What Is ESTEEMED?

The NIH/Federally-funded UTSA ESTEEMED (Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity) Program helps first year and second year trainees develop as scholars and scientists. It lays strong foundations through academic enrichment, financial support, faculty and peer mentoring, and training in UTSA biomedical research laboratories. It will also guide the ESTEEMED Scholars into an elite extramural summer program, advanced upper division undergraduate research training at UTSA, and eventually a Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences.

Read UTSA Today article about the UTSA ESTEEMED Program

Program Details

ESTEEMED Scholars begin their training in a five-week summer "Bootcamp" enrichment program in the summer prior to their first year. After this summer work, they are admitted to the UTSA Honors College and also engage in ESTEEMED-sponsored progressive year-round training and support until they are rising third year students. The summer program will start tentatively in the last third of June.

The Scholars take part in pre-research training and then in meaningful year-round laboratory research. They also take part in peer and faculty mentoring and academic assistance programs, and develop strong foundations in computational biology and bioimaging topics.

In the summer before their second year, the Scholars begin working in actual research labs at UTSA. As rising third year students, they enter a summer research training program at one of the top research institutes in the country.

ESTEEMED Scholars who develop strong academic and research credentials are given priority consideration for entry into the Junior/Senior-level UTSA MARC program, as well as other funded training opportunities at UTSA. Trainees in MARC and other student research programs at UTSA have very strong placement records into some of the top biomedical research programs in the country.

Financial Considerations

  • During their first year summer bootcamp, Scholars receive support to partially fund their housing.
  • During the fall and spring semesters, students receive $6000 per semester ($12,000 per year).
  • In their second year, Scholars receive $500 towards attendance to a national student research conference.
  • Trainees will participate in research in their next two summers, either at UTSA or an extramural program. Funding of up to $4000 is provided, and up to $1000 for travel, if they are not funded by an extramural program.