SOT Annual Undergraduate Program

The Society of Toxicology’s (SOT) Undergraduate Development Program will support travel for 35 participants, 30 undergraduate students and 5 faculty advisors, who have strong potential to encourage students to pursue career paths in the biomedical and environmental health sciences. Selected from a national pool of applicants, these students and advisors will receive travel support and participate in a 3-day program March 13-15, 2027, in San Antonio, TX, in conjunction with the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting March 14-17, and in Nashville, TN, March 18-20, 2028. The aims of this program are to 1) increase awareness of undergraduate students majoring in science and science advisors at undergraduate institutions about career choices and opportunities in toxicology, and 2) increase interest of undergraduate students in graduate biomedical education and motivate students to obtain research experience that is especially pertinent to toxicology. Participants will hear specially selected presentations by high profile toxicologists whose work exemplifies a breadth of research interests, engage in research poster sessions, and meet with academic program directors and internship sponsors. Students are grouped into mentoring teams including graduate student near-peer mentors and toxicologist host mentors who provide informal interaction and mentoring during the presentations, scientific and poster session exploration, and other activities. Faculty advisors are provided with resources and connections to help advance toxicology education and experiences at their institutions. Potential career choices after the PhD are examined in roundtable discussions featuring toxicologists who share their experiences in different employment sectors (academia, government, and industry). The program is based on the experience from, and evaluation and refinement of, activities across the 37-year history of the SOT undergraduate program held in conjunction with the SOT Annual Meeting. Other activities supplement this program, including continuing contact with the mentors, involving undergraduate students in SOT Regional Chapter meetings, and support for summer internships. SOT is committed to activities to increase recruitment of domestic talent to toxicology and the biomedical sciences. Project Number: 1R13ES038756-01 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) | Principal Investigator: Jose Manautou | Institution: SOCIETY OF TOXICOLOGY, RESTON, VA | Award Amount: $25,000 | Activity Code: R13 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZRG1 SCIL-T (80)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11388975