D.O.O.R.S. Program

Mission Statement

The goal of the Diversification of Our Research Scientists (D.O.O.R.S) Scholarship, presented by the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute in partnership with Promega Corporation, is to recognize and empower underrepresented students in STEM by offering a $5,000 award that can be used towards resources to support tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an educational institution,  including fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses within that institution.

In addition, the D.O.O.R.S. awardees will participate in mentorship relationships. DOORS Scholars will be matched with a mentor from Promega for 1:1 sessions and have larger group sessions focusing on building skills like scientific writing, presentation giving, exploring potential career paths, self-care and conflict resolution in the workplace, and more.

Qualifications

Applications are open to undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing a biotechnology-related major with the hopes of continuing in that career. Winners will agree to partner with Promega to share information on their research and collaborate on projects such as scientific posters, white papers, webinars, blog posts or other opportunities.

The application requires a personal statement and a short summary of the student’s current or previous contribution to a biomedical research project. We also ask that applicants provide a recommendation from a professor, instructor, or lab administrator at their college or university that can speak to their eligibility for the program. Please contact us with any questions.

Congratulations 2022 Scholars!

Terms & Conditions

Eligibility

• The BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTCI) and Promega Diversification of Our Research Scientists (D.O.O.R.S.) Award is available to individuals who are at least 18 years old and a researcher or scientist that is currently enrolled in a life science undergraduate program in their junior or senior year of study. Eligible individuals are not required to buy Promega products or pay any fees to participate. Employees of the BTCI or Promega and members of the immediate families of such employees are not eligible. Employees of authorized Promega distributors are not eligible.
• The D.O.O.R.S. Award is not available in all geographic regions. Applicants should please check with their Promega representative or authorized Promega distributor for availability in their area. Void where prohibited by law.
• Members of the following under-represented racial/ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
• Applicants must demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in biomedical research or a biotechnology-related field.

instructions

The following illustrates the information the applicant will be asked for when submitting an entry to the award program

• Contact Information: First name, last name, birth date, email address, telephone, job/role, institute, major, street address, city, state/province (as applicable), postal code/ZIP, country, race/ethnicity (optional).
• Academic Reference Letter: To come from a professor, instructor, or lab administrator at the applicant’s college or university that can speak to the applicant’s role in the lab, the applicant’s interest in life sciences, and why they deserve the D.O.O.R.S. Award. Recommendations should be one paragraph in length.
• First name, last name, email address, telephone, job/role, institute, letter of recommendation for the award. (1 paragraph on why the student would be a good fit for the award)
• Essay Question: In 800 words or less, please provide a personal statement discussing the applicant’s desire to pursue a career in biotechnology/life sciences. Please give us an understanding of what both the scholarship and mentorship opportunities would mean for the applicant and provide examples. Please also explain how the applicant plans to help contribute to promoting diversity in the sciences as they develop their career.
• Abstract: In 500 words or less, please provide a brief abstract of a research project applicant is currently involved in or will be in the future. Make sure to explain the project’s goals and the applicant’s specific contribution to working with the research team.
• Please consider that some organizations’ internal policies may not allow the applicant to receive incentives or that employer’s permission may need to be requested before participating in applying for the award.

review

• Recipients are selected through a vetting process involving BTCI and Promega employees (the “Selection Committee”) based on information submitted in the application form. Recipients may be subject to a phone call to confirm application information.
• Each recipient will be notified by e-mail, phone and/or postal mail at the sole discretion of Promega, the week of November 7, 2022. In the event a recipient cannot receive their prize for any reason, the prize shall be awarded to an alternate winner as determined by the Promega Selection Committee.
• Recipients will receive: A $5,000 USD scholarship to be used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the recipients’ educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the educational institution.
• Recipients will participate in Promega mentorship sessions that include constructive feedback on their experimental design and research, providing scientific posters and/or white papers, and professional/career development.
• By accepting the D.O.O.R.S. Award, the applicant agrees to share information or data collected for marketing or commercial purposes. Specifically, winners agree to:
  • Share stories from their research with BTCI and subsequently Promega in the months following their receiving the scholarship award.
  • Support promotional activities at BTCI or Promega’s request for 12 months following accepting the award, which could include, but is not limited to, interviews, webinar presentations, website story features, videos, and photoshoots, blogging, data sharing, and/or presenting at conferences or seminars. This content will be shared on the BTCI website (https://www.btci.org/), the Promega website, the Promega blog and Promega social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
  • Recipients must acknowledge BTCI and Promega in scientific publication(s) authored by the award recipient related to the research performed and supported by the award and are required to participate in hosted mentorship sessions

taxes

Recipients must send receipts to BTCI at DOORS_scholarship@btci.org within six months of receiving the scholarship funds to provide proof that the scholarship went to qualified educational expenses. BTCI will follow up with D.O.O.R.S. Scholarship recipients if receipts are not provided. If BTCI does not receive receipts from D.O.O.R.S. Scholarship Recipients, it will be considered taxable to the recipient by the IRS. For the scholarship money received to be considered tax-free, the following requirements must be met:

• You’re a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities; and

• The money must be spent on qualified education expenses. For purposes of tax-free scholarships and fellowship grants, these are expenses for:
  • Tuition and fees are required to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution
  • Course-related expenses, such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment that are required for the courses at the eligible educational institution. These items must be required of all students in your course of instruction.

• Expenses that don’t qualify. Qualified education expenses don’t include the cost of:
  • Room and board
  • Travel
  • Research
  • Clerical help, or equipment and other expenses that aren’t required for enrollment in or attendance at an eligible educational institution.

general

• In case of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an online entry, the entry will be deemed to be submitted by the person in whose name the e-mail account is registered. The recipient may be required to provide evidence that they are the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the selected entry. Return of any award notification as undeliverable will result in forfeiture of the prize.

• Entry information shall be the property of BTCI and Promega. No prize transfer or cash redemption will be permitted. No prize substitution will be permitted, except by the sole discretion of BTCI and Promega, in which case a prize of comparable or greater value may be awarded.

• BTCI and Promega reserve the right to substitute any award of equal or greater value or to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the award at its sole discretion.

• By participating, applicants agree to abide by and be bound by the rules and decisions of BTCI and Promega which shall be final in all respects relating to this D.O.O.R.S. Scholarship Award, including without limitation the interpretation of this rule. Participants agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless BTCI, Promega, and their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, agents, representatives, and respective employees from any and all claims, charges, injuries, liability, losses and/or damages of any kind resulting from or arising out of participation in the D.O.O.R.S. Award and/or the acceptance, use, misuse or possession of any products received through the D.O.O.R.S. Award. Recipients of this award agree to share their receipts for the use of scholarship funds to the BTCI within 6 months of receiving the scholarship following the guidance mentioned above. Recipients of this award will be ineligible for future D.O.O.R.S. Awards.