Biology Undergraduate Education

Maria L. Caleel ’87 Memorial Undergraduate Biology Research Fellowship

Caleel Fellowships are funded research opportunities for undergraduates studying in Brown’s Biology Program.

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Maria L. Caleel ’87 Memorial Undergraduate Biology Research Fellowship

Caleel Fellowships are funded research opportunities for undergraduates studying in Brown’s Biology Program.

Honoring Maria L. Caleel & About the Fellowship

Maria L. Caleel, a Brown University Class of 1987 graduate, tragically passed away while pursuing a career in veterinary equine medicine. She was an accomplished equestrian and was ranked at the top of her class at the University of Illinois' College of Veterinary Medicine. This fellowship honors her passion for research, academic excellence, and commitment to discovery.

The Maria L. Caleel Fellowship supports seniors and rising seniors in the Program in Biology who plan to conduct summer research as the foundation for their honors thesis. Fellows receive a competitive stipend, additional funding for research expenses, and professional development opportunities.

Funding & Support

$3,500 summer stipend
$1,000 research stipend (usable throughout the fellowship period)
Department Summer Earnings Waiver (DSEW) for qualifying students

How to Apply

Deadline: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Submit your application via UFunds, including:
A Two-Page Letter (Signed by Both Student & Mentor) that will be evaluated by this rubric.
This letter should demonstrate a well-developed research plan and a strong mentoring relationship. The content should be divided as follows:

Personal & Professional Goals: What are your personal and professional goals and aspirations in the short and long term and how will this opportunity help you achieve them?
Preparation & Readiness: What courses, work (paid/volunteer), or experiences have prepared you for this research? Other opportunities that have positioned you for success? What experiences have/will you undertake this semester to enhance your readiness?
Funding Plan: List any other funding sources you have applied for or plan to apply for.

Research Plan: A description of the question or hypothesis, approach/methods and potential implications of the planned research. Here we are looking for evidence that you will be prepared to make the most of the summer fellowship by having a feasible plan at the outset.
Mentoring Plan: Outline expectations for the mentoring relationship, including:
- Length of the summer research (minimum 10 weeks)
- Estimated hours per week dedicated to the research
- Frequency of mentor meetings (minimum of weekly recommended)
- Additional lab members who may serve as mentors
- How the mentor will help the student to set short and long term goals for the project and continually assess progress

Eligibility

Open to seniors and rising seniors in any of the Program in Biology concentrations.:
- Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry
- Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
- Neuroscience
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Students must be mentored by a faculty member within these departments.
Applicants must be enrolled in both Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters. This funding may occur in the summer between a student’s junior and senior years (Class of ‘26) or the summer before a December competition (Class of ‘25.5).
Students studying abroad in Spring 2025 can apply but should contact Michelle_Leiber@brown.edu for access to the application.

Not eligible: Graduating seniors, graduate students, or students on a leave of absence.

Fellow Expectations and restrictions

Full-time commitment of at least 10 weeks during summer 2025.
Cannot be combined with funding from Voss Fellowships, SPRINT/UTRAs, Royce, LINK, or Internship awards.
Students must file an I-9 with Brown HR to receive the stipend.

Before finals week of their last semester, fellows must submit:

A final thesis and thesis presentation.
Additional scholarly outputs (e.g., conference presentations, publications).
Photos documenting research or presentations.
A 1-page reflection on the experience.
Future contact information for potential follow-up on the fellowship’s impact.

2024 Caleel Recipient

Student	Project Title	Research Mentor
Sophie Marcus-Wade	Using comparative genomics to map metacyclogenesis pathways in Trypanosoma cruzi	Christopher de Graffenried

2023 Caleel Recipients

Student	Project Title	Research Mentor
Madeleine Florida	A DNA Metabarcoding Analysis of Sloth Diets and Microbiomes in La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica	Tyler Kartzinel
Neal Yin	Investigation of Amphicarpy as Potential Bet-hedging Strategy in American Hog-peanut	Daniel M Weinreich

2022 Caleel Recipients

Student	Project Title
Talia Fernandez	Understanding the Role of Acute Stress and CRF Exposure on Developing Sensory Circuits in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles
Devin Juros	The Role of MEGF10 in Repair of Neuromuscular Synapses
Rebecca Ward-Diorio	Indirect effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on reef fish behavior and diversity in the Galapagos Islands

Learn More

How does a Caleel Fellowship award help drive research? Read these stories about previous award recipients

Rebecca Ward-Diorio: Diving deep into research in the Galápagos