Summer Internships

STOR-i internships offer a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to experience and learn how Statistics and Operational Research can tackle challenging, real-life practical problems.

As a STOR-i research intern at Lancaster University, you can expect to be working with high calibre PhD students and academic staff on exciting and innovative research projects in the area of Statistics and Operational Research. You will work under the supervision of one of the STOR-i PhD students on a project strongly connected to their research work. You will be supported by a bursary of £300 per week. This is not means tested and does not need to be repaid.

Benefits of the Summer Internship Programme

As a STOR-i intern you will be joining other high-calibre undergraduate students studying in the vibrant research environment at Lancaster University. Some of the key benefits of being a STOR-i intern include:

Experience how mathematical ideas to solve important practical problems.
Learn how to apply quantitative skills to important practical problems.
Gain a valuable insight into what it would be like to do a PhD.
Develop practical skills to enable you to excel in your studies and beyond.
£300 bursary each week for all 8 weeks of the internship.

* We regret that we will not be able to consider applications from overseas (non-EU) students. This includes overseas students currently studying in the UK.

Daily Life as a Research Intern

A typical day on the internship, from about 9am to 5pm, will involve independent research working to complete tasks set by your supervisor(s) and on some days meeting with your supervisor(s) to discuss your progress. Guidance and advice about your research will come from your supervisor(s) but we encourage you to take an active role with your fellow interns. This includes meeting to discuss your research as a group. In this way, you can support each other and develop transferable skills such as communication and teamwork.

Research Projects

‌STOR-i internships offer a variety of research projects in areas such as modelling and methodology from a broad range of theoretical and application areas.

Previous projects have been based on theory from many areas of STOR. These include Bayesian statistics, extreme value theory, optimisation, queueing systems, simulation, time series and wavelets. We have applications across a number of areas including criminology, environment, finance, transport logistics and health.

The projects available change from year to year to reflect the dynamic nature of research and to offer new and exciting project topics. Click here to read about previous interns and their research projects.

Allocation of Projects

If accepted onto the STOR-i internship programme, you will receive a list of sample projects before the internships begin. These projects are grouped into similar research areas called Project Groups. You will be asked to state a preference for a Project Group and share with us your background and experiences. This will allow us to allocate a specific project based on your background and preferences. Please note, we cannot allocate projects based on requests for a specific project title but we will endeavour to assign a project from your preferred Project Group.

Additional Training and Events

In addition to working on your independent research project, other events and opportunities will take place throughout the internship. These include:

Courses: You will attend short taught courses, including an introduction to computing and presentation skills.
Seminars: You will have the opportunity to attend fortnightly seminars with current Lancaster University research students who will share their experiences.
Coffee mornings: Regular organised sessions will be held to give you an opportunity to meet with staff and students in both Statistics and Operational Research in a relaxed environment.
Problem-solving day: We incorporate a full day programme in which you will work together in small teams to investigate an industrial problem and present your findings as a group.
Research presentation: Towards the end of the internship you will prepare a short presentation about your research. This will give you the chance to practice your presentation skills and share your research and experiences.
Poster: In addition to the research presentation, you will also create an academic poster which will be displayed in the Postgraduate Statistics Centre.
Exit interview: At the end of the internships, there will be an exit interview conducted by STOR-i’s director, Distinguished Professor Jonathan Tawn. You can discuss your internship and future plans as well as identify ways to improve the internship programme and experience for future interns.

Apply to the Summer Internship Programme

Applications for STOR-i internships for Summer 2020 are now open.

This year the internship programme will run from Monday 13th July to Friday 4th September 2020

To apply, please send the following information in an email to STOR-Internships@lancaster.ac.uk:

• CV;

• Cover letter explaining why you wish to do an internship;

• Copy of your degree courses and marks to date.

Application deadlines

Please note that there are two rounds for internships applications:

Round 1: The application deadline is Friday 17th January with interviews on Tuesday 28th January

Round 2: The application deadline is Friday 21st February with interviews on Tuesday 3rd March

If you have any questions or queries about the internships, check the FAQs where you may find your answer.

If not, please contact us at STOR-Internships@lancaster.ac.uk.

Chloe Fearn

I took part in the STOR-i internship after finishing the second year of my undergraduate degree in maths. It was a totally different experience to what I had encountered so far in my academic career. Instead of being told what to learn and learning it, the project gave me a new level of independence that I really appreciated. With the help of my supervisor, I got to explore areas of statistics that were new and fascinating. The only regret about the internship was that I'd had loved more time working on my project, and that's how I knew I wanted to do a PhD. I decided to return to the department a year later, on the completion of my degree.

Ed Austin

From my studies, I knew that I was fascinated by the world of Mathematics and Statistics. I did not know, however, if this fascination would translate into an enjoyment of producing original research into a new field. The STOR-i internship allowed me to find out that this was indeed the case, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who has been thinking about a PhD. The internship offers more than just the chance to carry out your own original research, however. It also provides the opportunity to experience life in the STOR-i environment. Not only does this mean enjoying talks on cutting edge concepts, but it also means enjoying the support of like-minded students and staff. To me, this makes the internship with STOR-i even more appealing.

Callum Barltrop

The STOR-i internship was a fantastic opportunity for me to experience what it would be like to do a PhD. It showed me that a PhD doesn't have to be the big scary thing which everyone makes it out as! I thoroughly enjoyed completing my own individual project while at the same time taking part in many team exercises and getting to know the STOR-i family. I also learnt many skills from my project and found many new areas of research that I was interested in!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a STOR-i Summer Research Internship?

STOR-i Research Internships offer a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to experience and learn how Statistics and Operational Research (STOR) can be employed to tackle challenging practical problems.
Where and when will the internships take place?

Each internship will run for up to 8 weeks over the summer vacation during which you will engage in research with leading academics from STOR at Lancaster University.
Who are the internships aimed at?

The internships are aimed at giving an insight into what a PhD in Statistics and OR is like, and are open to students interested in the possibility of undertaking a PhD. We anticipate that they are most appropriate for students about to enter their final year of study, but will consider applications from any student aiming to achieve a strong 2:1 or first class degree in a quantitative or mathematical discipline.
Why should I consider an internship?

As well as joining other high-calibre undergraduate students studying in the vibrant research environment at Lancaster University, you will be supported by a bursary of £300 per week. Some other key benefits of being a STOR-i intern include:
• Experience how mathematical ideas can be employed to solve important practical problems.
• Learn how to apply quantitative skills to important practical problems.
• Gain an insight into what it would be like to do a PhD.
• Develop skills to enable you to excel in your studies and beyond.
What eligibility conditions apply?

You must already have or be aiming to achieve a strong 2:1 or first degree in a subject with a high mathematical content, for example, mathematics, statistics or physics.

Further eligibility conditions apply which state that whilst internships are open for UK and EU students, we regret that we are not able to consider any applications from overseas (non-EU) students.
How do I apply?

For details on how to apply for the internships click here.
Is accommodation included with the internship?

Accommodation is not included with the internship, however, arrangements can be made for accommodation on the Lancaster University campus. If you are a current student at Lancaster University, you may already have accommodation booked over the summer months. If not, summer vacation residences may be available for LU and non-LU students. Click here for details. We will be able to assist with accommodation bookings however direct payments will need to be made by yourself.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or queries about the internships check the internships page to see if your question has already been answered. If not, please email us with with your query to STOR-Internships@lancaster.ac.uk.