News

Job Opening: Office of Undergradute Research, Program Coordinator – IDEA Grants Program (UCP V)

UCONN IDEA Grants Program, Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), Division of Enrichment Programs (Search number 2013566)

The UCONN IDEA Grants Program Coordinator in the Office of Undergraduate Research contributes to the University of Connecticut’s goal of providing undergraduate students with a wide range of opportunities to participate in academic enrichment activities throughout their collegiate careers. UCONN IDEA Grants are available to students through a competitive process. The Program Coordinator will perform advising, administrative, and project-oriented tasks, including relevant research, event, meeting, and communication planning, creation of outreach strategies to undergraduate students, advising of interested undergraduate students, data analysis, along with other program administration and office duties, as required.

Position Duties

This person will work primarily with students and faculty on undergraduate research topics and processes. These duties include:

  1. Providing advising and administrative assistance to students interested in applying for a UCONN IDEA Grant and related opportunities, including supporting them through the application process.
  2. Scheduling and preparing materials for and presenting workshops on the UCONN IDEA Grant program and related opportunities.
  3. Receiving, processing, and reviewing applications ensuring completeness and making referrals to appropriate personnel for review. Maintaining filing system and electronic records.
  4. Managing communications with students and advisors regarding outcomes of proposals.
  5. Assisting in the marketing and communication of UCONN IDEA Grant and related opportunities to students, faculty and administrators.
  6. Managing workflow, drafting online forms, and contributing to quality improvement of forms and application materials.
  7. Processing and maintaining necessary paperwork, records, and files to support grant program, including fiscal records. Enhancing electronic data systems, where appropriate.
  8. Conferring with and assisting supervisor in the performance of program administration and activities.
  9. Evaluating effectiveness of programs and recommending improvements or changes to appropriate manager.
  10. Responsibility for writing and/or editing informational and promotional materials for use in outreach activities, requiring an understanding of the subject matter.
  11. Assisting with assessment efforts, assembling data, drafting and/or editing reports.
  12. Maintain a collection of resource materials and program information.
  13. Limited travel to relevant national conferences, regional events, and UConn regional campuses.
  14. May perform office support functions and projects, as assigned.
  15. Performing related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

  1. Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field.
  2. 3-5 years of office experience in a responsible administrative position that demonstrates knowledge of administrative methods.
  3. Ability to provide higher-level administrative office support.
  4. Demonstrated ability to work independently.
  5. Excellent multi-tasking and interpersonal skills.
  6. Strong writing and communication skills.
  7. Familiarity with computers as a skilled user of word processing programs and electronic data systems such as Word, Excel, Access, FileMaker and database reports.

Preferred Qualifications:

  1. Graduate degree in an appropriate field, including but not limited to higher education counseling or administration, natural or physical sciences, social sciences.
  2. Familiarity with competitive grant and award programs.
  3. Experience working with faculty across disciplines.
  4. Experience in an undergraduate research office or honors program or college.
  5. Experience at a large university.
  6. Experience with Peoplesoft and other database software.
  7. Experience with data analysis, database design, and program evaluation.
  8. Experience in designing or updating web pages, forms, and social media using relevant software (e.g. Dreamweaver, WordPress, wufoo, HootSuite).

Appointment TermsThis is a grant-funded full-time end-dated position; position end-date June 2015.

To Apply

For full consideration upload a letter of application, a resume, and a list of 3 professional references with contact information via Husky Hire (http://www.jobs.uconn.edu/).  Include search number on all correspondence. Screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.

The University of Connecticut is an EEO/AA employer.

UConn-TIP Bioscience and STEM Program – Internships for Business and CANR Students

NEW: Limited Time Opportunity – Summer Internship Opportunities for Undergraduate Students in the School of Business and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Summer internships are now available within the UConn-TIP Bioscience and STEM Summer Research Program (see below) for UConn undergraduate students from the School of Business and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This is an opportunity for exposure and involvement in marketing or business-related activities within a real-world, entrepreneurial biotechnology environment. Continue reading

Call for Posters – Undergraduate Human Rights Conference

Are You An Undergraduate Researcher Who Focuses on Human Rights As Part of Your Work?

The Human Rights Institute is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a conference September 19-21, 2013, that will showcase the “Connecticut School of Human Rights”, an interdisciplinary, contextual approach to human rights that has been advanced at the Human Rights Institute of the University of Connecticut over the last ten years.

The Undergraduate Human Rights Conference will kick off with a poster display on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Dodd Research Center. The poster display is an effort to bring together undergraduate students from across many disciplines to present and share their research interests. Human rights related events will be held throughout the week, giving students the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about human rights issues.

The Undergraduate Conference encourages interdisciplinary social science, law and humanities approaches to understanding human rights issues. Poster themes may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Economic and Social Human Rights
  • Education and Human Rights
  • Environment Rights
  • Foundations of Human Rights
  • Gender and Human Rights
  • Group Rights
  • Health and Human Rights
  • Human Rights and International Law
  • Humanitarianism
  • Literature and Human Rights
  • Political and Civil Human Rights

Students who wish to present a poster must submit a 200-300 word abstract detailing the content of their presentation and how it would be displayed on a poster along with a short biography to the Human Rights Institute at humanrights@uconn.edu.  Students are encouraged to submit their information as soon as possible.

Visit the Human Rights Institute’s Conference page at http://humanrights.uconn.edu/conferences/ for more information.

CUR Registry of Undergraduate Researchers

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) hosts a Registry of Undergraduate Researchers. The purpose of this registry is to facilitate matchmaking between undergraduates with research experience and a desire to pursue an advanced degree, with graduate schools seeking students who are well prepared for research. The Registry is currently open to students and graduate schools in the science, social science and humanities fields listed below.

Any undergraduate student may go to the CUR website to fill out the simple curriculum vitae form. There is no cost for this service. Student information records will be made available to bona fide Graduate Schools and/or Research Programs that contract with CUR for this service. Student information will not be shared with companies or organizations who seek to use it for marketing purposes.

Graduate School representatives may contact students to invite applications and to share information about their research programs and opportunities for financial support. Students who register will be able to update their listing as needed to include summer research information, information about Senior Theses, updated test scores, etc.

The CUR Registry service is a tool that will benefit both students and graduate schools/employers. Students who intend to pursue graduate student should take a minute to register and include a statement of their research interests. Visit CUR at www.cur.org for more information.

Anthropology/Archeology

Arts/Humanities

Biology/Biochemistry

Business

Chemistry/Biochemistry

Economics

Education

Engineering

English and Linguistics

Environmental Studies

Geosciences

Health Professions

History

Journalism and Communications

Mathematics/Computer Science

Physics/Astronomy

Political Science

Psychology

Social Work

Sociology

2013 Frontiers Program Now Available

We hope that you’re planning to attend the Frontiers exhibition this Friday afternoon or Saturday!

Here’s a link to the program. We have 218 undergraduate students presenting posters for 175 research projects. STEM fields, social science, humanities, and the arts are all well represented. Many students who are presenting their research have received SURF, SHARE, and other Office of Undergraduate Research awards.

frontiers_2013

The artwork for the Frontiers poster was produced by talented Holster Scholars, Kaitrin Acuna and Julianne Norton. The poster was designed by Mallory Matula. Thank you all!

 

2013 Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Awards

SURF is the biggest undergraduate research competition administered by the UConn Office of Undergraduate Research. I am delighted to announce that 70 UConn undergraduates have been offered SURF awards for this summer. Members of the faculty review committee commented on how strong the field of 91 applications was this year. SURF applications require research proposals of high quality.

Congratulations to the SURF awardees! Your academic achievements, creativity, and enterprise were ever so evident in your applications. Have fun with your research this summer!

Thank you to the faculty members who supported SURF applicants: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members! SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. SURF would not exist without the support and participation of faculty members!

Thank you, too, to SURF supporters in the UConn community. Deans of UConn schools and colleges and the Provost’s Office helped to fund the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. Our community quilt of funding ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of UConn undergraduate research!

Once again, congratulations to those students offered 2013 SURF awards.

Margaret Lamb, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research

 

 

 

UCONN IDEA Grants – A New Opportunity for UCONN Undergraduates

The UConn IDEA Grant Program is a new competitive opportunity for undergraduates at the University of Connecticut. UConn students at all campuses and in all majors can apply for a UConn IDEA Grant of up to $4,000 to fund self-designed work on a topic, project, problem, artistic product or performance, or other entrepreneurial or creative idea of choice. The work should be personally meaningful, relevant, and engaging. The work does not need to be tied to a student’s major or minor, but it should be guided by a student’s academic goals and future plans. Students may apply individually or as part of a small group for this new undergraduate opportunity for creativity, innovation, original research, and service.

Read about UConn IDEA Grants in UConn Today and in the Hartford Business Journal!

In the pilot phase of the program, the Office of Undergraduate Research will make 10-15 awards in Spring 2013 and 20-25 awards in Fall 2013. (April 1st: Yippee! We’ve received 24 applications for UConn IDEA Grants! Can’t wait to read the proposals!) The initial UConn IDEA Grant projects will be planned in Summer 2013 with work done in Fall 2013. The second competition for UConn IDEA Grants will take place in Fall 2013. Those who are chosen for awards in Fall 2013 will plan their projects in Spring 2014 and then do their work in Summer 2014.

The UConn IDEA Grant Program has been designed to be flexible enough to support very diverse types of projects. During the pilot phase of the program (spring 2013 and fall 2013) we want program guidelines and best practices to be developed and refined through discussions with students, supervisors and mentors, advisors, and other members of the UConn community. We want UConn IDEA Grants to become a program that is valued by our whole UConn community for the creativity it encourages and the opportunities it provides undergraduates to produce great work. Your participation in making this new program a success will be most welcomed and appreciated.

Have a great idea and develop it as a UConn IDEA!

Margaret Lamb
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
April 2013

Universitas 21 Undergraduate Research Conference

University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Urban Challenges: building healthy, smart, and creative cities for the future

July 8-12, 2013

Three UConn undergraduate research students will be selected to participate in a conference to be held this summer at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Each student chosen to attend will receive $2,000 to help defray the costs of travel, funded jointly by the Office of Global Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Urban issues will be the focus of the conference, and topics such as public health, logistics, safety, governance, migration, cultural dynamics, and design will be discussed. One student will be nominated to give an oral presentation, another for a poster presentation, and a third will be nominated for either category.  The conference will provide the opportunity to showcase their research to an international audience of fellow students and faculty. Presentation guidelines can be found at http://www.urc2013.uva.nl/.    

The deadline to apply is March 15, 2013. Download the application and instructions through the Office of Global Affairs. Details regarding eligibility, travel, and activities are in the program brochure. Please contact Dr. Raluca Nahorniac in the Office of Global Affairs (raluca.nahorniac@uconn.edu) with any questions.

March 2013 Application Deadlines!

Don’t wait to check out summer research opportunities. Many research programs and internships want to finalize their candidates early in the spring. Look for the acronym “REU” or Research Opportunity for Undergraduates when searching for possible summer opportunities. Some offer awards of $4000 to $5000, and free room and board for the summer!
Remember – summer positions can have a variety of different names – “fellowship,” “internship,” “co-op,” or “associate.” Keep your options open in order to find the best experience for you!

March 1 Deadlines:

March 5 Deadline:

March 8 Deadline:

March 15 Deadlines:

March 22 Deadline:

  • Behavior Sciences Student Fellowship – Epilepsy Foundation of America – Award amount up to $3,000.

February 2013 Application Deadlines!

Intersession and early in the spring semester is the perfect time to make your plans for next summer. Many research programs and other relevant opportunities set deadlines in January and February. The people who run summer programs want to make sure that they have time to choose their candidates and then give everyone time to plan the practicalities.

So … now is the time to get your applications ready!

Many summer programs use the acronym “REU” or Research Opportunity for Undergraduates. These opportunities may provide a summer stipend of $4000 to $5000, and free room and board for the summer!

Other summer positions can have a variety of different names – “fellowship,” “internship,” “co-op,” or “associate.” Look at the full variety of titles and find the experience that will be super for you!

Feb. 1 deadline:

Feb. 5 deadline:

Feb. 8 deadline:

  • AP-Google Scholarship – $20,000 scholarship award, open to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in digital journalism.
  • Environmental studies internship, US EPA,Office of Children’s Health Protection & Environmental Education, Washington, DC.

Feb. 9 deadline:

Feb. 11 deadline:

Feb. 13 deadline:

Feb. 15 deadline:

Feb. 22 deadline:

Feb. 28 deadline: