Harvard undergraduates interested in gaining international research experience are invited to learn about opportunities to spend the summer of 2027 conducting scientific research in Japan. The Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (RIJS) will host an information session on Monday, November 2, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., introducing students to its Japan Summer Science Undergraduate Research Program (JSSURP) and Summer Internship Program.
The session will take place in CGIS South, Room S250, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge. After an overview of the JSSURP matching process, alumni of both programs will share their experiences, discuss what it is like to live and work in Japan, and answer questions from prospective applicants.
Conduct Scientific Research in Japan
Through JSSURP, Harvard students studying the life sciences, physical and natural sciences, engineering, and applied sciences have the opportunity to spend at least eight weeks conducting research in a leading Japanese laboratory.
The program provides hands-on experience in an international research environment while helping students prepare for postgraduate fellowships, graduate or doctoral studies, and research careers in academia or industry.
JSSURP is a non-credit, independent research internship open to Harvard students in good academic standing who will return as full-time students in the fall. Typically, travel/staying expenses will be provided by the Reischauer Institute.
“Total immersion in both a cutting-edge laboratory and historically rich and highly refined cultural heritage has been a life-changing experience for scores of students we’ve sent to Japan over the past 20 years,” says founding faculty affiliate, Takao K Hensch, Professor of Molecular Cellular Biology (FAS) and Neurology (HMS). “As Harvard ambassadors, they inspire their peers and build global connections.”
Explore Additional Internship Opportunities
The Reischauer Institute also offers a broader Summer Internship Program in partnership with the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
The program is open to Harvard students in any concentration and gives participants the chance to work on projects with organizations in Japan while learning about Japanese culture and the local workplace.
For questions or to schedule an advising appointment, contact Jenni Ting at wting@fas.harvard.edu.
