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Notes from the Field
MISTIRussia
Russia
The MIT-Russia Program matches MIT students with paid industrial internships and research opportunities in Russia. Participating students come from diverse backgrounds including engineering, architecture, science, and management. In Russia, local and international companies, start-ups, universities, research institutes, and NGOs participate in the program.
Notes from the Field
Russia Program Details
Preparation & Training
MISTI matches MIT students with internships and research at leading companies and universities in Russia. Internships last from 3 to 12 months and are all-expenses-paid.
Timeline
Application due
Priority placement: Dec. 1, 2018
Late deadline: Jan. 20, 2019
Placement process
Nov. 30 – Mar. 1 for summer placement (rolling thereafter)
Dates and duration
Most MISTI internships take place over 10-12 weeks during the summer. However, internships are available year-round for up to 12 months.
Eligibility
Open to MIT undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines
Requirements
GPA
4.0 or higher
Language
Undergraduate: at least one year of college-level Russian language (Russian II) or equivalent.
EXCEPTIONS: Three JetBrains internships in St. Petersburg (PDF with more details).
Graduate: no language requirement. Some basic Russian recommended.
Prerequisites
A formal course on Russia is recommended, e.g., culture, history, politics.
Funding
Program expenses, including airfare, visa, accommodation and a stipend, are covered.
Preparation
We work closely with students to find a tailored project that matches their skills and interests. Participating students are required to attend two to four training sessions before going to Russia.
Featured Hosts
JetBrains, CS (three internships for 2019)
Skoltech, CS, robotics, quantum computing, computational materials discovery, business and entrepreneurship
Strelka Architects, architecture, design, urban development
Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, design, research
Available internships for summer 2019
Click here to see the list. If you can't find anything that appeals to you, contact MIT-Russia & Eurasia Managing Director Katya Zabrovski to discuss other internships.
MISTI Global Teaching Labs offers a unique opportunity for MIT students to learn by teaching in schools in Russia over IAP. You will develop and teach extracurricular, usually STEM-focused, workshops, emphasizing MIT's "mens et manus" approach and using hands-on activities, experiments, and demonstrations.
Timeline
Application due
Sept. 20, 2018
For more information, attend the GTL INFO SESSION on Thursday, September 13, 2018 at 5pm in Room 4-370.
Placement process
Oct. 1-20: Applications reviewed and select students interviewed
Oct. 22-31: Acceptance notifications with school and team placement sent
Nov. 1-9: Commitment forms from accepted students due
Dates and duration
3 weeks in January (IAP)
Arrival between January 7-8
Teaching dates: January 9-30/Feb.1
Locations
Moscow (2 spots), St. Petersburg (2 spots), Yekaterinburg (2 spots)
Eligibility
Open to any MIT students willing to fully commit to a challenging teaching project. Teaching experience would be a plus
Language
Priority may be given to students with the knowledge of the Russian language
Requirements
Language
No language requirements. Russian is strongly encouraged.
Check out Russian language courses at MIT.
GPA
4.0 or better
Teaching experience
Teaching experience or interest in education would be a plus.
Funding
All program expenses are covered, including airfare, housing, and a stipend.
Preparation
From the time you're accepted until you arrive in Russia in January, you'll work independently to brainstorm ideas, prepare lesson plans, and organize materials. Students will also coordinate frequently with in-country partners and host school teachers via phone, Skype, etc. You'll also need to attend November training sessions on teaching skills and Russian culture and education.
What we need
- Passion and talent for teaching/mentoring and ability to excite about STEM concepts (prior teaching experience valued but NOT required)
- Readiness to commit full-time to host school and project during IAP. You will teach for up to 20-25 hours a week but be ready to spend a lot of time preparing for the next day.
- Willingness to spend several hours/week during semester from October to December to develop workshops (see "preparation")
- Ability to work closely with diverse team and meld well in collective work and living arrangements
- Ability to communicate effectively with beginner-level English speakers highly valued for select school placements
Current Hosts
JetBrains Research in St. Petersburg is a private enterprise created to unite scientific and educational projects that make a real difference and to improve the current state of science and technology. They are looking for two MIT students to become instructors in their Winter Mini-Degree Program in STEM. Read more here.
The Skolkovo International Gymnasium is located in the heart of the Skolkovo Innovation Center in Moscow. The school aims to provide an innovative educational environment, fostering the natural potential and inbom talents of their students. The Gymnasium is looking for two MIT students who could develop workshops in the following disciplines: Life Science (biomed, biotech); Entrepreneurship, Business & Management; Computer Science; or Art & Science. Other proposals will also be considered.
Specialized Educational and Scientific Center of the Ural Federal University (SESC UrFU) in Yekaterinburg is looking for two MIT students who could develop workshops in Computer Science for their highschoolers (other proposals will also be considered). This is a vibrant and highly selective school located Russia's fourth-largest city at the boundary between Asia and Europe. Watch this video featuring two MIT students working there as Global Teaching Labs instructors over IAP 2018.
Russia's Global Startup Labs (GSL) program offers a unique opportunity for MIT students to learn by teaching and to share MIT's "mens et manus" approach with Russian students. This is a seven week-long program during the summer to teach mobile app development and to support student entrepreneurs in incubating new and innovative technologies.
Timeline
Application due
Program is offered in Georgia (VIDEO) in 2019. Please apply here.
Location
Tbilisi, Georgia
Eligibility
Open to MIT undergrads, graduating seniors and graduate students in all disciplines. Teaching experience would be a plus. Preference would be given to students in Computer Science and Management.
Requirements
GPA
4.0 or higher
Teaching experience and interest in education
Language
No language requirement
Funding
All program expenses are covered, including airfare and a stipend to cover food and incidentals. Accommodation is provided by host institutions
Preparation
Student must attend Global Startup Labs and MIT-Russia cultural training sessions and a check out meeting with the Managing Director.
Once matched with other MIT students, you’ll need to meet regularly to work on the curriculum for your class. Please see the Global Startup Labs 2017 Syllabus here. More information here.
The following institutions offer funding for research and field work in Russia
for masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral projects:
Contact Us
Contact the MIT-Russia program with any questions at mit-russia@mit.edu
