At a glance
Dates:
June 17–August 12, 2012
Application deadline:
The application period is now closed.
Cost:
$7,750
Accommodations:
Dorms
Info session:
January 27, 5-6 pm
Biological Laboratories, room 1058
See also
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: Joseph K. Blitzstein, 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 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 choose 2 of the following 4-credit courses.
BIOS S-101a Study Abroad in Shanghai, China: Supervised Laboratory Research in the Life Sciences (32874)
Alain Viel.
(4 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 (32849)
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.
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 (32850)
Xiao-Li Meng and Joseph K. Blitzstein.
(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
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
The application period is now closed.
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 3:
- A completed online application (available in early December) that includes:
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee
- A statement of interest in the program, including information on relevant coursework in chemistry and biology, and travel experience abroad (previous travel is not a prerequisite)
- Transcripts (student record accepted for Harvard students)
Program directors may ask for interviews.
Students will be notified of admission decisions by mid-February.
Cost
There is a nonrefundable $50 application fee. The cost of the program is $7,750 and includes 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 ($195; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States)
- Transportation to and from Shanghai
- The cost of passports and visas
- Any immunizations
Suggested budget
See a sample budget for estimated expenses.
How to pay and funding options
See Funding and Payment 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
Contact 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.
