NRNB Mentoring Organization
"Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global program that offers student developers stipends to write code for various open source projects. Google will be working with several open source, free software, and technology-related groups to identify and fund several projects over a three month period. Since its inception in 2005, the program has brought together thousands of students and mentors from over 100 countries worldwide, all for the love of code." GSoC has several goals:
- get more open source code created and released for the benefit of all
- inspire young developers to begin participating in open source development
- help open source projects identify and bring in new developers and committers
- provide students the opportunity to do work related to their academic pursuits during the summer
- give students more exposure to real-world software development scenarios
The National Resource for Network Biology (NRNB) is organizing the joint efforts of Cytoscape, WikiPathways and other network biology tools. This is a great opportunity to work at the intersection of biology and computing! We take mentoring seriously and are proud of our 90% success rate with former students and projects. But don't take our word for it, read testimonials from prior NRNB students and mentors, and success story profiles. And you also get a certificate of completion!
The success of our mentoring program depends on dedicated mentors, great project ideas, amazing students, and effective fundraising. Please contact us with ideas or leads on potential corporate sponsors or use the PayPal widget below to make your own tax deductible donation.
How to apply
You can apply for the year-round mentoring program at any time. Fill out the Admissions Form to start the ball rolling.
Google will publish accepted mentoring organizations on February 26. Until then, browse our project ideas to see NRNB projects.
Advice
If you are selected
- You be working with a small, active group of programmers that also speak biology
- You will be gaining experience in a rapidly evolving field that interfaces computer and biological sciences
- You might make more than you would mowing lawns!
Project Ideas
- List of NRNB Project Ideas at GitHub
- Here you will find the complete list of potential projects and mentor contact information.
Timeline
Open enrollment in NRNB Academy until we find out if NRNB is accepted into GSoC.
Resources
Communication
- Email the org admin at alex.pico@gladstone.ucsf.edu to find out more NRNB and our projects. Hint: read the ProgramFAQ first!
- Discussion mailing lists: cytoscape or wikipathways - ask about our projects; join the community!
- Start your own blog!
For Students
- GSoC Student Guide
- DOs and DONTs for Students
- Hacking GSoC
- What we expect from our students
- Testimonials from students
- Success story profiles
For Mentors
- Mentor guide
- How to evaluate student proposals
- Let Students Know What to Expect
- Testimonials from mentors
Prior Year Reports
- End of year reports
- Success story profiles
- Featured as "veteran org" in 2013
- Crowdsourcing projects in 2012
- Former students and projects
- GSoC blog post by NRNB former student and mentor
- Maital's blog entry about GSoC 2007
- GSoC Blog
- NRNB GSoC Alumni
Other Opportunities
If you don't qualify for GSoC (e.g., you're still in high school or you're no longer in school), consider some of these other opportunties:- NRNB Academy -- Open to anyone at any age or education level. Rolling enrollment all year-round. You will be paired with a mentor and sign-up for a particular project that matches your interests and skills. Start by browsing our project lists , then fill-out the application form.
- Google Code-in -- A contest styled program for ages 13-17. Check out the main site for details.
- TEALS -- Microsoft Philanthropies supports many opportunities for high school students. Check out this page for details.