SRF Education FAQ

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  1. What is SRF Education?
    SRF Education is SENS Research Foundation's student program. We focus on hosting open online coursework, running a summer internship program, and assisting students with research and outreach projects.
     
  2. I want to help SENS Research Foundation in the future as a researcher. What should I major in during college?
    If you'd like to become a researcher working to advance rejuvenation biotechnologies, you can actually do fine with any major that falls within the biosciences -- for example, biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology all work well. The real key is to gain a general education in biology. Once you have a wide understanding of the biosciences, you'll be able to better grasp the complexity of the aging process, and you'll begin to see why the regenerative medicine-based 'damage repair' approach has so much promise.
     
  3. What are the eligibility requirements for becoming a member of the SRF Education program?
    Any student can join SRF Education by filling out our membership application; even being a student isn't a strict requirement. However, if you would like to apply for one of our materials grants, you will need to be a university student with laboratory access. You also need to be a student (current, or recently graduated) to apply to our summer internship program, and your academic credentials and experiences will likely play an important in whether or not you are accepted, since the application process is quite competitive.
     
  4. What will I need to do to access SRF Education's coursework, once it’s available?
    Nothing at all, though you'll need to register to be able to track your progress in the course. If you’re a student, we would encourage you to join SRF Education even if you’re only interested in taking our coursework – that’ll give you access to the mentorship and support we offer, and involve you more closely in the SENS Research Foundation community.
     
  5. What are the requirements for doing outreach and research projects?
    Once you’ve joined SRF Education as a member, you’ll be ready to begin working in either direction (or even both!). To get started on an outreach project, simply contact the Academic Coordinator for advice about SENS Research Foundation's messaging. To get started on a research project, there are no explicit requirements (e.g. certain grades), but you are more likely to be successful if you already have a solid grasp of the biosciences.
     
  6. When your coursework is finished, will I be able to download your course materials?
    Yes – they’ll be available on our Downloads page.
     
  7. Are there any eligibility requirements for joining SRF Education as a volunteer?
    The only requirement is that you have at least a couple of hours a week on average with which to volunteer.
     
  8. Can I join SRF Education even though I don’t have a research project?
    Of course – members often join before they have a specific project in mind.
     
  9. When can I apply for one of the program's grants?
    You can apply for a grant anytime. We evaluate grant applications on a rolling basis.
     
  10. Can graduate or medical students join SRF Education?
    Yes, we welcome both graduate and medical students. We also welcome undergraduates, of course, and can even involve high school students.
     
  11. Does the program support student groups?
    We do support on-campus student groups, and in some cases can provide a limited amount of funding for student events.
     
  12. Is there a registration or application fee to join?
    No – there are no fees of any kind.
     
  13. Can I work on more than one project at the same time?
    Yes, but we recommend that you start off with just one, and make sure that you have enough time before committing to a second.
     
  14. Can international students join SRF Education?
    Absolutely -- many of our members are located outside of the United States.