Summer 2021: Questions regarding applications

Programs Virtual-Internships
#1

Any questions about Summer 2021 virtual-internship applications? Read the FAQ below and if you don’t see your answer, please post as a reply to this topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

If we filled out the application stating that we have done 0 self-assessments, yet we begin to do self-assessments AFTER filling out the application, do we have to re-do the application?

No. We will check the self-assessment category for count/content when we are forming teams.

What is the selection process?

Once you submit the application form, the STEM-Away team will review your application and assess based on STEM level, activity on Pathway Hubs, and available space. After a preliminary review, Lead candidates will be offered interviews. There is no interview necessary for prospective Participants. All applicants will be notified about acceptance status by April 15.

Help, I made a mistake on my application!

If you made a mistake on your application, please fill out the application form again. Your most recent entry will be considered.

Do I need to have completed the Level 1 internship before doing the Level 2 or 3 internship?

No, you can join at any level if you have the required background. If you are unsure of which level is right for you, visit the Summer 2021: Explanation of Project Levels/ How do I pick a level? page. You can also build up your skills towards this summer by practicing on our Pathway Hubs.

Can I do both Sessions 1 and 2?

We ask that you only choose one session since there is quite a bit of overlap in terms of the dates between Session 1 and 2. If you are unsure of which session to choose, there is a place on the application form to indicate “No preference” for a session. Interns who choose that option will be placed into either Session 1 or Session 2 based on availability.

What times will meetings be? How will that be balanced with my timezone?

It is up to the team Leads to decide on the time for meetings, although every effort will be made to ensure that meetings will be during standard operating hours. On the application form, we ask you to indicate the timezone you will be participating from this summer in order to better organize our worldwide teams.

Do I have to pay for this virtual-internship?

There is absolutely no cost associated with our internships. Depending on the pathway, you may be asked to create an account or download resources, but all of our tools are free of cost.

Will I get paid for this virtual-internship?

This is an educational internship and as such, there is no compensation associated with completing an internship at STEM-Away. We hope you can use this experience to launch into your next endeavor!

Can I get academic credit for this virtual-internship?

If your school or college awards academic credits for internships, we can work with your school to arrange for academic credits for your participation. All accepted interns will be provided a standard offer letter. We are unable to accommodate any requests for individualized offer letters.

I am not available for the full 8 weeks. Can I attend?

There is a mandatory self-assessment at the end of each week. If you can catch up on your own time and handle that requirement, you may take up to 5 days off.

How can I prove that I’ve completed an internship?

At the end of the project, each participant will be issued a certificate covering skills & tasks. The Mentor Chains® certificate is a living document during the duration of the project with periodic reviews done by the team. Final entries are signed off by the Project Lead. Certificates can be shared directly on LinkedIn using the share button under the topic.

What is required for STEM-Away virtual-internships?

All you need is a computer and internet connection!

What language will the virtual-internships be conducted in?

Our virtual-internships will be conducted in English, although we still encourage that you apply even if English is not your first language.

When are STEM-Away’s hours of operation?

The STEM-Away team is primarily active between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Where can I get answers if I have more questions?

Feel free to post any questions about Applications in this thread. Please note that a complete set of FAQ is available at Virtual-Internships FAQ.



Virtual Internships for Summer 2021
#2

Is there anywhere where we could read more about what project lead, technical lead position, and project management lead position are?

3 Likes
#3

Hi Ashley, We will be sharing a landing page for the applications next week. It will have information about lead roles and eligibility. I will share a link to the page here.

1 Like
#4

Collections of questions from the main application topic:

I was wondering if there is an option for a level 0 internship (Bioinformatics) because I was made aware that there is a level 0 in Pathway Hub. I don’t see any option to select level 0 on the internship form, so I am a bit confused. I do know that for Pathway Hub, level 0 and 1 are doing the same Module, so maybe there is no difference between the two levels in internships?

Go ahead and apply for Level 1. We were thinking of running Level 0 programs but have decided to combine it with Level 1.



Hi! I’m quite new to the platform and am very confused as to how the program works. I’m a high school senior from India. I’m really interested in participating in the Summer internship 2021. It’d be great if anyone can help me figure out how it works. Also, I’d like to know if its open to internationals? Thanks!

Hi, the program is international and also welcomes high school students. :slight_smile:

I would recommend reading about the 3 levels of participation and see which level is right for you in the field of your interest and apply. If accepted, there is training for each level and different start dates. From there you will be assigned a team and can begin your internship. I hope this helps!



Hi! I am very new to this program and platform. I’m in high school and I wanted to apply for an internship. From what I have read above, it seems like all we have to do for the application so far is fill out this google form. Is that correct?

We will check your experience level. For high school students, the only proof of experience we accept is participation in the Pathways Hubs. Details are in the main post. Thanks!



Is it too late for me to start participating in one of the Pathway hubs?

Hi. I discovered this platform through Twitter. I’m a senior at college and would like to work in a bioinformatics related project. I would like to know how my experience is observed on this platform. Should I start contributing to the Pathway Hubs?

You can start looking at the modules on the Pathway Hubs. The current round of live sessions with mentors is coming to an end. However, we will have another round shortly. Also, if you are stuck, post your questions on the forum.



Hi, I am interested in several topics and have a background fit for those. Can I submit the form multiple times for multiple topics to vary out popularity?

It is best to apply with the track that most appeals to you. We will be releasing more details on projects next week, make your decision at that time.

#5

@Ashley_Huang: Summer 2021: Explanation of Mentor Chains® Lead Roles

#6

Hi! I am a high school student and very new to this platform and how it works. I saw in a reply to this post that the current round of live sessions with mentors is coming to an end, but another round will begin shortly. When will this round begin? And just to clarify – live sessions guide people through the modules, the people finish self-assessments, and upon finishing those modules/assessments, they apply for an internship? Thanks.

#7

Hi Deniz, we don’t have a date as yet for the next live session of pre-internship training. We expect it to be in the March timeframe.

However, the training is set up to work really well for self-learning as well. We will add some additional instructions to help students who are self-learning.

Correct. The self-assessments are compulsory for high school students (a min of 3).

A college student with the required background knowledge does not have to go through the full training, though we encourage at least one self-assessment by 04/02 to increase chances of acceptance.

#8

Thank you!

#9

If we filled out the application stating that we have done 0 self-assessments, yet we begin to do self-assessments AFTER filling out the application, do we have to re-do the application?

#10

No. We will check the self-assessment category for count/content when we are forming teams.

Thank you for asking the question, we will add this to the top of the FAQ list.

1 Like
#11

I hvae not been active on the Pathway Hubs because I had spent most of my time focusing on my academics, but I don’t have as many classes to take and more time to be active. I also intended to do machine learning, but now I’m interested in hardware engineering. Will my inactivity since Fall of 2020 potentially penalize me when being considered?

#12

No, not at all. We are not trying to penalize anyone, we are just making sure that students come in with enough background for the internship to be a meaningful experience. We have given time until April 2nd for self-assessments. Also, the hardware engineering pathway hub is not yet open, we expect it to start next week.

#13

How many self-assessments should we have done when we submit? Thanks!

#14

High School students need to do 3 self-assessments. You may submit your application at any time. We will check self-assessments at the time of making teams.

#15

Hello! I wanted to ask where the Pathway Hubs are, specifically for Machine Learning? I can’t seem to find it no matter how much I look on the website, thanks!

#16

If you start from the main page, this is what you see:

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#17

Thank you replying! I just wanted to ask are the “Instructions” just what we do in each module? And then we make a post in the self-assessment about what we learned?

#18

Hello @ddas ,

I see an announcement on the page that the application deadline has been extended. Does this mean the deadline we have to finish the modules has also extended? If it is so, may I know until when we have to finish the modules with this new deadline? Thank you so much!

Regards, Nayana V.

#19

We will accept self-assessments until 04/12. Hope the extra time helps!

1 Like
#20

Thank you so much!