blog navigation

blog posts

  • Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2017 Calendar

    The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Fall 2017 calendar for the Getting Started in Research Workshop (GSIRW). These workshops provide an overview of the various forms of undergraduate research that take place on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, and guide students to develop a plan of action to locate relevant research opportunities on campus and discuss ways to contact faculty research mentors.

  • Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2018 Calendar

    The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Fall 2018 calendar for the Getting Started in Research Workshop (GSIRW). These workshops provide an overview of the various forms of undergraduate research that take place on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, and guide students to develop a plan of action to locate relevant research opportunities on campus and discuss ways to contact faculty research mentors.

  • Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshops - Spring 2018 Calendar

    The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Spring 2018 calendar for the Getting Started in Research Workshop (GSIRW). These workshops provide an overview of the various forms of undergraduate research that take place on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, and guide students to develop a plan of action to locate relevant research opportunities on campus and discuss ways to contact faculty research mentors.

  • HackCulture - Humanities Focused Hackathon

    Calling all undergraduate humanists! HackCulture 2016, a humanities focused hackathon will take place from 3:00pm October 1st to 3:00pm on October 22nd. Deadline for applications: 5:00pm, September 16.

  • Illinois Undergraduate Research Ambassadors - Call for Applications

    The Office of Undergraduate Research is looking for motivated and personable undergraduate students in all majors who are excited to introduce and support peers through the Illinois research experience. If you have participated in a research project, be it through coursework, assisting faculty, research staff, or graduate students, or conducting a project of your own, we invite you to apply to become an Illinois Undergraduate Research Ambassador and help other students along their research journeys. We are particularly interested in adding students in the humanities & arts to our team of ambassadors. 

    This application is for ambassador positions beginning Spring 2025, with the intent that selected candidates can and will continue into the following Fall 2025/Spring 2026 academic year. Students will be expected to work 30 hours per semester, and will be paid a stipend of $450 per semester.  

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


  • Image of Research - 2022 Undergraduate Research Competition

    The Image of Research — UR Edition is a multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate student research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All undergraduate students are invited to submit entries consisting of an image and brief text that articulates how the image relates to the research. “Research” is defined broadly to include creative and scholarly work in all fields. The image submitted can represent your work either concretely or abstractly. Perhaps it is an image of your research itself, an activity related to your research, or the impact of your research.

  • Image of Research - 2023 Undergraduate Research Competition

    The Image of Research — UR Edition is a multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate student research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All undergraduate students are invited to submit entries consisting of an image and brief text that articulates how the image relates to the research. “Research” is defined broadly to include creative and scholarly work in all fields. The image submitted can represent your work either concretely or abstractly. Perhaps it is an image of your research itself, an activity related to your research, or the impact of your research.

    For more information, see full post.

  • Image of Research -- UR Edition

    The Image of Research — UR Edition competition is a multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate student research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All undergraduate students are invited to submit entries consisting of an image and brief text that articulates how the image relates to the research.

    “Research” is defined broadly to include creative and scholarly work in all fields. The image submitted can represent your work either concretely or abstractly. Perhaps it is an image of your research itself, an activity related to your research, or the impact of your research. In addition to the image, you will submit a short narrative (between 100-200 words) that articulates the connection between the image and your research. 

    • First prize: $300
    • Second prize: $200
    • Additionally, there may be up to two honorable mentions.

    Deadline:  Friday, March 19, 2021 

    Learn more about the competition details and get tips and tricks for visualizing your research by attending our workshop! 

    Workshop #1: Friday, 3/5 from 2-3pm https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/78251811  

    Workshop #2: Friday, 3/12 from 12-1pm https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1548212894 

    For more about competition details, visit: http://publish.illinois.edu/imageofresearch/undergraduate-image-of-research/undergraduate-competition-details/ 

     

  • Image of Research - UR Edition Competition

  • Image of Research -- UR Edition Competition

    Due to COVID-19, the Image of Research -- UR Edition has been canceled for Spring 2020. We hope to be back Fall 2020!

    -----

    Do you learn from imagery? Have you participated in undergraduate research? Submit an image of your scholarly work and win up to $300! 

    The Image of Research – UR Edition is a multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate student research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Students are invited to submit entries consisting of an image and brief text that articulates how the image relates to the research. 

    Entries will be judged by a multidisciplinary panel for:

    • Connection between image, text, and research
    • Originality
    • Visual Impact

    First prize: $300

    Second prize: $200

    Additionally, there may be up to two honorable mentions. 

    For more information: https://go.library.illinois.edu/image 

    All entries will be on display at the Undergraduate Research Symposium and are archived for long term preservation in IDEALS.

  • Image of Research – UR Edition Competition 2016

    The Image of Research - UR Edition 2016 is now taking submissions.

    Have you constructed data visualizations for your research? Have you taken photos of your original student work? 

    Image of Research is a multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. All undergraduate students are invited to submit entries consisting of an image and brief text that articulates how the images relates to the research.

    Awards: First prize: $300 Second prize: $200 Additionally, there may be up to two honorable mentions.

    All submissions will be displays at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 21, 2016. 

    See examples of past winners and all submissions: http://imageofresearch.omeka.net/

    Submission form: https://illinois.edu/sb/sec/48397

    Deadline for submissions: 12pm CST Sunday, March 27, 2016

    For more information, please see the Image of Research-UR website

    Questions should be addressed to sc@library.illinois.edu

    The Image of Research is organized by the Scholarly Commons of the University Library and the Office of Undergraduate Research and is supported by a generous gift to the Scholarly Commons from the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.

  • #IMPARTOFIT Social Media Contests 2018

    Dear Researchers,

    The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to announce its second annual #IMPARTOFIT campaign. All undergraduate students currently enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are eliglble for a chance to win up to $50 in gift cards and restaraunt vouchers.

    Promote your research or Undergraduate Research Week (including the Undergraduate Research Symposium) presentation for a chance to win! Don’t forget to use the hashtags #IMPARTOFIT and #URS2018 and tell your friends! For instructions on how to be part of it...

  • #IMPARTOFIT - Undergraduate Research Week

    Dear Presenters,The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to announce its inaugural #IMPARTOFIT campaign. All students presenting at Undergraduate Research Week events (including the Undergraduate Research Symposium) are eligible for a chance to win a $25, $35, and $50 gift card to the Illini Union Bookstore. Promote your research for a chance to win! For instructions on how to be part of it, please see the brochure below (also attached to this post):

     

  • Inaugural cohort of research teams to participate in national advocacy program

    Four teams of Illinois faculty, staff, and undergraduate researchers were selected to take part in a new program to build national awareness of the benefits of undergraduate research as a high-impact educational practice. These four Illinois teams were funded and supported by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Office of the Provost.

  • International and Area Studies Research Certificate

    The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and the International and Area Studies Library (IASL) are excited to unveil the International & Area Studies Research Certificate. This certificate is designed to support students who are already enrolled in a degree program, but are interested in exploring the cultures and languages of the world, as well as the environment, economic and political systems.

    View full post for more information.

  • International Internship Opportunity in the Humanities

    Are you looking for an internship opportunity?

     

    Consider applying for the Electronic Textual Cultures Lab (ETCL; etcl.uvic.ca) which has been approved to host two twelve-week undergraduate Mitacs Globalink Internships for May–July 2023.

     

    Applications are due to Mitacs on September 22nd, 2022, via their website

     

    • Digital Scholarship Internship: Open Scholarship and Digital Humanities
    • Digital Scholarship Internship: Canadian Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Commons and Digital Humanities Training

     

    For successful applicants, Mitacs provides round-trip airfare to Canada; stipends for housing, food, and incidentals; and health insurance, among other supports.

  • Introduction to Scholarly Research Program

    The Slavic Reference Service is offering a multi-part instruction program designed to help students become more comfortable with conducting research and writing academic papers. 

  • 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.

  • Joint Area Centers Symposium on Governing Globalization – Call for Undergraduate Research Presentation and Poster Proposals

    LAS Global Studies would like to invite paper and poster proposals from undergraduate students at the University of Illinois  for the  Joint-Area Centers Symposium on Governing Globalization, organized by the Center for Global Studies (CGS). The symposium will be held on March 31 and April 1. There are two opportunities for undergraduate participation at the event, the first of which is a four speaker panel to be held on Friday, March 31 and the second being a research poster session on Saturday, April 1.  

    Please see the attached Call for Proposals for more information.

    Proposals for papers and posters are due by February 28, 2017.

  • Kick-off Event for 2021 Undergraduate Research Symposium

    To all members of the Illinois community, we hope you will take some time to visit both Undergraduate Research Week events and the Symposium and witness the hard work of our students, and we invite you to provide encouragement and feedback on their presentations. For a full list of events taking place during Undergraduate Research Week, please view the full digital program at:  https://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/researchweek.html.  

    The Symposium will be on display April 26 thru April 30 through ForagerOne, our host platform. To protect the intellectual property of the presenters and their mentors, the Symposium is restricted only to those with an active University of Illinois email address. To register and view the event, please go to: https://go.illinois.edu/URS2021.

    We hope you will drop in, engage with our students, and come away inspired!

  • Less than One Month Left to Apply to the Undergraduate Research Symposium 2024!

    Less than one month left to apply to present at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS)! The URS, set for Thursday, April 25, 2024, 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. The deadline to apply is March 8 at 11:59 pm.


    Please see full post to learn 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.

  • 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.

  • Monthly Research Newsletter

    Are you eager to stay up-to-date on all undergraduate research happenings at the University of Illinois? Look no further! 🎉 Sign up for OUR's monthly Undergraduate Research Newsletter to be kept current about undergraduate research programs, events, and resources.

  • NCSA - SPIN (Students Pushing Innovation) Program Open House on March 31

    Undergraduate students along with faculty and staff mentors are invited to join us for a SPIN (Students Pushing Innovation) Program Open House on March 31 from 3-5pm in the NCSA atrium. Undergraduates are encouraged to come learn about available projects and discuss their interests with program mentors. Students will be able to learn about NCSA research projects, and discuss available research positions. Snacks will be provided. 

    For more information, please visit http://spin.ncsa.illinois.edu/.

  • New Conference Travel Grant Competition Now Open

  • New Guidelines for Research Travel

    Know Before You Go! Updated guidelines for research-related travel, as of May 6, 2021.

  • New Undergrad Research Opportunity Fall 2015

  • New Undergraduate Research Opportunities

  • New Undergraduate Research Opportunity for Fall 2015

  • New Undergraduate Research Support Grant! Applications now being accepted!

    The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) announces its new Research Support Grant (RSG), which replaces the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship-Abroad (SURF-A), and Research Travel Grant. The goals for this new grant are to provide students from all disciplines with the funds necessary to conduct research or creative projects during the academic year both on and off campus (including summer terms). Awards will be up to $2,000 and are meant to cover research travel costs, living expenses incurred during academic breaks (i.e., winter break and summer terms, NOT regular semester living expenses), and materials or other ancillary costs.  There will be two application cycles every academic year – one at the beginning of the Fall semester, and one at the beginning of the Spring semester.

    For details and eligibility requirements please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/OUR_RSG

    Deadline for applications will be Monday, November 14, at 11:59 p.m.

    Questions may be addressed to ugresearch@illinois.edu

  • November Newsletter: Present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium!

    The November issue of the OUR Research Insider is here with exciting updates you won’t want to miss—especially the opening of applications to present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium! Take a look at what’s inside!

  • Now accepting submissions for Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018

    The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for the 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set for Thursday, April 19. The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 15-21), and brings together students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, as well as corporate partners and sponsors, to learn more about undergraduate research and its potential to change the world.

    For more information on Undergraduate Research Week, the URS, and OUR programs, please visit our website at: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/researchweek.html

    Deadline for submitting an application to the URS is Friday, February 16, 2018, at 11:59 pm. The application can be found at http://go.illinois.edu/urs

    Questions may be addressed to ugresearch@illinois.edu; please put “URS Application” in the subject line.

  • OUR is Hiring a Social Media & Communications Intern!

    The Illinois Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is seeking a motivated and creative undergraduate social media and communications intern. This intern will be responsible for crafting engaging textual and visual content to enhance OUR’s online communication efforts. The Social Media and Communications Intern will work, on average, 10 hours per week. This position will start in Fall 2024 and will be extended into Spring 2025 based on performance and availability of funding. This is a paid internship at $16.00/hour for undergraduate students. Federal Work Study designation is preferred. For questions about Federal Work-Study status, please contact Financial Aid.

    Applications are due August 29, 2024. For more information on the position and how to apply, please see full post.

  • OUR is Hiring! Now Accepting Applications for Illinois Undergraduate Research Ambassadors!

    OUR is seeking highly motivated and personable undergraduate students from all majors who are eager to guide and support their peers through the Illinois undergraduate research experience. If you have previous experience in research or creative inquiry, whether through coursework, assisting faculty, research staff, or graduate students, or conducting a project of your own, we invite you to apply to become an Illinois Undergraduate Research Ambassador. In this role, you will have the opportunity to help other students navigate their own research journeys.

    Deadline to apply is Monday, March 18, 2024 at 11:59pm.

  • OUR is Hiring Undergraduate Research Ambassadors!

    OUR is seeking highly motivated and personable undergraduate students who are eager to guide and support their peers through the Illinois undergraduate research experience. If you have previous experience in research, whether through coursework, assisting faculty, research staff, or graduate students, or conducting a project of your own, we invite you to apply to become an Illinois Undergraduate Research Ambassador. In this role, you will have the opportunity to help other students navigate their own research journeys.

    Deadline to apply is Monday, February 6, 2023 at 11:59pm.

  • OUR's Director Elected Division Councilor to Council on Undergraduate Research

    OUR's Director -- Dr. Karen Rodriguez'G -- has been elected as an Undergraduate Research Programs Division Councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research. She will serve from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025.

  • OUR's New Office Sticker

    And the Winner Is…

  • Our Undergraduate Research Ambassadors Are Here to Help!

    Whether you're just beginning to explore the world of undergraduate research or are a seasoned researcher seeking support for your next steps, our Ambassadors are here to offer tailored advice based on your experience, interests, and goals. Our Ambassadors are excited to meet with you and are dedicated to ensuring you feel empowered to take your next step in your undergraduate research journey.

  • Present at the Sustainability Research Symposium

    The Sustainability Research Symposium is a casual event to highlight the work being done for sustainability on campus. It is open to undergraduates, graduates, and faculty & staff. The event will take place on October 25th from 5-8pm at the Siebel Center for Design. If you are interested in participating as a presenter, please fill out this sign-up form by October 18th to ensure a spot. Reach out to Maiah Caise (maiahdc2@illinois.edu) with any questions.

  • Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers Workshop - Spring 2018 Calendar

    The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Spring 2018 calendar for the Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers Workshop.

    During this workshop, we will discuss the fundamentals of proposal writing, guiding students to formulate successful research projects and explain their research in a concise and compelling manner that is understandable to a general audience. Students will leave the workshop with (1) basic knowledge about research proposals and their structure, (2) tactics and tools to write successful research statements, and (3) a list of resources for assistance in the writing process.

  • Publishing Opportunity: Seeking manuscript submissions for "Service Learning and Community-Based Research in a Time of Disruption" special issue (UJSLCBR)

    The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is requesting submissions for a special issue of the journal entitled Service Learning and Community-Based Research in a Time of Disruption. How do students respond to disruption while participating in service learning or community-based research? This Special Issue of the Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research seeks to address students’ experiences with service learning and community-based research in a time of disruption. This Special Issue on disruption will focus on how disruptive events like the pandemic affect service learning and community-based research projects. Disruptive situations present new and unforeseeable challenges for students and can be associated with a variety of situations such as the current pandemic (COVID-19), civic engagement related to societal issues, natural disasters, and tragic events. The objective is to provide a bigger-picture view of disruption and consider strategies for addressing multiple intersecting concerns that inevitably exist within the context of any single situation (personal and societal). This is an opportunity for students to discuss and reflect on the challenges they faced, including failure to complete projects, as well as unique opportunities that may have presented themselves as the disruption unfolded during a service learning or community-based research experience—the disruption and response. For more information, please see full post.

  • Research Funding and Opportunities for STEM Undergraduates

    Three opportunities for STEM undergraduates.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES: Health and Social Media Group

    There are currently two research opportunities available from the Social Action Lab. This research group uses a cross-disciplinary, cutting-edge approach to understand the mechanisms that explain thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Further details can be found here.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: 2024 Community-Academic Scholars Program

    The Community-Academic Scholars program is a 10-week summer research experience that empowers undergraduates in all majors to address critical issues in Champaign-Urbana. Scholars work with an Illinois researcher and a community organization on a research project designed to directly benefit the community members served by the partner organization. Review the project descriptions and the scholar's role within each project to find projects that best match your strengths and background. Apply by Feb. 6.  This is a Summer 2024 research opportunity.

    For more information and to apply, please see full blog post.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Applied Research Institute - Visual Perception

    The University of Illinois’ Applied Research Institute is pleased to announce a Fall Job Opportunity for the DHS-funded project “Managing ATON Configurations for Optimization of Reliability and Resiliency” (MACORR). 

    This job is part-time (2-5 hours per week) remote position. This is a paid research experience for Fall 2024.

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

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Community-Academic Scholars Initiative Projects Announced

    The Community-Academic Scholars Initiative matches undergraduates with a faculty mentor and a community partner to address issues affecting our community. Students will be able to read through project descriptions to identify the projects on which they think they can have the greatest impact. This year’s program will include fourteen powerful projects from faculty across the University of Illinois that address a range of topics, including the impacts of COVID-19, poverty and social inequality, nutrition, physical activity, social-emotional learning, LGBTQ health, technology and aging, racial disparities, Veterans’ issues, and the role that forest preserves play in community and individual health. This is a Summer 2021 research opportunity.

    For more information and to apply, please see full blog post.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: DASLAB -- AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

    The Distributed Autonomous Systems Lab (DASLAB) is looking for an undergraduate research assistant. This is a 10 hour/week paid position open to Computer Science majors currently in their junior or senior year for Fall 2024. The research project is relevant to computer vision with application in agricultural robotics. For more details about the position and how to apply, please see full description.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Discovery and Engineering of Biomolecules by Synthetic Biology

    The Zhao lab in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is currently seeking undergraduate students who are interested in synthetic biology. They are offering a research assistant position mainly for natural product discovery and biomolecular engineering and will offer 3 or 4 credit hours (hours negotiable) for this position. Sophomores and juniors with GPA 3.8 and above are welcomed for application. Please email hren6@illinois.edu with your CV attached if you are interested.

  • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Establishing Foundations of Meta-Learning

    Establishing Foundations of Meta-Learning

    An essential capability of human intelligence is being able to learn “how to learn” (meta-learn) and thus being effective at transferring to novel tasks (with few data examples) by leveraging prior experience. Meta-learning is a new rich field to solve this domain, however, in light of recent evidence it is unclear when and where meta-learning methods should work. The task for this project will be to explore this and eventually use this knowledge to improve the progress in the field of meta-learning

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