Harvard Summer Program in Shanghai, China
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 College students can attend an information session for this program.
Biological studies and hands-on laboratory research in Shanghai
Faculty: Robert 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.
2009 courses (2010 courses to come)
The following are the courses that were offered in 2009. The 2010 course information will be available soon, but should be similar to the offerings below.
BIOS S-101 Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Supervised Laboratory Research in the Life Sciences
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
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. The course also collaborates with participating biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies for an inside view of how therapies are being developed specifically for China, and includes 5 weeks of lecture and field trips coupled with a 3-week full-time internship at a local biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or healthcare company. Prerequisites: introductory coursework with laboratory in chemistry, molecular biology, or cellular biology.
STAT S-105 Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Vital Statistics for Life and Medical Sciences
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. Prerequisites: introductory coursework in statistics.
Course credit
See Study Abroad Credit Information.
Faculty
Robert Lue, Professor of the Practice of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Director of Life Science Education, Harvard University
Xiao-Li Meng, Whipple V. N. Jones Professor of Statistics and Chair, Department of Statistics, Harvard University
Alain Viel, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Research in 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 application (available in early December) that 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. A sample budget for estimating expenses will be available soon.
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.