Sir Alexander Fleming Scholars Program

Position Overview & Responsibilities Discover a future in biomedical research this summer through OMRF’s Sir Alexander Fleming Scholars Program. During this 8-week, paid summer research experience, Fleming Scholars will be guided by senior scientists while working on individual projects in cutting-edge labs. The discoveries made during this program could not only shape your future but also contribute to advancing treatments for human diseases. Since 1956, OMRF has been committed to training the next generation of Oklahoma scientists through the Fleming Scholar Program. We hope you will join us in making history as an OMRF Fleming Scholar!

Program Perks Students selected to join the Fleming Scholar program will receive many perks, including:

• Free dormitory housing for all students living outside of the OKC metro area (defined as a 40-mile radius from OMRF)
• Free breakfast on workdays
• Free 24-hour gym access
• Free parking
• Free outings and cultural experiences

During the 8-week summer program (June 1 - July 24, 2026), Fleming Scholars are expected to:

• Maintain communication with program staff
• Attend weekly seminars and participate in occasional social events
• Write an abstract summarizing their summer project, with the help of their mentor
• Present their research findings through a short talk

Minimum Qualifications To apply for the Fleming Scholar Program, you must:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Be an Oklahoma resident at the time of high school graduation
• Be classified as a high school senior (graduating May 2026) or college freshman, sophomore, or junior at the time of application submission
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have unrestricted work authorization (e.g., J-2 with Employment Authorization Document). H-4 visa holders are not eligible
• Be committed to the full eight-week program, from June 1 to July 24, 2026
• Prior research experience is not required.

Scholar Selection Criteria While scholars are expected to have strong grades in science and math courses, scholar selection is based on many factors, including:

• Curiosity and enthusiasm about scientific research
• Good academic standing
• Compelling personal statement
• Strong, positive recommendation letters
• Your ability to convey your scientific interests and desire to participate in the program during your interview, if selected

Work Hours

• Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM. However, schedules may vary, typically with advanced notice, depending on laboratory experiments/needs and/or special events.

Special Instructions

• All application components must be submitted by 11:59PM on Sunday, February 1, 2026. Incomplete applications or materials received after this date will not be considered.

Application Components

• Resume - Your resume should briefly describe your education, employment, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. This should not exceed two pages.
• Personal Statement - Your personal statement should tell us about you, your passion for science and how well you can communicate and express your ideas. Your personal statement should not exceed 750 words and should include:
  • Your name
  • Why science interests you, including examples of classes, hobbies, projects, or experiences that sparked this interest
  • Why you want to participate in the Fleming Scholar Program
  • Your long-term career goals
• Unofficial Transcripts - Applicants that are high school seniors should submit unofficial high school transcripts. Applicants currently in college should submit unofficial high school transcripts and unofficial college transcripts as a single document
• Recommendation Letters - A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 recommendation letters. One recommendation letter must be from a STEM instructor. Please give your recommendation letter writers the Recommendation Letter Guidelines

Document Submission

• In the application, when prompted to upload your "Resume", you should upload only your resume
• In the application, when prompted to upload your “Additional Documents”, you should upload your Unofficial Transcripts and Personal Statement as a single document
• Recommendation Letters should be submitted to SummerScholars@omrf.org

If you have questions or need assistance with your application, please email