Mayo Clinic InternsMAYO INNOVATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM

A January Academic Program through Mayo Office
of Intellectual Property


Mayo Innovation Scholars Program offers an opportunity for selected undergraduate cience and economics majors to evaluate projects submitted to the Mayo Office of Intellectual Property, the arm of Mayo responsible for evaluating potential business opportunities for discoveries and inventions created by Mayo Clinic physicians and researchers.  This program is an initiative between a select group of Minnesota Private Colleges and the Mayo Clinic, with funding through the Medtronic Foundation.

A team of four students will represent St. Olaf College this year in the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program. The project team will be comprised of students representing a variety of science and economics backgrounds who demonstrate strong analytical and communication skills and success as an effective teammember.  The experience will be offered as an interdisciplinary Course (ID 394) for 1.0 credit.  Jay Demas, Biology & Physics, will serve as the faculty advisor; the team will also be mentored by an MBA graduate student. 

The project team will be expected to meet with the Licensing Manager at the Mayo Office of Intellectual Property in Rochester at the beginning of the project; 1-2 other visits to Rochester may be required.  Teams will share the results of their research at Mayo at a day-long event on March 9, 10 or 11 (St. Olaf date not yet determined).  College transportation will be provided for all required visits to Mayo. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
TBA

COMPENSATION:
Each selected student will receive a $1000 stipend upon completion of the project.  Additional monetary support is available to cover expenses incurred and to defray transportation costs.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Junior or senior majoring in one of the natural sciences, nursing or economics or with a concentration in biomedical studies or management studies
  • Strong academic record
  • Ability to extend one’s knowledge base to the topic at hand and to conceptualize and frame relevant questions
  • Previous experience in research preferred but not required
  • Evidence of effectiveness as part of a team
  • Understanding and respect for confidentiality
  • Willingness to commit time and energy to the project

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

  • Resume
  • Unofficial transcript
  • Letter explaining interest in this initiative, describing background and specific experiences related to the project, and providing an example of a team on which the student has been an effective member
  • Name of one faculty member to be used as a reference, indicated in the letter

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

  • Materials submitted through Ole Recruiting – by Thursday, September 22, 2011
    Save your resume, unofficial transcript & cover letter to a common location. Login to OleRecruiting. Search for St. Olaf College as the employer. Under the "Positions available" tab, select Mayo Scholars Prgram. Be sure to select all three documents to be attached to your application. Hit submit! Assistance uploading documents available at the Center for Experiential Learning.
  • Review of applications – completed by Monday, September 26, 2011
  • Interviews of selected students – Thursday, September 29, 2011

A team of faculty and staff will conduct formal interviews after review of applications.  Students selected for an interview will be notified by September 26th and asked to schedule an interview time for September 29th. Interviews will be conducted between 9-2 p.m.  Final selection will be based on academic background and related experience with care taken to create the appropriate mix of backgrounds on each team.

For more information, contact:  Kris Estenson, Associate Director of Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship, CEL estensok@stolaf.edu or Jay Demas, Ass’t Professor of Biology & Physics demas@stolaf.edu.