Lancaster University’s Chemistry Department has welcomed a new cohort of undergraduate researchers for summer 2026.

For up to ten weeks, the students work in research groups within the Department, contributing to active projects in medicinal chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, battery chemistry, polymer chemistry, electrochemistry and computational chemistry. The popular internship has had a successful and sustained run, providing students with funded internship opportunities for several years. This year, the Chemistry Department has been joined by eight enthusiastic interns, who will be assisting with various aspects of the research carried out within the Department.

The placements give students the opportunity to move beyond taught laboratory work and experience how research is carried out in practice. Working alongside academics, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and technical staff, they are planning experiments, analysing data and helping to explore new ideas. The internships are supported by a range of external and internal funders, including the Royal Society of Chemistry, the EPSRC Vacation Internship scheme, the Faraday Institution, and Lancaster University’s Joy Welch Grants Fund.

This support allows students to spend a substantial period immersed in a research environment, develop specialist skills and gain experience of tackling open-ended scientific questions.

Annie Llewellyn, third-year MChem student, said: “The EPSRC summer internship has given me valuable insight into academic research. I have enjoyed the lab work, collaborating with others to troubleshoot problems, and applying what I have learned during my course to real research problems. I was also given the opportunity to attend the Electrochemistry Northwest Conference, which broadened my understanding of current research in electrochemistry.”

The students also make a valuable contribution to the Department. Their energy, fresh perspectives and focused work help research groups test new approaches and make progress on ambitious projects. Dr Jamie Docherty, Lecturer in Synthetic Chemistry, said: “Summer interns become an important part of our research teams. They bring enthusiasm and new ideas, while gaining the confidence and independence needed to tackle genuine research problems. It is always impressive to see how much they achieve over the course of a summer.”

The programme reflects Lancaster Chemistry’s commitment to giving students direct research experience and supporting the next generation of scientists.