College Expands Summer Research Programs

After successful pilot programs last summer, the College’s two new summer research programs—the Behavioral Laboratory in the Social Sciences and the Program for Research in Markets and Organizations—have expanded their undergraduate research opportunities in the social sciences and business for the summer of 2012.

Modeled after the Harvard College Program for Research in Science and Engineering, the ten-week summer programs were originally launched in June 2011.

BLISS allowed undergraduates to conduct research with professors in fields spanning sociology, psychology, and statistics, while PRIMO connected students with Harvard Business School faculty in areas ranging from behavioral economics to innovation management. Applications for the program were due Feb. 27, and participants will be informed by the end of the month.

The success of the pilot programs has encouraged program administrators and faculty to expand the programs, according to Gregory A. Llacer, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research Initiatives.

“This is definitely something that Harvard undergraduates want—the ability to connect with Harvard faculty. We are definitely looking at an [increase] in interest from faculty, with a broader array of projects being offered this year,” Llacer said.

Former BLISS participant Esther S. Wu ’13 echoed Llacer’s sentiments, expressing support for the expansion of the programs.

“It was great to do research with experienced professors that really watched out for us, taught us, and helped us grow.” Wu said. “I hope to see BLISS and PRIMO grow bigger in the future years.”

Fellow BLISS participant Gregory Yang ’14 praised the structures of the programs, which encouraged students to engage with faculty in cutting-edge research and organized social activities for participants outside of their research commitments.

Llacer and other program administrators plan to maintain the formats of the programs so that participants this year can continue to enjoy the benefits of comprehensive summer research programs.

“The fellows and faculty seemed pretty much happy with it, so we will not make any particular substantial changes,” Llacer said. “The model seems to work.”

Christopher E. Hernandez ’13, who worked at Professor Jason P. Mitchell’s Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab through BLISS last summer, agrees changes are unnecessary.

“I would not change a single thing about BLISS,” Hernandez said. “It became the perfect combination of important social sciences research that made you feel you were hard at work and exciting student interactions that allowed one to still feel like he or she was on summer vacation.”