About the SER Scholars Program

Bishnoi Sustaining Excellence in Research (SER) Scholars are freshmen & sophomore students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines who are invited to participate in the SER Scholars Program, based on a constellation of factors relevant to the student’s academic preparation for the science and engineering course work at Rice. Rice University launched the Sustaining Excellence in Research (SER) Scholars Program in 2014 with funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and continues today with support from generous donors and the Office of the Provost. We will remain forever grateful for the leadership and contributions of Sandra Whaley Bishnoi (1973-2018), the founding director of SER Scholars Program. Learn more about her leadership, impact, and legacy.

In the SER Scholars Program, students receive support to achieve academic excellence. They attend regular mentoring meetings with program staff, and are paired with peer academic mentors from their own college that can give them up to 2 hours of individual tutoring per week helping them with problem sets and exams as needed. Bishnoi SER Scholars are also placed in a lab either within Rice or the Texas Medical Center, where they receive a stipend for the first 150 hours of their work. In addition, there are monthly meetings and workshops to network with other Scholars and learn new study and stress management skills.

Apply to the SER Scholars Program

Applications are typically accepted at the beginning of each fall semester. For more information and to apply visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry.