Office of Undergraduate Research Updates

There is a lot going on in the Office of Undergraduate Research this month!  Check out information about some amazing presentation opportunities, winners of the EURA and Distinguished Mentor Awards, upcoming events and more.

Research in the Capitol

Research in the Capitol (RIC) is an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students interested in talking to Iowa's legislators at the Iowa Statehouse on March 25th, 2024. Twenty lucky students from UI, ISU, and UNI will have the opportunity to present posters to outline community/global impacts, educational benefits, and the importance of their research to state officials. The deadline for this program is March 1st!

New format for 2024!
Exhibition space will allow students to bring in three dimensional objects from their research or creative scholarship!

Students can present a traditional poster or have the opportunity to present in the Exhibition Hall. More details below!

Important Dates and Deadlines

Research in the Capitol (RIC)
Applications Deadline
Fri, Mar 1st

Summer & Academic Year Fellowship
Application Deadlines
Fri, Mar 29th - Summer Fellowships
Fri, Apr 19th - Academic Year Fellowships

Events
Mon, Mar 25th - Research in the Capitol
Wed, Apr 3rd - Spring Undergraduate Research Festival (SURF)

We Need You!

Interested in helping provide feedback to undergraduates presenting their research or creative scholarship?

The 2024 Spring Undergraduate Research Festival is April 3rd and we are looking for Faculty, Graduate/Professional Students, Post-Docs, Professional Staff, and community members to serve as judges for the event.  Please consider volunteering for one block of time during the event!

More Information

Spring Undergraduate Research Festival

It's not too early to start thinking about presenting your research at SURF 2024!  This event will take place Wednesday, April 3rd in the afternoon. Held in celebration and recognition of undergraduate researchers' contributions to research, scholarly, and creative work at the University of Iowa.  All students involved in mentored research or creative work are invited to present their work. 

The application portal is open! 

Open Research Positions

If you're looking to get involved in research, check out these lists of labs currently recruiting undergraduate researchers! This is not an exhaustive list of positions available. 

We are making some improvements to make the lists easier to navigate, check it out!

Award Recipients

Excellence in Research Award Winners

The OUR is proud to announce the 2024 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award recipients! Read all about how these five undergraduate researchers got involved in research on campus. To learn more about this award opportunity, click here. 

Distinguished Mentor Award Winners

The OUR is proud to introduce Distinguished Mentor Awards Winners as Professor Bob McMurray and Assistant Professor Caroline Clay! Learn about their work and contributions here. If you're interested in this award opportunity, click here.

Funding Opportunities

OUR Research Fellowships

Are you already involved in research on campus? Apply for OUR's Research Fellowship. The Office of Undergraduate Research Fellows Program has provided funding to over 2500 students to promote undergraduate engagement in research and creative projects. The program allows current University of Iowa undergraduates in any discipline to work with UI faculty or Professional & Scientific staff mentors on a specific project during the academic year and/or summer. 

To start the application process click here

Student Travel Awards

One-time grants are available to UI undergraduate researchers who are traveling to a professional conference or professional development event. Students can request up to $500 per application, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Other News and Information

ICARE Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program

The Iowa Cancer Research Experience (ICARE) is a one-to-two full-time fellowship (beginning August 2024) provided by HCCC to prepare recent college graduates for doctoral degree programs in the cancer field. Fellows will receive a stipend and benefits, as well as many professional development opportunities. For more information, click here.

NEW: Undergraduate Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science

For undergraduates looking to gain more from their education, CCTS offers a team-based interdisciplinary approach to advance research-generated discoveries into clinical applications in healthcare. Translational science investigators understand principles in foundational research and how such studies relate to fields such as epidemiology, behavioral medicine, and patient-oriented research. Click here to learn more!

Register your Research
Do not forget to register your research!! OUR offers research courses each semester, available for registration through MyUI. All students involved in research and creative projects should have their experience recognized on their transcript. Having your involvement on your transcript is valuable when you apply to graduate or professional school or hit the job market.

Office of Scholar Development
The Office of Scholar Development (OSD) is available to assist University of Iowa undergraduates in their pursuit of national fellowship and funding opportunities.

Douglas W. Jones Memorial Research Grant
The Iowa Archeological Society (IAS) is offering a $1,000 student-oriented research grant.  The goal of this research grant is to support projects that advance those areas of research Doug Jones was most passionate about, which include but are not limited to: paleoethnobotany, collaboration and consultation with tribal communities, the Underground Railroad, or sundry other Iowa archaeology and history topics.  Complete details can be found at http://iowaarcheologicalsociety.org/grant-opportunities.
Deadline: May 1st, 2024

iDREAM Post-Baccalaureate Program in Neuroscience
iDream is an excellent opportunity for students interested in pursuing a Neuroscience PhD, looking to get more research experience, and strengthening their graduate school applications. Some benefits of the program include Bootcamp Introduction to Research, Near-Peer mentorship from Neuroscience PhD students, 2-year paid research experience, and access to both undergraduate and graduate level courses (tuition paid). Apply here before the final deadline on March 1st, 2024.

Searching for New OUR Ambassadors

If you or someone you know is looking to get involved, please look into becoming an OUR Ambassador. OUR's Research Ambassadors are a group of UI undergraduates who are actively involved in research and creative work on campus. They assist with campus recruiting and outreach, event planning, and other ways to promote undergraduate involvement.

To Learn More: https://our.research.uiowa.edu/our-ambassador-information 

Contact us:

Bob Kirby, Director, bob-kirby@uiowa.edu
Tawny Tibbits, Associate Director, tawny-tibbits@uiowa.edu
Laura Kowalski-Bliss, Program Coordinator, laura-kowalski-bliss@uiowa.edu

Office of Undergraduate Research
undergraduate-research@uiowa.edu
https://our.research.uiowa.edu
6 Gilmore Hall
319-335-8336