Voelcker Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in the Pharmaceutical Sciences
The Voelcker Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Pharmaceutical Sciences program offers an immersive 8-week summer research experience in the areas of Medicinal Chemistry, Preclinical Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Chemical Biology within The University of Texas at San Antonio's College of Science Chemistry Department.
This program is designed for students who wish to learn more about the graduate school experience and possibly pursue an academic career in research. Student participants in the program will work with a faculty mentor with special expertise and interests matched, as closely as possible, to the student's research interests and career goals. Students will assist the faculty member in an ongoing research project.
| Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Program Dates: | June 8–July 31, 2026 |
| Application Opens: | November 14, 2025 |
| Application Deadline: | February 27, 2026 |
| Applicants Notified of Program Acceptance: | March 27, 2026 |
Program Details
- Scholars will engage in research activities for 8 weeks.
- Scholars will work under the direct supervision of a participating faculty mentor.
- Scholars will design and present a scientific poster outlining their research at the conclusion of the program.
- Scholars will participate in weekly professional development sessions and research/educational seminars and presentations.
- Social activities and networking events will be offered to scholars to encourage interaction with University of Texas at San Antonio graduate students.
- Scholars will conduct research hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Program Requirements
- For undergraduates enrolled in four-year colleges and universities in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories.
- For College Juniors and College Seniors
- Prior to beginning the program, completion of at least two years of undergraduate study.
- Must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or above.
- Must be interested in pursuing a Ph.D.
- 8 weeks (All participants must be able to attend the program for its entire duration).
- Open to undergraduates majoring in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and related science fields.
Program Highlights
- $8,000 Stipend
- Travel Allowance up to $500 (For those residing more then 100 miles from San Antonio)
- On-Campus Housing
- On-Campus Meal Plans
- Weekly Luncheon Professional Development Sessions
- Cutting-Edge Research
- Outstanding Research Environment
- Closing Reception and Symposium
- Social Activities and City Excursions
Deadline
All application materials and supporting documents must be received by February 27, 2026 unless otherwise stated in the program description. Preference will be given to applications that are completed by the program's deadline. Notification of decisions will be made by March 27, 2026. Finalists may be asked to attend a zoom interview before selections are determined. Please contact the Department of Chemistry for questions regarding the application and application deadline.
Application:
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- Applications are submitted through our online portal.
- Read all instructions prior to starting the application.
- You will not be able to save the application once you begin.
- Be sure to have all required documentation ready. (Letters of Recommendations are the only documents that can be submitted at a later time!)
- Letters of Recommendations can be submitted from your reference through the Participant Forms.
- Required Documents for Application: Undergraduate Transcript (Unofficial), Personal Statement, Resume/CV, and 2 Letters of Recommendation (1 from Chemistry/Science Professor and 1 from another professor of your choice).
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Applications with incomplete documents will not be considered.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants have two options for submitting Letters of Recommendation:
1. Upload by the Applicant
Applicants may upload their Letter(s) of Recommendation directly using the Form Upload section in the application before submitting the full application.
Please note: You must already have your completed letter(s) in order to upload them at this stage.
2. Upload by the Referencer
References may submit Letters of Recommendation through the Participant Forms/Event Forms portal. After the applicant submits their application, they will receive a Registration ID Number.
The reference will need the following information to upload the letter:
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Registration ID Number
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Participant’s last name or email address
To upload a letter, references should:
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Click “Participant Forms” at the top of the application page (or link provided).
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They will be redirected to the Event Forms portal.
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Enter the required information to access the system and upload the Letter of Recommendation.
REU Participating Faculty
Below are the UT San Antonio Chemistry faculty participating in this summer’s REU program. Please review their research interests, faculty profiles, and lab websites to help you determine which faculty you would like to work with. When submitting your application, you will be asked to list your top three faculty preferences. While we will make every effort to accommodate your selections, placements cannot be guaranteed.
Research Interests
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Small Molecule Drug Discovery in cancer, infectious disease, and neuroscience
- Synthesis of Natural Products
- Synthetic Methodology
Research Interests
- Mechanistic Enzymology
- Metabolic Pathways
- Structural Biology
Research Interests
- Enantioselective Catalysis
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Synthesis of biologically active natural products
Research Interests
- Chemical Imaging
- Mass Spectrometry
- Metal Clusters
- Nanomaterials
Research Interests
- Bioinorganic Chemistry
- Catalysis and Materials
- Green Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
Research Interests
- Asymmetric Catalysis
- Organometallic Catalysis and Organocatalysis
- Physical Organic Chemistry
- Sustainable Synthetic Methodologies
Research Interests
- Asymmetric Catalysis
- Computational Chemistry
- Data Science/Machine Learning
- Organic Synthesis
Research Interests
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK)
- Ion channel Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
- Development of cellular models for ADME screening (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion)
- Quantitative small-molecule bioanalysis by LCMS
- Computer-Aided Drug Design
Research Interests
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Synthesis of Natural Products
- Drug discovery in cancer and infectious disease
- Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs)
Contact Us
For more information or help with the online application process, please contact:
Department of Chemistry
210-458-5469
chemistry@utsa.edu
Program Director
Stanton McHardy, Ph.D.
Stanton.McHardy@utsa.edu
