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  • Present at National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 2024)

    The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic professional organizations, this gathering of student scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all disciplines. Overall, this conference offers a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement; provides models of exemplary research, scholarship, and creative activity; and offers student career readiness development.  

  • Undergraduate Research Symposium 2024 - Now accepting student presenter applications!

    The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set for Thursday, April 25, 2024. The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 21-27, 2024) and brings together students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's also open to friends, families, and the public who are interested in learning about undergraduate research and its impact.


    Click to learn more.

  • Invite Your Parents to the Fall Undergraduate Research Showcase! Saturday, November 11

    Dear Students & Families,

    We invite you to attend our upcoming Undergraduate Research Showcase. This new event offers a small glimpse into the world of exceptional research being conducted by our talented undergraduate researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    During this one-hour event, coinciding with Dad's Weekend, you will have the privilege of witnessing research presentations by three invited presenters, followed by an open panel and Q&A session.  This event is a perfect chance for students interested in learning more about undergraduate research at Illinois to get their questions answered by experienced student presenters. The event is free to attend and open to the public. Feel free to bring your family and friends. Light refreshments will be served.

    Event Details:

    Invited Presentations:

    VR-Based Electrocardiogram Training Simulator (Arnav Shah, Senior in Computer Science)

    VR technology provides an immersive way to train healthcare professionals cost-effectively. However, incorporating clinical feedback into the simulation design is a challenge. We discuss a pipeline for creating an ECG training simulator and present the results of usability and validity assessments. Researchers can use the proposed approach to develop other VR-based medical training simulators.

     How are Caregivers included in Alzheimer's Disease & Related Dementias (ADRD) Clinical Trials? (Eve Rubovits, Senior in Community Health)

    Family caregivers of people with ADRD have significant responsibilities within healthcare, and yet these responsibilities are not necessarily communicated clearly through clinical trial information. This study aimed to assess types of caregiver information given through an analysis of ADRD trials on clinicaltrials.gov from the last 30 years.

     Hg UMEs: A Tool for Developing Next-Generation Batteries (Curtis Althaus, Junior in Chemistry and Astrophysics)

    With a huge global push to find alternative sources of energy, the ever-increasing demand for clean power is met with a similarly urgent demand to store it. Through the use of mercury ultramicroelectrodes, I am exploring the ways in which Lithium interacts at a battery cathode surface to develop a ground-up model for novel-electrolyte development. This could enable new high-capacity, fast-charging Li-ion batteries that are greatly needed in technologies like electric cars, smartphones, and space exploration.

  • Foundations of Academic Research and Creative Activity Course - Spring 2024

    We are excited to showcase a new Spring 2024 course available for Illinois students. The "Foundations of Academic Research and Creative Activity" course is thoughtfully designed for undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-docs across all academic disciplines, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, STEM, and more.

  • Maleiha Carino Foundation Scholarship for Cancer Research Advancement

    The Maleiha Carino Foundation Scholarship for Cancer Research Advancement recognizes outstanding contributions made by undergraduate researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the field of cancer research. This encompasses various aspects of cancer research, including basic, translational, clinical, and social/cultural dimensions.

  • Research Opportunity - Mechanobiology of metastatic crosstalk in cancer

    Position for an undergraduate researcher available in the Taher Saif lab at MechSE. The project's primary goal is to investigate how mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment influences metastatic progression. We shall explore the crosstalk between cancer cells and other cells (e.g. cancer associated fibroblasts) in the tumor. 

    For more information, including how to apply, please see full description.

  • Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program Apps are Due this Friday, October 6!

    The application for URAP @ UI, our Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, is now open. Deadline for applications is October 6, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

  • AI, Economics, and Big Data Research Talk

    The Department of Economics is hosting a talk on September 19 about artificial intelligence and big data. We encourage you to stop by and learn about some of the cutting-edge research in this area!

  • Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP @ UI) - Undergrad Applications

    The application for URAP @ UI, our Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, is now open. Deadline for applications is October 6, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

  • Apply for the Aspiring Researchers Alliance

    The Office of Undergraduate Research is now accepting applications for the Aspiring Researchers Alliance, a pilot program to guide and support students through the process of securing an undergraduate research experience. Deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 13 at 11:59 PM.