2026 Program Updates

The Mentor Interest Form is now open. The deadline to submit the form for the 2026 cycle is Friday, December 19. Forms received after this date will still be considered; however, please note that the student application period is expected to open on Monday, January 5 and close on Friday, January 23.

For new CICOES mentors, we encourage you to review the information on this webpage before completing the form.

For returning mentors, please note a new program expectation: mentors are now asked to interview their top intern candidate(s) before an offer is made.

Fill Out the Mentor Interest Form

Last updated: November 11, 2025

About the Program

Each summer, CICOES hosts a nine-week intern program — a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) funded by the NSF, NOAA, and CICOES — that pairs students from across the United States with researchers at the University of Washington, NOAA, and partner institutions. Alongside cohort-building, youth outreach, and professional-development activities, each intern conducts an individualized, hands-on research project aligned with one or more of the CICOES Research Themes. The program prioritizes students who have not yet had a formal research experience, particularly those at institutions with limited research opportunities. The summer culminates with the CICOES Intern Symposium, a public event where interns share their research results via a poster session and 90-second introductory videos.

To view the research projects of former CICOES interns, including write-ups, posters, and videos, visit the Intern Profiles webpage.

At the heart of the program are the mentoring partnerships that make this experience possible. Each student is matched with a mentor who provides direction, technical expertise, and ongoing support throughout the summer. Mentors help students understand how research works in practice and guide them as they develop both technical and professional skills. For many students, this experience builds confidence, expands professional networks, and strengthens their identities as scientists.

Why Mentor

Mentorship is a rewarding way to invest in the next generation of environmental scientists. By serving as a mentor, you will:

• Shape future scientists. Help students develop research skills, confidence, and professional direction.
• Enhance your own leadership. Gain experience in supervision, communication, and project management.
• Bring new energy to your work. Interns often offer fresh ideas and enthusiasm that can invigorate research projects.
• Support inclusive excellence. Our interns come from a wide range of backgrounds. Mentors play a vital role in supporting their career development.

Become a Mentor

Thank you for your willingness to share your time, expertise, and guidance. Dedicated mentors are essential to the success of our program and to helping students gain confidence, discover their strengths, and see themselves as scientists.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please read through these guidelines. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Eligibility

Research scientists from the UW, NOAA, and other partner institutions — including faculty, professional staff, and postdoctoral scholars — are eligible to serve as lead mentors. We encourage lead mentors to enlist co-mentors from their work groups, so that interns have multiple sources of support.

Graduate students are welcome to become part of a mentorship team. However, they are not eligible to serve as lead mentors.

Mentor Expectations

• Interview finalists. An application review committee will develop a list of finalists, and potential mentors should interview their top choice(s) to ensure a good fit before committing.
• Guide interns as they develop a research plan, conduct research, and communicate results. This will primarily occur during the nine weeks of the summer internship, but mentors are welcome to work with their interns prior to the official start of the program to provide them with background reading or activities. However, pre-program learning should not require a substantial time commitment from interns.
• Meet regularly with interns to provide feedback and ensure progress. Most successful mentorship teams meet with their interns on a near-daily basis.
• Provide access to workspace, tools, software, and other essential resources. CICOES administrative staff can offer additional support, if needed.
• Attend special events, including the Intern Orientation at the beginning of the summer and the Intern Symposium at the end.
• Participate in developmental conversations. Throughout the summer, mentors and interns engage in three guided discussions — the Mentorship Plan, Mid-Summer Check-In, and Final Reflection — designed to structure the mentoring relationship and prompt deeper reflection on the research experience. Each conversation includes a short guide with open-ended questions to help interns set goals, assess progress, and consider their professional growth. These discussions are complemented by weekly reflection prompts emailed to interns by the program manager. Interns copy their mentors on their responses, often creating additional opportunities for meaningful dialogue and feedback.
• Approve final research products for the CICOES Intern Symposium, including the research poster and a 90-second video introduction.
• Complete an annual survey. The mentor survey helps us assess our success and improve the program for future cohorts.

What Makes a “Good” Research Project?

A strong research project is meaningful, achievable within nine weeks, and results in material the student can proudly present at the end of the summer. As a general guideline, nine weeks of undergraduate work is roughly equivalent to 3–5 weeks of professional research time.

The most successful projects strike a balance between variety and depth — for example, combining elements such as fieldwork, lab work, data analysis, and programming, or offering a focused deep dive into a specific method.

Because many of our interns are engaging in research for the first time, we encourage mentors to “scaffold” the experience by setting clear, short-term learning and project goals that build toward the larger research objective. This approach helps students gain confidence and see how their contributions fit into the broader scientific picture.

If you’d like to discuss project ideas or explore resources related to best practices in mentoring and STEM education, please contact Joe Selmont (jselmont@uw.edu).

Administrative Support

CICOES provides dedicated staff support throughout every stage of the internship to ensure that both mentors and interns have a positive, productive experience. The program is managed by Joe Selmont, Education, Outreach, and Communications Specialist (jselmont@uw.edu), and Muyin Wang, CICOES Deputy Director and Principal Investigator of the NSF REU grant (muyin@uw.edu).

Together with the CICOES administrative team, we coordinate all aspects of the internship — from recruiting students and selecting finalists to managing housing, stipends, and travel arrangements. We also oversee program-wide elements such as the professional development seminar series, social and outreach events, and program evaluation.

For mentors, this means that logistical and administrative tasks are handled centrally, freeing you to focus on guiding your intern’s research and growth. We are always available to answer questions, troubleshoot challenges, or provide additional resources. We are your partners throughout the summer.

Intern Application and Mentor Matching

Each year, we select a national cohort of undergraduate interns through a competitive process that values both academic merit and equitable access to research opportunities. Applications are reviewed by a committee of scientists and program staff, who evaluate essays, recommendations, and academic background using a shared rubric.

After several rounds of review, finalists are identified and matched with potential mentors based on research interests and available projects. Each finalist lists their top five project choices, and we work to align those preferences with mentor expertise and capacity.

Mentors receive application materials for several top-ranked candidates whose interests best fit their proposed project. Mentors should review the materials and interview top candidate(s) before confirming a match.

Once pairings are finalized, selected interns receive formal offers and onboarding details. The CICOES team manages all communication with candidates and coordinates logistics.

Sign Up

To sign up as a potential mentor, please complete the Mentor Interest Form.

To complete the form, you will need to develop a project description and title that align with at least one of the CICOES Research Themes.

Think of this description as a way to attract student interest — your opportunity to market the project. The most effective descriptions use clear, approachable language to explain the project’s main goals, methods, and broader impacts. Students are eager to understand how the experience will advance their education and career goals, and how their work will contribute to meaningful outcomes. Try to minimize jargon and acronyms where possible.

Submitting the form is simply the first step in the process. Doing so does not obligate you to participate, nor does it guarantee a match with an intern. Ultimately, matches depend on available funding and student interest.

Annual Timeline

• Rolling deadline: Complete the Mentor Interest Form.
• Mid-December: Confirm your interest and finalize your research project description.
• January: Student application period opens.
• February: Application review committee selects finalists.
• March: Finalists are matched with potential mentors based on shared research interests. Mentors interview their top candidate(s), and selected students receive offer letters.
• April–May: Mentors may assign short pre-program readings or activities (these should not require an extensive time commitment). The CICOES Intern Program manager will also host separate Q&A sessions for mentors and interns, as well as cohort-building activities.
• June–August: Mentors work with their interns for nine weeks on a defined research project, culminating in the CICOES Intern Symposium, where interns present a research poster and a 90-second video about their experience. During the program, mentors and interns complete several planned development activities together, including three structured conversations. Interns also respond to weekly reflection questions, participate in a youth outreach event, and join several social outings throughout the summer.
• Post-program: Mentors may continue collaborating with their interns on papers, conference posters, senior projects, and other opportunities.

Questions

If you have any questions, please reach out to Joe Selmont at jselmont@uw.edu.