Is there a deadline to apply? No, applications will be received until all positions the program can support are filled.

Are official transcripts required for the application? No, transcripts are not required to complete the application.

Do I need a letter of recommendation? Letter(s) of recommendation are not required. We do ask that you share the contact information for the person who shared information about pores and may reach out to them to ask.

What is the format of the application? It is a Qualtrics survey with text input and an opportunity to share why you are interested in this program and how it will benefit your career.

Are travel expenses to and from NC State provided to accepted applicants? Yes, travel up to $750 is provided to accepted participants.

If I have been accepted into the program, can I choose to drive instead of purchasing a flight? The program can reimburse mileage if less or equal to the value of an economy roundtrip flight. 

How will travel reimbursements occur? Reimbursements from universities and companies will always require receipts unless clearly stated (such as with per diem instead of meal receipts), regardless of how you pay.  Mileage is meant to be paid for personal vehicle use only. 

Should I purchase a round-trip flight? Generally, round trip tickets are lower cost than two one-way tickets.  Because we are at a public university, we are obligated to keep costs low.  If there is a significant difference in the cost, you may only be reimbursed for the smaller amount.  For your flight(s): please send the full receipt(s) from the airline showing the flight numbers, times, cost, and payment.  There should be something like "payment by credit card" with the number as xxxx-4 digits.  The university will not process a reimbursement for flights without an actual complete receipt. 

When should I send the receipts? Send us your receipts as soon as you can. The deadline for receipts is one week after the conclusion of the PORES workshop.

How will housing be provided? Housing will be on-campus in the Wolf Village apartments. Individual rooms will be provided, and program participants will be in the same apartments. More information about Wolf Village can be found on their website.

Is parking available at Wolf Village? Yes, parking is available at Wolf Village. Summer parking passes are needed and can be purchased. More information will be provided to those interested in parking.

Do I need to stay at Wolf Village? One of the central goals of the program is to build a community of peers learning about and using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to learn about biological phenomena. We know you will learn from each other both in the lab and living together for two weeks. Thus, staying at Wolf Village is desired.  

What happens during the workshops? The two-week program aims to engage participants in transformational experiences that facilitate their development as independent scholars using long-read sequencing for diverse research applications. Workshops will include invited speakers with expertise in sequencing and data analysis, mentoring, and utilizing Nanopore devices for exciting, cutting-edge research. Workshops include lab-based activities, computer sessions, video conferences, and discussions. A schedule is provided for you to learn about the exciting activities planned for this summer!

Will the workshops be recorded? Depending on the format, some workshops will be recorded, but not all. Attendance is required for all participants.

I have never done any sequencing and don't know much about coding... How will workshops help me? Workshops will help you gain that experience and confidence to be able to use and experiment with these and other technologies. No coding/sequencing experience is required. 

What are these surveys about? This is our first summer PORES program. We want to learn from participants and invited speakers. Your honest feedback will help improve and hopefully expand this program. Surveys will prompt you to reflect on the experience and what you learned. Some questions will be conceptual, and others will survey your attitudes and skills. Accepted participants will complete surveys before the summer workshops, immediately after, and in the spring of 2024. Results will be de-identified and analyzed in aggregate. 

Are the surveys related to our presentations? No, the surveys are to inform organizers about the program and improve it. 

What is the format of the surveys? Surveys will be paper-based when available and electronic for the follow-up  in the spring. 

What are the PORES Community Guidelines? Respectful collaboration and peer support are needed for successful progress. We want each of you to learn and share in ways that are inclusive and equitable. We have developed a series of guidelines to help all participants contribute wholeheartedly. We started with some considerations and all participants will help edit, improve, and expand the PORES Community Guidelines. 

Are the PORES Community Guidelines related to conduct? Yes, they help us facilitate productive and respectful interactions. However, the Guidelines go beyond behavior: they also address how we can share and work in ways that support all members of our community.

Are the Community Guidelines static? No! We will revisit and improve them. 

Where can I find the PORES Community Guidelines? We will develop them together with accepted participants and then share. 

 What are the expectations after the summer workshops? Participants are expected to share their work as a short tutorial or resource that is accessible to other scholars less familiar with this sequencing technology and its applications. We encourage participants to present their work at undergraduate research conferences.