Discover high-quality research opportunities for all undergraduate students with the NSF Molecule Maker Lab Institute through our partnership with the Graduate College at the University of Illinois. Join us from June 1 to July 24, 2026, for a transformative summer experience!
The MATRIX-Uni program – MMLI Advancing Talent and Research through Interdisciplinary EXcellence in AI and Chemistry in the University – is designed to provide hands-on research training for college students eager to explore careers in research.
Eligibility requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Must be enrolled as a student in a US-based academic institution
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale)
- Have completed at least two (2) semesters of undergraduate/community college education prior to participating in the MATRIX-Uni program
- Have at least one (1) semester of undergraduate/community college education remaining after completing the MATRIX-Uni program
- Have a strong interest in pursuing a Ph.D.
Expectations:
- Must be available to participate fully in the 2026 MATRIX-Uni program for the full 8-week period (June 1 – July 24, 2026).
- Complete a minimum of 40 hours per week on your research projects. Due to the intense research schedule, participants cannot work an additional job or take additional courses during the summer program.
- Contact their faculty and/or graduate mentor prior to June 2026 to discuss their research project, and identify reading materials that will prepare the participant to begin working on the research project on the first day of the program.
- Complete trainings required for the participant to work in the lab of their faculty mentor.
- Participate in the MMLI meetings as advised by the faculty and graduate mentors.
- Attend all activities and meetings published in the calendar.
- Complete all assignments listed by the corresponding deadlines.
- Attend and present at the culminating research symposium.
Please register your interest by filling out our interest form so that we can reach out when our application portal is open.
The application deadline is Friday, February 13, 2026.
Benefits
Stipend of $4,000
Funds to cover travel to and from Urbana-Champaign
On-campus housing and meals, plus supplies for workshops and symposiums
Summer health insurance
Amenities
Access to campus recreational facilities, including gyms, pools and sports facilities
Access to the university libraries
Pass for free access to the MTD bus, which has extensive network access coverage
Application deadline:
Friday, February 13, 2026
To be considered, you must submit your application materials through the MATRIX-Uni application portal
Applications should include the completed form, resume, personal statement, research statement, academic transcripts, a headshot, and two letters of recommendation.
Decisions will be made by March 16, 2026.
Countdown Timer
Projects for 2026
| Project | Prerequisites | Faculty Mentor | Graduate Mentor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agentic System Design for Chemistry | Familiarity with chemistry, or some programming experience | Prof. Tong Zhang | TBD |
| Engineering proteins using AI and high-throughput experiments. | Python programming | Prof. Diwakar Shukla | Shivank Nag Tanner Dean |
| Enzyme Function Prediction | Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Introductory machine learning (not necessary but good to have) | Prof. Huimin Zhao | Abhay Kshirsagar |
| Predicting Mutations using Protein Language Models | Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Introductory machine learning (not necessary but good to have) | Prof. Huimin Zhao | Vishal Pillalamarri |
| Leveraging Large Language Models for Enzyme Catalytic Efficiency Prediction | Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Introductory machine learning (not necessary but good to have) | Prof. Huimin Zhao | Dr. Le Yuan |
| AI-guided modular molecular synthesis of medicines or materials | Familiarity with chemistry, or some programming experience | Prof. Martin Burke | TBD |