SeattleStatGROWS

SeattleStatGROWS is an 8-week, mentored, paid summer research internship program aimed at increasing awareness and interest in careers in statistics and data science research. Partnering with agencies such as Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, students are paired with a mentor to complete projects within the fields of statistics and data science. Additionally, students participate in intensive R Studio training, attend professional development workshops, and engage in social activities.

The program is open to undergraduates enrolled or intending to enroll in a 2-or 4- year college. The program is specifically designed for students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical science. Students who have an interest in statistics, biostatistics, informatics, or data science are encouraged to apply; no prior experience is needed.

The 2025 session will run from Wednesday, June 25, through Wednesday, August 20, 2025. Students must be able to commit to participating for the full 8 weeks.

Program Details

Our 8-week internship program will:

  • Educate through intensive training in R programming and statistical foundations
  • Engage with carefully crafted mentored projects
  • Enable career development with workshops and a role-model program
  • Endure by fostering community and belonging, with on-going connection and career support post-program

Schedule and Curriculum

The program is full-time (5 days/week) with some flexibility. In-person instructions and events are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday for weeks 2 through 8 at the Fred Hutch South Lake Union campus. The first week will be in-person every day.

Tuesday and Friday are open schedule to provide students time to work on their research project, and professional development. Students typically use this time to:

  • Work on their research projects (e.g., conduct literature review, analyze data, attend team meetings, meet with mentor, and more).
  • Learn, troubleshoot, and review R. 
  • Support fellow cohort.
  • Attend talks and seminars. 
  • Network with other Hutch students, staff, and faculty. 
  • Explore professional interests. 
  • And more!

Mentored Research — Starting on week 1 of the program, students will work with their assigned mentors on a research project. On the last day of the program, students will present their research at the Research Symposium and Reflection.

R Training — Throughout the program, students will participate in R introduction and training. Students will receive group training as well as 1:1 instructions and support.

Biopic Presentations — Students will hear from staff, researchers, and faculty about their career journey with a chance to connect with presenters in small group lunches.

Scientific Talks — Students will learn about various aspects of research along with informatics and data science research needs in topic areas such as oncology, infectious diseases, basic science, cancer prevention and more.

Career Development — Throughout the program, students will attend career workshops including graduate school applications, scientific talks & report preparation, and 1:1 resume and cover letter review.

Social Events — Students are encouraged to connect with their cohort and students in other Fred Hutch summer programs at in-person social events. Past events include Mariners game, Shave ice social and escape room activities.

Participant Eligibility

SeattleStatGROWS is open to incoming or current undergraduates who:

  • Are or will be enrolled in a 2- or 4-year college/university
  • Can commit to the full 8 weeks (June 25 – August 20, 2025)
  • 18 years or older by application deadline
  • Has an interest in statistics, biostatistics, informatics, or data science. No prior experience is needed.

This program is open to all students. We especially encourage applicants from individuals furthest from opportunity, as described by NIH's Notice of Interest in Diversity.

We are unable to accept international students into our program.

If you remain uncertain about your eligibility, please contact us prior to submitting your application.

Compensation

Students receive a stipend of $5,700 for the summer and a free ORCA card for Seattle-area public transportation to use for the duration of the program.

Education-related expenses

Additional funding is available for research-related expenses and group meals. Students will also be provided with a laptop and the necessary software for the length of the program.


Application Process

The 2025 session will run from Wednesday, June 25, through Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

Application is now open.

Click here to apply to the 2025 SeattleStatGROWS Program

All application materials are due by 11:59 PM on February 2, 2025. Letter of recommendations is due by February 16, 2025.

The application has 2 online components:

  1. Application form for students, and
  2. A separate online for your reference to complete

You must use the online form to submit an application. If you would like a preview of the application, please click here. If you would like a preview of the letter of recommendation, please click here. The PDFs are for your reference only.

If you need accomodations in completing this application, please send us a message at SeattleStatGROWS@fredhutch.org.

Our Team

Megan Othus, PhD

Megan Othus, PhD

Professor, Biostatistics and Biomathematics, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
Ruth Etzioni, PhD

Ruth Etzioni, PhD

Rosalie and Harold Rea Brown Endowed Chair, Biostatistics Program, Fred Hutch
Jennifer Bobb, PhD

Jennifer Bobb, PhD

Associate Biostatistics Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Jeanne Chowning, PhD

Jeanne Chowning, PhD

Associate Vice President, Science Education, Fred Hutch

Contact Us

Please contact us if you have any questions.

This program is funded in part by the National Library of Medicine awardR25LM014210 and the National Cancer Institute award R25CA272187.