Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program  

The Office of Undergraduate Research in collaboration with Office of Research and the Graduate School offer the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (URMP) that provides funding and support for graduate students to mentor undergraduates in research and creative endeavors.

Current Program Application Timeline

Applications are being accepted for the Rocky Mountain Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Research Opportunity Program.

RM-AMP Summer Research Program

Now Accepting Applications!!!!

APPLICATIONS DUE MONDAY, April 1, 2024 at 5 PM

We are excited to announce the 2024 RM-AMP Summer Research Program. This summer, the RM-AMP is collaborating with OUR to offer a paid five-week summer research experience at UNC.

The five-week program runs from May 28 through June 28, 2024 and includes a stipend of $2500. As a program participant you will collaborate will a graduate student mentor on an existing project--spending ~20 hours a week gaining valuable research experience. Your mentor will collaborate with you to set norms for the research experience, establish weekly goals, and discuss the various elements of a research project such as background information, project design, data collection, and data analysis. By the end of the research experience, you will have done a lot of research, written an abstract, and be prepared to present about your experience in the Fall. Each week, you will also meet with the other students on the Summer Experience program and with Dr. James who is coordinating the program.

No previous experience is necessary, and in fact we will prioritize providing opportunities to students who have not had the opportunity to participate in research—yet.

We have research experiences available related to the following topics:

·       Analysis of Blackbird song

·       Effects of ABC Transporters in Drosophila/flies

·       Photocatalysts for Greener Use

·       Identify connections between DEI & belonging (virtual option)

·       Effects of Omega3 on cow mitochondria

·       Tissue migration regulation in zebrafish eyes

·       Benefits of Omega3 on Cow cortisol levels

 

For further description of each project, eligibility requirements, and information on how to submit an application,  go to RM-AMP

Contact Andrea James (andrea.james@tjbcsongshui.com) if you have any questions.

• Undergraduate Student applications and Graduate Mentor Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis in Fall Semester.
•  Final deadline is November 1 to participate in the program through the end of the AY 23-24.

Graduate Student Mentor Application

Graduate students may join our database of research and creative endeavor mentors anytime.  Graduate students will be matched to undergraduate students for academic year and summer mentorship programs, when funding is available.

We are currently accepting applications for academic year 24-25 mentorship program.

Graduate Student Application to be Mentor

Fall 2024 Academic Year Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program

• Graduate Student Mentors will be paired with undergraduates from similar disciplines or with similar research or creative endeavor interests. Undergraduate student mentees will have the opportunity to develop their own research project or creative endeavor mentored by the Graduate student, or to join a research project that is being conducted by a Graduate student. Graduate students can also provide information to their mentees about graduate school, how to apply to graduate schools, what it means to be a graduate student scholar. 
• Applications from undergraduates will be accepted with a priority deadline of September 30.
  
• Applications from Graduate students should be submitted no later than September 15.
• Mentor pairings will be announced by October 10.
• An orientation will be held at a date TBD in October.
• Mentors applicants and mentee applicants will designate in the application what type of roles and opportunities they are seeking, and matches will be made accordingly. 
• Each pair will develop a project proposal with a timeline for activities and plans for what research or creative work will be accomplished.
• A final report will be due the last day of Spring Semester.
• Mentees will be expected to present during the Student Showcase for Artists and Scholars in April.

See below for a link to the Undergraduate Application.

Purpose

1. Increase access for UNC undergraduate students to engage in meaningful research and creative endeavors. High-impact practices such as undergraduate research and mentoring are known to increase persistence to graduation and admission to graduate programs. 
2. Increase opportunities for UNC graduate students to develop key skills necessary for future growth in their academic pursuits, specifically mentoring and research. 
3. Increase the capacity at UNC for faculty to pursue research and creative endeavors by expanding their connection to developing student researchers through funded opportunities. 
4. Magnify the visibility and impact of UNC’s research pursuits and strengthen recruitment avenues at UNC for both graduate and undergraduate students.  

Structure and Key Requirements 

• Centered on graduate student research or Undergraduate student ongoing projects
  • Graduate students apply to become research mentors in one of two categories:
    • 1) Graduate Directed Projects - Mentor students who will assist with graduate student directed research/creative projects
    • 2) Undergraduate Independent Projects - Mentor undergraduates who are working on their own research or creative projects. 
  • Undergraduate students apply to either join a graduate-student directed project or to be matched with a graduate student who will mentor the undergraduate student's own research or creative project. (The application will include the types of Graduate projects available).
  • Faculty members may serve as supervisors of the graduate student, mentors to the undergraduate student project, or in other support roles for the projects
• Project periods
  
  

  • Academic Year: October 1 - May 10
  • Spring: January 15- June 30
  • Summer: May 15- August 15
• Hours
  • Hours may vary depending on the project:
    • Recommend a minimum of 6 hours per month for Academic Year mentoring and 12 hours per month for summer program.
    • Recommended that mentor groups meet at least weekly, with exception for pre-planned vacation times.
  • Funding is available for the program, paid as grants. 
    • $250 per graduate mentor.
    • $100 per undergraduate mentee - for completed projects, paid at the end of the project period.
    • Undergraduate students may ALSO apply for OUR Supplies grants to support the project.

Project Work Plan and Deliverables 

• Work plan/research proposal
  • Final work plan/research proposal is two weeks after the initial mentor match pairing orientation meeting to include: 
    • Work schedule/number of hours per week
    • Activities outlined for undergraduate students
    • Level and nature of mentor supervision 
    • Specific outcomes and products 
  • Deviations from the original work plan must be approved by OUR and faculty supervisor. 
• Regular meetings
  • Minimum weekly contacts between mentor (graduate student) and undergraduate student (may be face to face, or over zoom or similar depending on project needs).  
  • Minimum of monthly meetings between mentor and Program coordinators.
• Deliverables 
  • Research teams must commit to deliverables at the end of the program period, which may include any/all of the following: 
    • Final report (required for all). 
    • Presentation or alternate sharing of the work (required for all - and may be in a subsequent semester) - Preferred presentation venue is Student Showcase for Artists and Scholars in April.
  • Submission for publication. (Optional)
• Program evaluation 
  • Research teams must complete program evaluation at the end of semester.
  • Mentors and mentees should attend end of program wrap up event, if applicable. 

Professional Development and Trainings 

• Mandatory meeting
  • Mandatory orientation meeting for all participants at the beginning of the the program period.
• Mentor training
  • Mentors participate in training sessions as needed and relevant during the grant period begins. Topics vary, and may be optional for academic year program. 
    
    • Example topics: Elements of Effective Mentoring/Developing a Mentoring Philosophy; Establishing Expectations and Maintaining Effective Communication; Assessing Understanding and Fostering Independence; Fostering Academic Literacy's; Research and Mentoring Ethics; Professional Development 
• Required certifications 
  • Undergraduate and Graduate students must obtain and maintain certifications as needed for research with humans (IRB), animals, HIPPA, CITI, etc. 
  • Complete all required mentor and mentee training through Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
  • Be familiar with and follow the institution policies regarding academic conduct 
  • Sign and comply with a participation agreement 

Funding Details

• Financial awards
  • Financial awards for research team (dependent on final budget allocations) are available for the summer research program. 
    • Stipends depend on final number of recipients and available funding.
  • Supplemental funds for supplies may be applied for by the undergraduate students through the OUR grant program.
• Disbursement 
  • Students must submit all required paperwork (such as I-9) to be eligible for funding by the deadlines provided.