Biology Research Abroad: Vistas Open! (BRAVO!)

(Formerly known as the 'Biomedical Research Abroad: Vistas Open!’ Program)

The Biology Research Abroad: Vistas Open! Program, administered through the Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP), provides University of Arizona (UArizona) undergraduate students who have at least six months of prior research experience the opportunity to gain a global perspective through a 10- to 12-week summer international research experience. BRAVO! is designed to enhance participants’ scientific and professional skills, and to develop international collaborative relationships. Unlike traditional study abroad experiences where students take academic courses, BRAVO! participants have an independent and immersive experience, living as a visiting researcher and working in the host country.

How Does BRAVO! Work?

Interested students work with their UArizona research mentor to identify an international scientific collaborator with whom the student could conduct research for 10-12 weeks of the summer. In collaboration with the foreign mentor, students develop a 5-page research plan and budget for their BRAVO! experience as part of their program application. Applications are due November 1, 2023 for Summer 2024. If accepted, participants receive up to $8,000 to support their BRAVO! experience. Participants attend BRAVO! orientation sessions and participate in individual meetings with the program director during the spring semester to prepare them for the international experience. BRAVO! students conduct research abroad full-time for 10- to 12-weeks in the summer (May - August). Participants share their international experiences with fellow participants, the UArizona community, donors, and the general public through online posts, presentations, and the UBRP Gazette e-newsletter. Four students will be selected to participate in BRAVO! for Summer 2024.

BRAVO! Eligibility for Summer 2024:

Applicants must be UArizona undergraduates with an expected graduation date of December 2024 or later.
Applicants must have at least six months of research experience with their UArizona mentor at the time of application.
Priority is for students with limited travel experience and/or limited ability to travel internationally without support (e.g. students who are financially challenged, first-generation, have never been outside the U.S., etc.)

Application Process:

Students interested in BRAVO! must first talk with their UArizona research mentor to seek their support for an application, including discussing which of their international collaborators might be suitable (both scientifically and geographically) and available to host a UArizona student. Once an ideal partnership and location is identified, students must contact Jennifer Cubeta, UBRP Director, at cubeta@arizona.edu to request BRAVO! application materials.
The BRAVO! application consists of a 5-page research plan for a 10-12 week experience in Summer 2024, a personal statement, a description of the applicant's previous research experience, transcripts, letters of support from both the applicant’s UArizona mentor and the foreign mentor, a budget, and budget justification. The application deadline for Summer 2024 is November 1, 2023.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and interviews conducted during the month of November 2023. Finalists will be selected by December 1, 2023.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Cubeta, UBRP Director, at cubeta@arizona.edu.