Welcome to the 2020/2021 academic year. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is excited to support you this upcoming year and beyond. While some of our programming will look different this fall semester, our commitment to supporting student scholars remains the same.
You will find a few current and upcoming opportunities sponsored by OUR. We encourage you to share this email with friends and encourage them to subscribe to our email list by clicking here.
Fall 2020 Workshops
The Value of Undergraduate Research Workshop (VURW) Virtual Edition
During this workshop, we will discuss the importance (i.e. the personal and professional benefits) of conducting research as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois. Students will leave the workshop with (1) knowledge of the skills that can be developed through research, (2) a better understanding of how undergraduate research can benefit them both personally and in their future careers, and (3) how they can showcase this experience to future employers and professional schools.
This workshop will be hosted online through Zoom. Participation is by advanced registration only; there are limited spots available. Several dates are available; students should only register for one date.
Details and registration link can be found at: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/programs/workshops.html
Getting Started in Undergraduate Research Workshop (GSIRW) Virtual Edition
During this workshop, we will discuss the various forms of undergraduate research that take place on campus, guide students to develop a plan of action to locate research opportunities on campus, and discuss ways to contact faculty research mentors. Students will leave the workshop with (1) a better understanding of undergraduate research and how it takes place on our campus, (2) increased confidence to contact faculty research mentors, and (3) a list of faculty mentors to contact.
This workshop will be hosted online through Zoom. Participation is by advanced registration only; there are limited spots available. Several dates are available; students should only register for one date.
Details and registration link can be found at: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/programs/workshops.html
Proposal Writing for Undergraduate Research Workshop (PWRW) Virtual Edition
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.
This workshop is a collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Research and The Writers Workshop and will be hosted online through Zoom. Participation is by advanced registration only; there are limited spots available. Several dates are available; students should only register for one date.
Details and registration link can be found at: http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/programs/workshops.html
Guidelines for Undergraduate Research and OUR Operational UpdatesThe Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is committed to safely supporting students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during these unprecedented times. We know current and prospective undergraduate students continue to have questions about the upcoming semester, including questions about access to virtual and safe in-person research opportunities.
To this end, OUR has assembled two online resources to provide undergraduate researchers and their mentors: 1) a curated list of guidelines for safe research practices; and 2) information about OUR’s programming for the fall semester. These resources can be found at http://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/covid19/.
Opportunities
Survey for Undergraduate Researchers
Attention all student researchers! We are interested in your experience as an undergraduate researcher at Illinois. Specifically, we want to know if and how your research experience has benefited you (or not) and how communication with your research mentor affected the experience. Please take a brief moment to fill out this brief 5-minute survey: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5698997/OUR-Student-Research-Experience-…
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: Media polarization: COVID-19 news analytics
Dr. Jodi Schneider and the Information Quality Lab is hiring an undergraduate research assistant for 100% REMOTE WORK. This group seeks to understand how public health emergencies are reported and to assess the polarization and politicization of the U.S. news coverage. You will be responsible for testing and improving search parameters, investigating contextual information such as media bias and media circulation, using text mining and data science, and close reading of sample texts. This is a paid position (8 hrs/week @ $12.50/hr) for the fall 2020 semester. For more information on this opportunity and how to apply, please visit: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/6204/1929280969
Undergraduate Research Certificate Program
The Undergraduate Research Certificate provides an added credential to present to employers and graduate schools. The certificate requires you to satisfy specific criteria across your research experience(s) here at Illinois.
Students are encouraged to start the application early in their research journey; the application can be saved and re-opened, allowing students to continue the application where they left off.
For more information, please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/UGRCertificate
Questions? Meet with OUR Team
The Office of Undergraduate Research is available for one-on-one virtual meetings to support you along your research journey. During these meetings, students have the opportunity to talk with office staff and student ambassadors about any and all questions pertaining to undergraduate research on the U of I campus.
Learn more at: http://go.illinois.edu/AskOUR