Month: November 2016

• SURF 2017: Program Updates

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surf3As we prepare for the SURF 2017 application to go live on December 1st, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight some updates and changes to this year’s SURF program. SURF continues to offer students from across the academic disciplines the opportunity to focus full-time on a research or creative project for 9-10 weeks over the summer.

Updates for 2017

  • Stabilized funding. Over the past few years, SURF funding has contracted significantly due to university-wide budget cuts. We are very pleased to announce that the program is on firm financial footing for 2017 due to a generous pledge of support from the Office of the Provost, as well as a multi-year funding commitment from the Office of the Vice President for Research. SURF funding will continue to come from a number of sources – including contributions from donors to the university, from the Deans of many Schools and Colleges, and from OUR’s budget – and we anticipate being able to make approximately 60 awards for 2017, consistent with pre-cut funding levels.

  • Application changes. See the full application outline here.
    • Data collection and data analysis. Reviewers sought greater specificity from applicants regarding their data collection and data analysis plans. The project proposal prompt now includes the following items:
      • For projects involving the collection of data, provide details about your data collection strategy and the types of data you will collect.
      • For projects involving the analysis of data, provide details about your planned analytic procedures and show how your analysis will answer your research question(s).
    • Upload of data collection tools. Reviewers requested that students using survey or interview methods be required to upload their data collection tool(s) (e.g., survey, assessment instrument, interview protocol) so that reviewers might better assess the proposed research design. A PDF upload field is included in the online application for this purpose; students not using survey or interview methods can skip this upload field. Students, please contact OUR with any questions about the use of this upload field.

  • Timeline changes. See timeline guidance and samples here.
    • Literature review. In most cases, literature review and synthesis will have been conducted to inform the development of the SURF proposal. Accordingly, timeline weeks should not be allocated solely to literature review unless the development of a synthesis of the literature is a major component of the proposed summer project. Any student intending to focus his/her SURF project on literature review is especially encouraged to meet with OUR staff (via appointment or SURF office hours) to discuss the project and how to present it most effectively.
    • Coursework and study abroad. Students are expected to account for summer course enrollment, participation in study abroad programs, or any other substantial summer commitment in their SURF timelines. SURF timelines need not be continuous, and the number of SURF project hours can vary from week to week. It is strongly recommended that students not pursue more than 3 credits of coursework simultaneously with the SURF project.

  • Budget policies. See the Budget Policies and Samples page for detailed guidance about allowable expenses (now including maximum dollar amounts for expenses like poster printing) and examples of budgets that show the appropriate level of detail. Faculty advisors of students conducting laboratory research: Please work with your advisee to ensure s/he has accurate information about the costs of lab supplies that can be procured through university purchasing channels and contracts.

  • Submitting letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation will still be collected electronically, but via online form. In addition to uploading their letters of recommendation, project advisors will be asked about the research compliance status of the proposed project; this change is being made due to delays that negatively impacted SURF awardees in past years.

  • SURF Mailing List. Students planning to apply for SURF can sign up for the SURF Mailing List to receive helpful application tips via email.

We look forward to another excellent set of SURF applications this year! The application deadline is Monday, January 30, 2017. We encourage all students to make use of SURF Office Hours to get feedback on their draft materials and to ask any questions they might have about the program or the application. SURF Office Hours are scheduled for 12/8, 12/9, 1/17, 1/20, and 1/23. Full detail about times and location can be found in the sidebar on the main SURF webpage.

Photos of SURF recipients

• Apply Now for Summer 2017 Research and Internship Opportunities

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Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research or internship program need to plan ahead. December is the time to gather together all the required elements of the applications, including faculty letters of recommendation. All of the exciting summer opportunities listed below have application deadlines in December or January! Don’t miss the opportunity to get research experience.

Department of Homeland Security HS-STEM Summer Internship Program
Deadline: December 7, 2016; http://www.orau.gov/dhseducation/internships/
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sponsors a 10-week summer internship program for students majoring in homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (HS-STEM) disciplines. Undergraduate students receive a $600/week stipend plus travel expenses for a 10-week research experience.

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program (MLEF)
Deadline: December 30, 2016; http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/
The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy. It is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Selected undergraduates receive a weekly stipend of $600.

Summer Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SNURF) – University of Vermont
Deadline: January 3, 2017; http://www.uvm.edu/~nbhspire/?Page=snurf.html
Two summer research programs will be hosted by the University of Vermont. One is funded by NSF and the other by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Both offer generous stipends and housing. Interested students may apply to only one of the two programs. Details available on the website.

Summer Undergraduate Course Creating Excellence in Scientific Study (SUCCESS) – The Ohio State University, College of Medicine
Deadline: January 7, 2017; https://medicine.osu.edu/mstp/Pages/index.aspx
This 10-week research experience is hosted by the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). The program encourages applications from students whose backgrounds and experiences would bring diversity to the field. Applicants must have an expected college graduation date in 2018 or 2019. $3,800 stipend and housing provided.

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Deadline: January 13, 2017; http://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at one of 17 participating Dept. of Energy laboratories.

Cold Spring Harbor Undergraduate Summer Research Program 2017
Deadline: January 15, 2017; http://www.cshl.edu/education/urp
The URP program is designed to give students an opportunity to conduct first-rate research under the supervision of senior laboratory staff in the areas of cancer biology, neuroscience, plant biology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics and genomics. Selected students receive room and board in addition to a $5,000 stipend.

DAAD RISE – Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany
Deadline: January 15, 2017; https://www.daad.de/rise/en/
DAAD RISE gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and physics the chance to spend a summer working on research projects with doctoral students at German universities and research institutions. Interested students must first register online between December 1, 2016 and January 15, 2017. Students will then be able to access the internship offers submitted by the doctoral students in Germany prior to completing the application.

Summer ORISE Fellowship Opportunities at the CDC
Deadline: January 20, 2017; http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/orise.html
Appointments through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship Program. This is a paid research opportunity for biology and chemistry majors. Stipend of $2,700 per month for undergraduate students.

Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) Summer Internship Program
Deadline: January 25, 2017; http://orau.gov/dndo/
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) Summer Internship Progrhttp://orau.gov/dndo/am provides opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in projects at federal research facilities located across the country. This is a 10-week summer internship program focused on the DNDO mission of domestic nuclear detection and integrating federal nuclear forensics programs. Areas of research include engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and environmental science. U.S. citizenship is required. Interns will receive a stipend of $600/week for 10 weeks plus travel expenses.

Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE)
Deadline: January 25, 2017; http://www.mnh.si.edu/NHRE/index.htm
This is a 10-week summer internship program at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. NHRE interns work closely with scientific mentors to complete independent research projects in Earth science, Biology, and Anthropology. Interns will receive a stipend of $6,000 and be provided dorm housing at George Washington University.

Library of Congress Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program
Deadline: January 27, 2017; http://www.loc.gov/hr/jrfellows/
This 10-week internship program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to explore the environment, culture and collections of the world’s largest and most comprehensive repository of human knowledge. Selected students are provided the opportunity to explore digital initiatives and inventory, catalog, arrange, preserve and research a backlog of special, legal or copyright collections in many different formats. The application will open on December 12, 2016. $4,500 stipend.

Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) – Columbia University
Deadline: January 31, 2017; http://ps.columbia.edu/education/student-life/office-diversity/programs/college-and-post-baccalaureate-students/summer-publ
The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in public health and biomedical science careers. Applicants must have completed at least two years of college. Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Selected students will be provided with a stipend, housing, and round trip travel.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships
Deadline: January 31, 2017; http://thinkswiss.tumblr.com/About
ThinkSwiss scholarships support highly motivated undergraduates who are interested in doing research at a public Swiss university or research institute. The scholarship is open to students in all fields. A monthly stipend of approximately $1,050 is provided for a period of 2-3 months.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP)
Deadline: January 31, 2017; http://www.research.chop.edu/programs/crissp/index.php
The CHOP Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) is committed to educating and training future leaders in the biomedical sciences, with a special emphasis on advancing laboratory, clinical, behavioral and translational pediatric research. Summer stipend of $4000 and free housing.

• Research Opportunities in Community Nutrition

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There are several undergraduate research opportunities available in the Community Nutrition Research Lab for the coming semesters and summer. Details follow below, along with information about the relevant contacts for these opportunities.

“Healthy Fathers, Healthy Kids”: A community-based childhood obesity prevention program for low-income fathers and their preschool aged children

Seeking student assistants: Spring 2017, Summer 2017, and/or Fall 2017

Tasks include:

  • Leading nutrition activities with preschool age children (experience with Husky Reads and/or preschool children preferred)
  • Scheduling and reminders with fathers
  • Nutrition related assessments
  • Data entry and quality assurance
  • Technology enhancements (messaging, etc.) between sessions
  • Transportation would be needed if field experience (nutrition activities with children or nutrition related assessments) is desired; programs will most likely be during evening hours in other towns within Connecticut

Contact: Dr. Amy Mobley (amy.mobley@uconn.edu) if interested; attach a resume and cover letter. The researchers will not reply to inquiries that do not include these attachments.

Food Insecurity Project: A mixed methods investigation into the experience of household hunger and food insecurity in families

Seeking student assistants: Spring 2017, Summer 2017, and Fall 2017

Tasks include:

  • Data entry and quality assurance
  • Transcription

Project TEAMS: A couples’ behavioral weight loss intervention

Seeking student assistants: Spring 2017, Summer 2017, and Fall 2017

Tasks include:

  • Data entry and quality assurance
  • Diet record analysis in NDSR
  • Healthy Eating Index calculation

Contact: Jaime Foster, MS, RD (jaime.foster@uconn.edu) if interested; attach a resume and cover letter. The researchers will not reply to inquiries that do not include these attachments.

Messaging Project

We will be developing nutrition and health related messages for parents of 0-2 year olds focused on feeding practices. Once we are able to develop a set of messages, we will test the messages on parents throughout Connecticut and work on the best way to distribute this information.

Seeking student assistants: Spring 2017, Summer 2017, and Fall 2017

Tasks include:

  • Focus group assistant
  • Interview scheduling and reminders

Contact: Becca Heller, RD (rebecca.2.heller@uconn.edu) if interested; attach a resume and cover letter. The researchers will not reply to inquiries that do not include these attachments.

Dietary Guidelines and Fruit, Vegetable, and Whole Grain Studies

This completed project involved interviewing low-income participants in Connecticut to assess their diet, focusing on the plant-based food groups. An intervention was done to increase intake of these foods by providing specific behaviors and strategies to complete during the week, and then a follow-up interview took place with the participant.

The “Whole Grains Detective Challenge” was a display for participants to view and identify whether or not the foods on display were whole grain. An additional interview took place specifically with the low-income participants about factors influencing how they identified whole grain foods, and also if health reasons, family members, cost, and skills influence whole grain consumption.

Seeking student assistants: Spring 2017

Tasks include:

  • Data entry or cross check for the fruit, vegetable, and whole grains intervention behaviors
  • Diet record cross check for the fruit, vegetable, and whole grains study
  • Data entry to determine Healthy Eating Index Scores
  • Crosscheck of the Whole Grains Detective Challenge surveys

Contact: Molika Chea, MS, CHES (molika.chea@uconn.edu) if interested; attach a resume and cover letter. The researchers will not reply to inquiries that do not include these attachments.

Farm to School Research

Investigates how local food purchasing, school gardens, and hands-on nutrition education influences grade-school aged children’s health and behavior.

Seeking student assistants: Spring-Fall 2017

Tasks TBD

Contact: Jesse Chiero, MS (jesse.chiero@uconn.edu) if interested; attach a resume and cover letter. The researchers will not reply to inquiries that do not include these attachments.