Educational Outreach

PME-City Colleges of Chicago Summer Program

The PME hosts up to 25 students from the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) each summer for a three-week, intensive introduction to Molecular Engineering, exploring three thematic research areas: Immuno-engineering, Quantum Engineering, and Materials Systems for Sustainability and Health.

In addition to daily lectures and laboratory experiences,

  • Participants receive a $1500 stipend.
  • Participants receive guidance on applying to 4-year STEM programs.
  • Participants may be eligible for laboratory assistantships over the academic year.

The course, designed to open pathways for more City Colleges students to transfer into four-year STEM degree programs, has been part of PME’s mission since the school’s 2019 launch with a $100 million commitment from the Pritzker Foundation. “Some of our first conversations were about how we could show our commitment to the city by broadening the pipeline of underrepresented Chicago students into STEM majors and professions,” said Matthew Tirrell, dean of Pritzker Molecular Engineering and the Robert A. Millikan Distinguished Service Professor. “As the nation’s first school of molecular engineering, PME is uniquely positioned to introduce students to this emerging field.”

For information about how to join the PME-CCC Summer program or how to host a PME-CCC participant in a laboratory, contact Rovana Popoff rpopoff@uchicago.edu.