplementary statement describing interest in the program, relevant coursework, and travel experience abroad (previous travel is not a prerequisite)
- Official transcripts (sent directly to the address below; unofficial transcripts are accepted for Harvard College students only)
Transcripts should be addressed as follows:
Matilda West
Study Abroad Coordinator
Harvard Summer School
51 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Students will be notified of admission decisions by late February or early March.
Cost
The cost of the program is $7,350 and a nonrefundable $50 application fee. This covers the following:
- Tuition
- Room and some meals
- Excursions (including meals when appropriate)
In addition to the program fee, students are responsible for:
- A health insurance fee ($175; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States)
- Transportation to and from Shanghai
- The cost of passports and visas (if the latter is needed)
- Any immunizations
Program directors will advise students of likely additional expenses.
Suggested budget
See a sample budget for estimated expenses.
How to pay and funding options
See How to Pay for payment deadlines, deposit amounts, and more information including funding options for Harvard College students.
Accommodations
Students stay in dormitories at the host university in Shanghai. All rooms are doubles and include breakfast.
Additional information
Robert Lue, robert_lue@harvard.edu.
Students with disabilities should contact the disability services coordinator as soon as possible. See Students with Disabilities for more information.