Illinois Office of
Undergraduate Research

blog posts

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

  Oct 14, 2016 2:45 pm335 views

  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

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Illinois pre-selection for 2021 Mayo Clinic SURF | Apply by Nov. 8

  Oct 12, 2020 8:00 am337 views

  If you are interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences as an PhD or MD-PhD, Mayo Clinic’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship is an excellent opportunity to work alongside scientists at one of the world’s leading biomedical research centers. Up to seven fellowships are reserved for sophomores and juniors nominated by a University of Illinois selection committee. Apply by Nov. 8 to be considered for this special pre-selection process.

• Spring 2018 - Undergraduate Research Support Grant and Conference Travel Grant - Applications being Accepted

  Jan 22, 2018 12:00 pm343 views

  Research Support Grant (RSG) This grant provides 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.  We hope that this competition will both broaden and deepen the types of research being conducted by undergraduate students on campus, and that the recipients are able to use this opportunity as a way of engaging with their fields.

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

  The deadline for applications is March 8, 2018 at 11:59 p.m.

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  Conference Travel Grant (CTG) This grant provides awards of up to $350 for undergraduate students to travel to professional conferences to present their research posters, papers, or creative works. Please note, the Office of Undergraduate Research does not provide funds for conference travel for attendance only; grants are meant for students who will present their work.

  For details, eligibility requirements, and link to the application please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/OUR_CTG

  The deadline for applications is February 21, 2018 at 11:59pm.

• Research Opportunity - Mechanobiology of metastatic crosstalk in cancer

  Oct 4, 2023 8:00 am344 views

  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.

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

  Oct 11, 2019 9:00 am355 views

  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.

• Undergraduate Research Workshops - Spring 2020 Calendar

  Jan 20, 2020 8:00 am357 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Spring 2020 calendar for the Value of Undergraduate Research, Getting Started in Research, and Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers workshops. Information for each workshop including how students can register can be found in this post.

• Undergraduate Research Workshops - Spring 2019 Calendar

  Jan 15, 2019 8:00 am368 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Spring 2019 calendar for the Getting Started in Research, Value of Undergraduate Research, and Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers workshops. Information for each workshop including how students can register can be found in this post.

• Undergraduate Research Support Grant Fall 2017 applications now being accepted

  Sep 4, 2017 9:00 am397 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting applications for the Research Support Grant (RSG). This grant provides 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.  We hope that this competition will both broaden and deepen the types of research being conducted by undergraduate students on campus, and that the recipients are able to use this opportunity as a way of engaging with their fields.

  For details, eligibility requirements, and link to the application please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/OUR_RSG

  Deadline for applications will be Thursday, October 19, at 11:59 p.m.

   

  Questions may be addressed to ugresearch@illinois.edu

• Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2023 Calendar

  Aug 21, 2023 8:00 am402 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Fall 2023 calendar for the Planning Your Research Journey Workshop, Getting Started in Research Workshop, Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers Workshop, Research to Resume Workshop, and our 15-minute Research Bites.
  

  We will have both in-person and online workshops available for each offering. Information for each workshop including how students can register can be found in this post.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Community-Academic Scholars Initiative Projects Announced

  Feb 8, 2021 11:30 am432 views

  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.

• International and Area Studies Research Certificate

  Sep 27, 2018 2:00 pm435 views

  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.

• Fall 2019 - Undergraduate Research Support Grant and Conference Travel Grant - Applications being Accepted

  Sep 3, 2019 8:00 am457 views

  The Office of Undergraduate is now accepting student applications to the Research Support and Conference Travel Grants for the Fall 2019 semester. For more information including how to apply for funding, please view the full article.

• Undergraduate Research Fellowship - Mayo Clinic Summer 2022

  Oct 26, 2021 1:15 pm494 views

  Interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences as a PhD or MD-PhD? Mayo Clinic’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an excellent opportunity to work alongside scientists at one of the world’s leading biomedical research centers. This is a Summer 2022 opportunity. 

  Application deadline is November 7, 2021. For further details, please see full blog post.

• Andrew W. Mellon Undergraduate Internships in Bio-Humanities, 2016-17

  Jan 28, 2016 11:15 am499 views

  Are you a life science or bio-engineering major interested in philosophy, politics, history, and literature?  Are you a humanities major who also dabbles in biochemistry, molecular biology, endocrinology, or neuroscience? Are you interested in exploring how the sciences and the humanities are together generating new areas of research?

  The Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities (IPRH), with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, is looking for undergraduate interns to work with its Bio-humanities research group for the academic year 2016–2017.DEADLINE TO APPLY: MARCH 1, 2016.

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

  Feb 13, 2024 9:00 am516 views

  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.

• Faculty/Program Development Grant 2018/19 - Request for Proposals

  Jan 22, 2018 2:00 pm517 views

  Request for Proposals for Faculty/Program Development Grants for Undergraduate Research 2018/19. Deadline to apply is March 23, 2018.

• Community Health Research Internship Available for Undergraduates at UofI

  Mar 20, 2015 3:00 pm564 views

• 2023 Summer Programs at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)

  Jan 23, 2023 4:00 pm573 views

  The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) is seeking undergraduate applicants for two summer 2023 student programs. Please share with your students. See full post for more information.

• The Value of Undergraduate Research Workshop

  Jan 12, 2018 9:00 am585 views

  During this workshop, we will discuss the importance of conducting research as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois. This will include a discussion of how engaging in research can impact your career development, and how to communicate this value effectively. Students will leave the workshop with (1) a better understanding of how undergraduate research can benefit you both now and following graduation, and (2) an idea of how to effectively communicate the value of research experiences to future employers. This workshop is a collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Research and The Career Center.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Study on Gender, Culture, and Fieldwork in India

  Sep 1, 2021 4:15 pm585 views

  Dr. Goodnight is looking for an undergraduate research assistant to help complete a qualitative study exploring the role of gender in conducting fieldwork in India. Specifically, this research examines Indian women’s experiences in collecting data on the quality of primary education in rural villages.

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

• Undergraduate Research Symposium 2022 - Now accepting student applications!

  Nov 3, 2021 10:00 am585 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for the 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set for Thursday, April 28, 2022. The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 24-30, 2022), 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. Over the course of the day, students present their work in concurrent oral and poster presentations (including creative performances), the breadth and scope of which reflect not only the wide range of academic disciplines at the University of Illinois, but also speak to the caliber of our undergraduates. 

   

  All undergraduate students currently involved with research are eligible to present. For more information on the URS, including answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/symposium.html

   

  Deadline for submitting an application to the URS is Sunday March 15, 2022, at 11:59 pm. 

• Now accepting submissions for Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018

  Oct 2, 2017 10:00 am597 views

  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.

• Undergraduate Research Symposium 2020 - Now accepting student applications!

  Nov 25, 2019 8:00 am601 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for the 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set for Thursday, April 30. The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 26-May 2), 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. Over the course of the day, students present their work in concurrent oral and poster presentations (including creative performances), the breadth and scope of which reflect not only the wide range of academic disciplines at the University of Illinois, but also speak to the caliber of our undergraduates. 

   

  All undergraduate students currently involved with research are eligible to present. For more information on the URS, including answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/symposium.html 

   

  Deadline for submitting an application to the URS is Sunday March 1, 2020, at 11:59 pm. 

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Summer Research Internship Opportunity at Columbia Business School

  Nov 29, 2018 11:00 am616 views

  Columbia Business School is seeking outstanding applications for the 2019 Summer Research Internship program.  The highly selective program provides an intellectually stimulating environment and introduces the interns to the world of business research.  Under the guidance of Columbia Business School’s leading faculty, interns will take an active role on a research project in one of the following areas: accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, decision sciences, operations, and data analytics.  This is a multi-disciplinary program and candidates from all majors are encouraged to apply. For more information about this program and to apply, please see full post.

• Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2019 Calendar

  Aug 19, 2019 8:00 am633 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Fall 2019 calendar for the Getting Started in Research, Value of Undergraduate Research, and Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers workshops. Information for each workshop including how students can register can be found in this post.

• Research Funding and Opportunities for STEM Undergraduates

  Feb 24, 2020 5:00 pm643 views

  Three opportunities for STEM undergraduates.

• 2019 Data Visualization Competition

  Aug 26, 2019 8:00 am653 views

  The Data Visualization Competition is a chance for you to show off your skills in communicating information visually. Undergraduate researchers, show off your data and presentation skills and win up to $400!

  All submissions must be received by October 6, 2019.

  For more information see the poster below and also visit: go.illinois.edu/viz-competition

  The Data Visualization Competition is sponsored by the Scholarly Commons, CITL, Illinois Informatics Institute, and Research IT.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Plant Genomics/Physiology

  Aug 25, 2021 3:15 pm657 views

  Part-Time Undergraduate Research Assistant Position in Plant Genomics/Physiology

  The Brooks Lab is looking for an undergraduate research assistant who is interested in gaining experience in plant physiology and genomics. Work in the lab is aimed at understanding how photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism are coordinated and how these processes will respond to climate change.

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

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Undergraduate Research Assistant in Railroad Safety and Data Analysis

  Oct 28, 2020 9:00 am662 views

  The Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC) Rail Safety and Risk Group is looking for 1-2 hourly and paid undergraduate research assistants who excels in programming (Python, R, Matlab, VBA, SQL), ArcGIS, and statistics to assist in various railroad safety, risk, and data analyses projects. This is a position that will continue as long as the student is studying at the university as the RailTEC has been continuously taking on projects and thus will always need help from talented students.

  For more information and to apply, see full post.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: MechSE

  Apr 16, 2021 2:45 pm664 views

  We are the Saif Lab in MEL 2210. Our project investigates the role of tumor stiffness and cell forces on metastatic progression in colorectal cancer. We perform traction force microscopy (TFM), RNAseq, PCR and other experiments to study the cross-talk between cancer and stromal cells. The student will perform cell culture, make polyacrylamide gels for TFM, prepare samples for RNAseq or PCR etc. We have recently developed a new sensor for measuring cell forces in 3D matrices. The student is likely to assist in that project as well. Students who are familiar with cell culture are preferred.

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

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Info Session for 2021 Community-Academic Scholars, 11/11/2020

  Nov 6, 2020 5:00 pm666 views

  The Community-Academic Scholars Initiative is a 10-week summer program that empowers undergrads to pursue community-based research in Champaign County. Scholars will learn about and rank their preferred projects during the application process. Join us Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 - 6:45 p.m. to learn more about the program and application process, hear examples of past projects, and find out how scholars are matched with projects. The info session will be recorded, so please be sure to register even if you can't make it. We will notify you when the recording is available. Learn more about the program and register: http://go.illinois.edu/communityscholars

  For more information, see full post.

• Virtual 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium

  Apr 13, 2020 8:00 am704 views

  The 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium will take place April 27 through May 1 and will be hosted through Compass2g. Our annual symposium celebrates undergraduate excellence and innovation in research at the University of Illinois and provides a great opportunity for the campus community to learn from our student scholars. 

  While we have been quite challenged by the scale of moving such a large event into a virtual medium, we are also inspired by the dedication of the Illinois community in supporting our students at such a historical moment.  We hope this online space, at the very least, honors the essence and integrity of our in-person event.

  When: Student video presentations will be on display April 27 through May 1. We will be hosting a 1-hour Zoom presentation to kick off the 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium from 12pm - 1pm on Monday, April 27. Link will be posted below once it is available.

  Where: The 2020 URS will be hosted through Compass2g. To access the symposium, please follow the instructions at: https://go.illinois.edu/Accessing2020URS to enroll in the symposium "course". This will allow you to see the student presentations and provide feedback to presenters.

  Thank you for your continued support of our office and its symposium.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Undergraduate Research Opportunity Analyzing Shedd Aquarium Water Samples

  Nov 5, 2020 9:00 am710 views

  The NRES Fish ecophysiology lab (http://fishlab.nres.illinois.edu) is partnering with researchers at the Shedd Aquarium to better understand if water samples can provide information on the health of fish. Water samples from the aquarium have been collected for further analysis. We are seeking a motivated ACES undergraduate to assist a master’s student and to be involved in this exciting research project. This opportunity can be conducted online or in-person in the Spring (in-person preferred). Ideal candidate will have an interest in pursuing graduate school. Experience in R and lab work is a plus, but not required

  For more information and to apply, see full post.

• Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2021 Calendar

  Aug 9, 2021 8:00 am722 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research announces its Fall 2021 calendar for the Value of Undergraduate Research Workshop, Getting Started in Research Workshop, Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Researchers Workshop, and our newly developed Research to Resume Workshop.

  We will have both in-person and online workshops available for each offering. Information for each workshop including how students can register can be found in this post.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: The Social Action Lab is seeking undergraduate research assistants

  Jan 21, 2018 9:00 am725 views

  Interested in getting valuable research experience? Interested in learning about attitudes, persuasion, behavior, motivation, and more? Want to analyze social media? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, the Social Action Lab may be right for you!

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: LLVM RESEARCH GROUP

  Feb 21, 2022 4:15 pm731 views

  We are looking for skilled and motivated undergraduate students to work on several projects in the LLVM Research Group. We are a group in the Illinois CS Department led by Prof. Vikram Adve, and we focus on building compilers for heterogeneous parallel systems and novel hardware. We are currently looking for multiple students to work on a variety of projects. All these projects are open projects, and we are looking for students who are interested in working with us long term. As such, we require a commitment of 15 hours per week for Fall and Spring terms, and 40 hours per week for Summer. The pay will be based on seniority level with an average of $17.00/hour.

  For full description, including how to apply, please see full posting.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Establishing Foundations of Meta-Learning

  Oct 1, 2021 8:00 am754 views

  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.

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES: Health and Social Media Group

  Sep 11, 2017 1:15 pm790 views

  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.

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

  Aug 28, 2023 7:00 am798 views

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

• Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshops - Fall 2018 Calendar

  Aug 23, 2018 9:00 am801 views

  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.

• New Undergrad Research Opportunity Fall 2015

  Jun 1, 2015 10:15 am813 views

• New Undergraduate Research Opportunities

  May 11, 2015 10:15 am834 views

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Synthetic Biology and Photosynthesis Engineering

  Aug 25, 2021 3:30 pm840 views

  Undergraduate Research -- Synthetic Biology and Photosynthesis Engineering - Algae and Crops

  Would you like to practice your molecular biology skills while discovering new ways to engineer photosynthesis? The Leonelli Lab is looking for creative and committed undergraduate students to join our team of researchers.

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

• Spring 2017 Conference Travel Grant Competition

  Jan 30, 2017 10:00 am851 views

• OUR is Hiring Undergraduate Research Ambassadors!

  Jan 19, 2023 10:30 am869 views

  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.

• New Undergraduate Research Opportunity for Fall 2015

  Sep 17, 2015 5:45 pm1060 views

• COVID-19 Guidelines for Undergraduate Researchers and Mentors

  Aug 25, 2021 3:00 pm1165 views

• Undergraduate Research Opportunity at the Mayo Clinic!

  Oct 15, 2015 9:45 am1250 views

• 2015 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners

  Jun 1, 2015 10:15 am1317 views

• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Gene Editing and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders

  Apr 6, 2021 12:00 am1326 views

  The Gaj Lab (https://gaj-lab.bioengineering.illinois.edu/) is looking for an undergraduate research assistant who will work on assessing the effects of gene editing technologies on spatial memory and reference learning in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease. We are seeking a highly motivated undergraduate student to assist a PhD student and to be involved in harnessing the potential of one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: CRISPR systems. The only qualities the candidate requires are interest in our research and the motivation to learn multiple lab techniques. This research opportunity is open to any major and level of expertise.

  This is an ongoing opportunity, including Spring and Summer 2021. For more information, please read full post.