The Norway Innovation Scholars Program offers an opportunity for selected science, nursing, and business students to complete research projects submitted by a Norwegian biotech company. Teams of four St. Olaf students are selected to participate in this experience. The Norway Innovation Scholars have the unique opportunity of spending four weeks in Oslo, Norway in January performing market analysis, evaluating intellectual property issues, and creating a strategic plan. The January term experience is offered through the Biology 395 course, which is taught by Dr. Kevin Crisp in the St. Olaf Biology Department.
Impact/Outcomes
The program aims to provide first-hand experience to science, nursing, and economics students on how science and business intersect. Norway Innovation Scholars will gain meaningful experience in areas like: technology transfer, business development, marketing, design thinking, intellectual property, health insurance, market analysis, and regulatory affairs. The partner organizations and project types vary from year to year. Students will present their findings at the end of the January term experience.
Norway Health Tech
Norway Health Tech, a technology cluster facilitating the country’s growth of new and innovative healthcare solutions, serves as a partner in this program and helps coordinate the connection between the St. Olaf students and the participating Norwegian biotech companies.
Important Dates
- Time: January term 2025
- Information Session: Thursday, Sept 19, 2024, 11:30am-12:30pm, TOH 200
- Application Deadline for January 2025: Friday, Sept 27, 2024, 11:55pm Central Time
Expectations
- Students selected for the Norway Innovation Scholars Program January 2025 cohort will be expected to participate in several pre-experience, on-campus team meetings and possible required virtual meetings with program mentors outside St. Olaf. Additionally, the team members must attend other orientation sessions that may be required. Teams participating during the 2025 program will share the results of their research in late January or February 2025.
- Students will be expected to arrange, obtain, and pay for any passport and visa-related documentation and paperwork needed for entry into Norway on their own. Some guidance for this will come from the College, but the student will be ultimately responsible for this.
Expenses
- Housing in Oslo will be secured and covered by the Piper Center. Students will be responsible for all other expenses including airfare, ground transportation and food. See here for an estimate of the expenses that students will be responsible for. Students may apply for financial support through the January Term Internship Funding program in order to access the Piper Center Grant Award (if they have not previously received it). Students with high financial need who are eligible for the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund (JFOF) also have the option to use those funds if they have funding available, but students are not eligible to access both the Piper Grant Award and JFOF funds for the same experience.
Eligibility
- Junior or Senior (exceptional sophomores may be considered)
- Major or concentration in any of the natural sciences, nursing, economics, management or media studies, mathematics, or with other relevant academic background/experience
- Strong academic record
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- 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 – Log in to the SIS go to grades -> select all years/terms -> export as a PDF file (one way to do this is by going to a print screen and clicking on “view as PDF”, or “view in preview”)
- 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 Process
- Login to Handshake via the directions next to the login field. Search for “Norway Innovation Scholars Program – January term 2025” under the job and internship postings tab.
- Save your resume, unofficial transcript & cover letter to a common location
- Upload your resume “under resume”, your transcript under “unofficial transcript”, and your letter explaining interest under “writing sample” (all under the “Documents” tab on the blue menu bar).
- On the right-hand panel, select your resume, transcript & personal statement – click “Submit”.
Interviews of Selected Students
A team of St. Olaf personnel will conduct formal interviews in Fall 2024 (dates TBD) after review of applications. The final selection will be based on academic background and related experience with care taken to create the appropriate mix of academic backgrounds on each team.
Past Participants
Read about how past participants gained experience in business abroad.
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