Illinois Office of
Undergraduate Research

blog posts

• 12 Undergraduates and OUR Director Among Those Named NCSA Fiddler Innovation Fellows for AY2019-2020

  Oct 31, 2019 12:30 pm0 views

  This year’s class of undergraduate Fiddler Fellows includes 12 students from a variety of disciplines, spanning from Architecture to Engineering and even the humanities. Fiddler Innovation Graduate Student Fellowship Awards were also presented to three graduate students, and the Fiddler Innovation Faculty Fellowship was awarded to five faculty members.

  The undergraduate award, which consists of a $1,000 stipend, was given to students whose research at NCSA crossed over into multiple disciplines, encouraging exploration of new topics and innovation. Awardees from this year studied everything from real-time immersive virtual environments for education and learning to food insecurity on college campuses.

• 2014 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners!

  May 1, 2014 9:00 am224 views

  Congratulations to our 2014 Undergraduate Research Week award winners! 

• 2015 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners

  Jun 1, 2015 10:15 am1315 views

• 2016 SURF-Abroad Suspended

  Feb 17, 2016 12:30 pm125 views

  We regret to announce that we are suspending the 2016 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship-Abroad (SURF-A). We hope to offer it again in summer 2017. 

• 2016 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners

  May 10, 2016 10:15 am2146 views

• 2017 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners!

  May 19, 2017 11:45 pm2640 views

  Congratulations to our 2017 Undergraduate Research Week award winners! 

• 2018 Data Visualization Competition

  Aug 22, 2018 8:00 am64 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 $500!

  All submissions must be received by September 23, 2018.

  For more information see the poster below and also visit: https://www.library.illinois.edu/sc/events/viz-competition

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

• 2018 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners!

  May 7, 2018 11:45 pm2179 views

  Congratulations to our 2018 Undergraduate Research Week award winners! 

• 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.

• 2019 Undergraduate Research Week Award Winners!

  May 2, 2019 9:00 am2457 views

  Congratulations to our 2019 Undergraduate Research Week award winners! 

• 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Winners!

  May 18, 2020 9:00 am4103 views

  Congratulations to our 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium award winners! 

• 2021 Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Winners!

  May 10, 2021 9:00 am2488 views

  Congratulations to our 2021 Undergraduate Research Symposium award winners! 

• 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Winners!

  May 10, 2022 8:00 am3146 views

  Congratulations to our 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium award winners! 

• 2023 Mayo Clinic SURF | Illinois pre-selection closes Nov. 7

  Oct 17, 2022 9:00 am196 views

  If you are interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences as a 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. 7 to be considered for this special pre-selection process.

  Get details and apply: https://go.illinois.edu/SURF

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

  Jan 23, 2023 4:00 pm570 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.

• 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Winners!

  May 8, 2023 9:00 am2713 views

  Congratulations to our 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium award winners! 

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  AI, Economics, and Big Data Research Talk

  Sep 14, 2023 4:15 pm92 views

  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!

• 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.

• Applications to Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program Due Thursday!

  Oct 3, 2022 11:30 am290 views

  Applications for the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program is due October 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

• Apply for the Aspiring Researchers Alliance

  Jan 24, 2024 9:00 am116 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research is now accepting applications for the Aspiring Researchers Alliance, a program to guide and support students through the process of securing an undergraduate research experience. Deadline to apply is Monday, February 5 at 11:59 PM.
  

  
  

• Apply for the Aspiring Researchers Alliance

  Aug 21, 2023 9:00 am279 views

  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.
  

  
  

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  Apply to be a Summer 2023 Community-Academic Scholar!

  Jan 25, 2023 1:30 pm287 views

  Interested in doing research with impact this summer? The Community-Academic Scholars Initiative (organized by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute) matches undergraduates with research projects designed to directly benefit community members served by the partner organization. We are pleased to announce that the Summer 2023 student application period is now open. The deadline to apply is Feb. 6 at 11:59 p.m.

• Archiving your Research Poster or Presentation in Ideals

  Apr 23, 2018 2:45 pm63 views

• Beckman Program Provides Undergrads with Research Experience, Professional Development

  Aug 14, 2017 9:30 am0 views

  This summer, 10 undergraduate students performed research at the forefront of advanced imaging and microscopy technologies through the “Discoveries in Bioimaging” Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the 10-week program, which ended Aug. 4, allowed the students to experience life as a graduate student.

• Call for Papers: The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research

  Oct 11, 2022 2:45 pm55 views

  SUBMIT your paper to The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research

  We are seeking undergraduate research papers and reflection pieces for our special issue: “Health Topics in Community-Based Research and Service Learning”

  This Special Issue can include topics of service learning and community-based research projects that:

  • improve community health outcomes
  • reduce health disparities
  • address physical, emotional, and social health

  Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis through the end of January 2023!

  Submissions will be accepted through the journal website (ujslcbr.org).

  If you have any questions, please contact the special issue editor Dr. Amelia Huelskamp (huelskampa@uncw.edu) or the general journal address (ujslcbr@uncw.edu).

• Call for Papers -- Undergraduate Research Conference Opportunity

  Aug 28, 2015 12:45 pm114 views

• Calling student authors! Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research

  Aug 30, 2022 9:30 am28 views

  Did you write a paper last year that you are interested in publishing? Consider submitting your work to the Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research!

  The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is seeking student submissions, faculty/staff reviewers, and faculty/staff editorial board members. 

  This refereed, multidisciplinary, online undergraduate journal’s goal is to advance knowledge in new scholarly arenas by presenting intellectual and reflective work by undergraduates. This journal seeks undergraduate contributions to the literature on service learning and community-based research. To submit a paper or learn more about the different submission categories, visit our website. Student submissions for the Fall 2022 issue are due by September 16th, 2022 and are accepted on a rolling basis. Submissions received after that date will be considered for our next issue, with a submission date of January 31st. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Jill Waity, journal editor, at ujslcbr@uncw.edu

  If this deadline doesn't work for you, there will be new deadlines later in the fall semester and next spring! 

  Contact Merinda Kaye Hensley if you would like to talk about publishing your research in an undergraduate research journal - there are many more journals that we could explore! mhensle1@illinois.edu 

   

• Community Health Research Internship Available for Undergraduates at UofI

  Mar 20, 2015 3:00 pm564 views

• Conference Travel Grants - Spring/Early Summer

  Jan 25, 2016 11:00 am182 views

  Conference travel grant applications for Spring and early Summer 2016 now open. Deadline for applications is February 22, 2016. Application is available here. Notification of grants will be made after the competition has closed.

• COVID-19 Guidelines for Undergraduate Researchers and Mentors

  Aug 25, 2021 3:00 pm1165 views

• Deadline Approaching - Applications to Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018

  Oct 2, 2017 10:00 am50 views

  The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is still 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/symposium.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.

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  Demystifying the Academic Research Enterprise

  Feb 1, 2024 2:15 pm37 views

  We are excited to announce a new resource for students who want to learn more about undergraduate research. "Demystifying the Academic Research Enterprise: Becoming a Successful Scholar in a Complex and Competitive Environment" by Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier is now available via MIT Press open access. This book serves as a guide for students across disciplines, offering insights into the essentials of academic research and how to thrive in a research environment.

• Drop-in Hours have concluded for Fall 2017

  Dec 12, 2017 9:00 am44 views

  Drop-in Hours have concluded for Fall 2017

• Drop-in Hours Suspended Until Further Notice

  Mar 12, 2020 7:00 am32 views

  Due to growing concerns with and uncertainty about COVID-19, the Office of Undergraduate Research has decided to suspend it's weekly drop-in hours until further notice. We apologies for any inconvenience this may cause and encourage you to email us with questions.

• Drop-In Hours Today 10/31/2019

  Oct 31, 2019 9:00 am22 views

  Drop-in hours today will shortened today from 1:00 PM - 2:45 PM. Happy Halloween; Stay Spooky!

• Engineering Research Fair - Fall 2022

  Sep 20, 2022 9:15 am52 views

  The Grainger College of Engineering Undergraduate Research in cooperation with International Programs in Engineering (IPENG) are sponsoring this fall's Engineering Research Fair and 3rd International Research Symposium on September 27, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Illini Union Rooms A, B, and C.

• Enter the Image of Research – UR Edition competition

  Mar 13, 2019 3:00 pm64 views

  The Image of Research 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.

  Entries will be judged by a multidisciplinary panel for:

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

  All images submitted will be included in IDEALS, hosted and archived by the University Library for long term preservation.Accepting submissions from February 21, 2019--March 29, 2019.

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

  All entries will be on display at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 18, 2019. 

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

  P.S. You may also be interested in the Undergraduate Library’s 50th Anniversary Design Competition: http://publish.illinois.edu/undergradlibrary/2019/02/11/the-undergraduate-library-announces-the-ugl-50th-anniversary-design-competition/   

• Facilitating Student Growth and Elevating Access: The Inaugural Edition of Peer Review

  Mar 17, 2015 1:30 pm21 views

• 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.

• Fall 2015 Conference Travel Grant Competition

  Sep 14, 2015 10:45 am181 views

• Fall 2016 Conference Travel Grant Competition

  Sep 19, 2016 7:00 am1474 views

• Fall 2017 Drop-In Hours for Office of Undergraduate Research

  Aug 28, 2017 9:00 am1476 views

• 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.

• Fall 2020 - Undergraduate Research Support Grant and Conference Travel Grant - Applications being Accepted

  Sep 7, 2020 8:00 am226 views

  The Office of Undergraduate is now accepting student applications to the Research Support and Conference Travel Grants for the Fall 2020 semester. For more information including how to apply for funding, please view the full article.

• Fellowship for Digital and Inclusive Excellence

  Mar 30, 2019 4:00 pm148 views

  Fellowship for Digital and Inclusive Excellence
  at the UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
  a program of the Association of Research Libraries

  Wondering about the digital humanities or data science? Concerned about information access and equity? Interested in exploring how digital technologies can help us re-imagine libraries and archives? Explore a future in information!

  The Fellowship for Digital and Inclusive Excellence introduces diverse undergraduate students to the work and culture of the contemporary research library and archive. The program focuses on digital stewardship—the care and management of digital information resources over their life cycle, including creation, collection, preservation, access, and use.

  The fellowship includes:

  • a one-year, paid internship position in a host research library or archive (such as the University of Illinois Library);
  • a mentorship program with peers & professionals from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups;
  • free membership in a professional organization of the participant's choice;
  • a capstone institute at the end of the fellowship year for additional professional development and community building; . . . and more!

  To be eligible for this fellowship, you must:

  • identify as being from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, based on the categories outlined by the US Census Bureau or Statistics Canada or Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) people classifications;
  • be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;
  • be enrolled as an undergraduate for the duration of the fellowship;
  • express an interest in exploring possible career and graduate school options in the library & information science (LIS) or archives field as well as training in diversity, inclusion, and social justice topics; and
  • express commitment to the fundamental values and mission of libraries and archives.

  Upload a résumé; a 500-word statement of interest; and your undergraduate transcript by April 26th, 2019. Two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the ARL Program Coordinator for Grants Administration, Mira Swearer, mira@arl.org.

  For further details, visit the website of the Association of Research Libraries: https://www.arl.org/focus-areas/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/fellowship-digital-inclusive-excellence

  * * *
  Internships at the University Library could involve curating archives and special collections materials (including digital collections), creating metadata, developing online exhibits, helping with digitization projects or digital platforms, and/or other efforts related to digital preservation and access. Tasks could include language translation, social media outreach, and more! Interns may be considered for placement in several Library units, including—but not limited to—Preservation Services, the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University Archives, Illinois and History Collections, Literatures and Languages Library (including Classics), and Scholarly Communications and other units affiliated with the Offices of Digital Strategies and Research.

  For general questions about the ARL fellowship, possible internship projects at the University of Illinois Library, and a future in Library & Information Science, please contact Dr. Bonnie Mak, bmak@illinois.edu.

• Form Teams, Mine Texts, Defend the Humanities, Win $$$ !

  Jan 25, 2016 2:45 pm60 views

  4Humanities.org announces its “Shout Out For the Humanities” student prize contest. Prizes are offered for best undergraduate (1st prize: US $1,000 – 2nd: $700 – 3rd: $300) and best graduate student (1st prize: US $1,000 – 2nd: $700 – 3rd: $300) submissions from any nation that speak up for the value of the humanities in today’s society.

  4Humanities wants to showcase student ideas and voices on such questions as:

  "Why is studying the humanities — e.g., history, literature, languages, philosophy, art history, media history, and culture — important to you? To society? How would you convince your parents, an employer, a politician, or others that there is value in learning the humanities?"

  Submissions will be judged by an international panel of distinguished judges for message, quality, and impact no matter the medium or format. Possible submissions include: essay (less than 2,000 words), video, digital work, poster, cartoon, song, art, short story, interview.

  Submissions are due March 1, 2016.

  Submission Guidelines • Contest Kit • Judges 

  See more at: http://4humanities.org/category/4humanities-advocacy-projects/shout-out-for-humanities-student-contest/#sthash.5GACr9kX.dpuf

  Why is studying the humanities important? - A workshop

  Date/time: Thursday Feb 4, 6-7 pm

  Where: Main Library, Room 314

  At this workshop, Sayan Bhattacharyya, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, will show interested students how the HathiTrust+Bookworm tool (partly developed here at UIUC), and a Word Similarity Tool (built at Cornell University) can help students interested in participating in the contest to construct philological arguments using text-mining of the digitized contents of the world's great research libraries, supporting their entries. 

  Students will be encouraged to form student teams from among other interested attendees at the workshop. Open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

  Details of the contest are at:

  http://4humanities.org/category/4humanities-advocacy-projects/shout-out-for-humanities-student-contest/ 

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  Foundations of Academic Research and Creative Activity Course - Spring 2024

  Oct 25, 2023 10:15 am256 views

  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.

• Four Days Left - Apply NOW to Present at 2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium!

  Mar 16, 2021 7:45 am89 views

  Make sure to apply soon for the opportunity to present at the 2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set to be on display April 26 - April 30, 2021. The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 25 - May 1), and brings together students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus to learn more about undergraduate research and its potential to change the world. During the week, we will host pre-recorded oral and poster presentations, including creative performances, through our online symposium platform. Students will have the opportunity to engage with the campus community to discuss their findings through a built-in forum.

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

  The deadline for applying to the Virtual URS is March 19, 2021, at 11:59 pm. No late submissions will be accepted.

• Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshop - April 26, 2017

  Apr 14, 2017 11:00 am248 views

  In the Getting Started in Research Workshop (GSIRW), we will provide an overview of the various forms 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 2017 Calendar

  Aug 25, 2017 9:00 am6963 views

  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.