Bridge Undergraduate Science Jr. Program (BUGS Jr.)
An Immersive Summer Research Program for High School Students
We are training the next generation of students to surmount disciplinary boundaries, create professional networks, and engage in world-class research as they work to better understand the human body and human health.
The application portal for the 2023 BUGS Jr program is CLOSED, submitted applications are being processed and applicants will be notified of their status in the program by 5/23
Please email bugsprogram@usc.edu with any questions.
– The Bridge Institute team
HANDS-ON RESEARCH
The BUGS Jr Program runs concurrently each summer with a parallel program for undergraduates, Bridge Undergraduate Science Program, known as BUGS for short. Students in the BUGS Jr Program pair with a USC Faculty Member and the members of their laboratory, often graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, to perform hands-on research in state-of-the-art research labs at USC.
Students also benefit from weekly BUGS Jr Program activities, including campus tours, journal clubs, career symposia, technical panels and Bridge-sponsored peer community-building activities such as research seminars and multi-disciplinary social mixers.
Curious to learn the kind of research our previous BUGS have done? Get to know a few of our alumni in the BUGS Jr Alumni Focus, or peruse our list of alumni to see some of the people who participated before and the projects they worked on.
EXPLORE DISCIPLINES
BUGS Jr is one of a few immersive U.S. programs that allows students to explore across scientific disciplines and additionally incorporates opportunities to collaborate with students in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. A unique highlight of the program is the summer finale symposium (the first Friday and Saturday in August) where BUGS Jrs present their work to their scientific mentors, peers and family, as well as the university community in dynamic poster sessions that allow them to showcase their efforts from the summer research program.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
If you are currently a high school student, or will be an incoming freshman during the upcoming school year, you are eligible to participate in the BUGS Jr Program. Students who will graduate from high school in Spring 2023 should apply to this BUGS Jr Program.
There is no citizenship requirement to participate in the BUGS Jr Program. [We do not provide VISA sponsorship for program participation].
There is no GPA requirement to participate in the
BUGS Jr Program.
PROGRAM DATES
Application Portal opens: Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Applications due: Sunday, April 30, 2023
Provisional Acceptances emailed: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 (anticipated)
Program begins: Monday, June 19, 2023
Program ends: Finale Symposium — Friday, August 4 & Saturday, August 5, 2023
BUGS JR ALUMNI FOCUS
[*Coming Soon*]
Meet our BUGS Jr Alumni ➔
Interested in working together or have an idea to share?
Bridge Undergraduate Science Program
(BUGS and BUGS Jr. programs)