FINANCIAL SUPPORT : ACS Bridge Fellows will have full tuition, fees and stipend covered in combination with serving as a Teaching Assistant each quarter. The award package will also include student health, dental and vision insurance as well as a travel award to be used during the program's tenure.

TRAINING and PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT : The ACS Bridge Program provides training in coursework, teaching, research, seminars, and key assessments. To maximize their performance and growth, ACS Bridge Fellows will be given special opportunities to engage in advanced research, teaching, and career workshops. Additional information to be provided. 

COMMUNITY BUILDING AND MENTORSHIP : The aforementioned activities will help to cultivate an extensive network of faculty, staff, and peers for ACS Bridge Fellows as they navigate the path from being a student to a competitive graduate student researcher.

Eligibility: 

The ACS Bridge Program is open to prospective under-represented minority students who meet the eligibility criteria, exhibit academic promise, plan to pursue a doctoral degree in chemistry, and can enhance the diversity of doctoral students in the chemical sciences.

• • The Bridge program is open to  U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and persons enrolled in the DACA program.
  • Prospective students will have completed a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or closely related field by time of matriculation.
  • Students who are currently enrolled or have already completed a graduate program in Chemistry, including a Master’s degree, are not eligible to apply.

Applying to the ACS Bridge Program:

Applications to the Bridge to the Chemistry Doctorate program are made directly to the Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN). IGEN is  a consortium of professional societies  (including the American Chemical Society) and universities that have allied to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in graduate studies in the physical sciences.  The ACS and several other professional societies that sponsor Bridge to the Doctorate Programs in different scientific fields use one common web site and application form, hosted on the IGEN web site.  After the March 31 cutoff for graduate admissions,  IGEN distributes student application information to the appropriate universities that host Bridge to the Doctorate Sites for consideration. Students who are not accepted by a Bridge Site can also be considered for admission by ACS Bridge Partners. Bridge Site and Bridge Partners may have significant differences in the structure of their program. For more information about the ACS Bridge Program please visit the ACS Bridge Project website.

What do I need to apply to the Bridge Program?

IGEN will collect information  as described below.  Applications are due to IGEN by March 31, 2022, UC San Diego will be given access to the information in April, and the UC San Diego Executive Committee will contact semi-finalists for the UCSD/ACS Bridge Fellowships, to conduct a video interview and possibly to provide additional information relevant to our selection process.  Finalists for the Bridge program will be offered admission to UC San Diego.

Information that will be requested as part of the Bridge application process includes:

• • • Information about yourself, career goals, and experience.
    • ​Information typically found on a resume or CV. (You will need to copy and paste into the application form)
    • ​Transcripts from all institutions from which you have earned college credit.
    • Contact information for three people who will write recommendation letters (at least one letter of recommendation from research advisors, professors, or mentors who can talk about your research ability and your contribution to research)

Prospective students may contact our Graduate Program Advisors prior to applying to answer any questions and to verify that this program is right for you.

By applying to the ACS Bridge Program:

• • • Your application will automatically be distributed and may be distributed to other partner institutions. 
    • For more information about the ACS Bridge Program please visit their website: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/graduate/bridge-project/about-bridge-program.html

How do my research interests affect my application? 

Application to the ACS Bridge to the Doctorate Program allows access to your application by multiple universities, so it is not essential to express specific research interests in your initial application to the IGEN site. UC San Diego is currently one of six Bridge sites, and the only location on the West coast. Other universities, known as “Bridge Partners”, may also receive your information. Students who are considered for admission to the UC San Diego Bridge Program may be asked to supply additional information for our selection process.

ACS Bridge Students 2020-21

• Stanley Buczynski, Ferguson Lab
• David Garcia, Corbett Lab
• Javier Sanlley Hernandez, Burkart Lab

ACS Bridge Students 2021-22

• Nichelle Camden, McHugh Lab
• Georges Leconte, Ferguson Lab
• Victoria Lerda, Schmidt Lab
• Alexa Perez, Toor Lab
• Alexis Wright, Grassian Lab

ACS Bridge Students 2022-23

• Kezia Jemison 
• Imani Ross
• Luis Oliva
• Noura Yassir

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