RESEARCH 4U?
UGR and URECA grants
Andrienne Friedli
Undergraduate Research Center
Middle Tennessee State University
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Why Do Research?
• Apply coursework
• Thesis
• Technical experience
Graduate school
Build resume
• Soft skills
• Curiosity
• Have FUN!
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How To Get Started?

Ask experienced research students

Talk to faculty about opportunities

Look for research posters in the hallway

Look for research courses

Follow up on opportunities
you learn about today!
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Undergraduate Research Programs
www.mtsu.edu/urc
• Undergraduate
Research Experiences
& Creative Activity
• NSF - TN Louis Stokes Alliance
• for Minority Participation (TLSAMP)
• NSF - 1st STEP (STEPMT)
• NSF-REU- Geoenvironmental Challenges
• HONORS College, Dept. Thesis (Physics)
• Individual funded research projects
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URECA
URECA: Undergraduate Research
Experiences & Creative Activity
University-Wide: All Colleges and Departments
• Two Levels: Scholars and Assistants
• Three types of Scholars
• Three deadlines
Mrs. Gannon - Julie.Gannon@mtsu.edu
http://www.mtsu.edu/urc/
615-494-7848
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URECA - Summary
Summary of Grants (handout)
Types of Grants:
Assistant
• Starter grant $500 (60 h, 1 semester)
• 2 pages
• Timeline
Scholar
• $1000-$3500
(100-350 hours)
• 3-5 pages
• Timeline
• Support letter
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Silver
1 semester
100 h
$1000
Gold
2 semesters
240 h
$2400
Platinum
Summer fulltime
350 h
$3500
URECA – Other Budget
Supplies
• Must be needed specifically for project
• (refer in proposal)
• Justify in detail
Travel
• Must be necessary in order
to do project
Travel to presentSilver
results
• Separate request after project
• $400-$500 per year
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Gold
Platinum
URECA Deadlines
Proposal Deadlines:
• 2nd Tuesday in September @ 4:30 pm for Fall and AY
• Last Thursday in January (29th for 2015) for Spring
• March 26th for full summer projects
(Next Th after SW)
Turnaround time (10 days)
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Summer Teams
Proposal Deadline: March 26
• Written by mentor
• Teams of 3-6 URECA students
• Timeframe 3-8 weeks
8 teams in 2014
Turnaround time (17 days)
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Expectations
Accountability
• Mentor confirmation of hours
(timesheet for Gold or Platinum
levels)
Scholars Week University-Wide
Poster Session March 20, 2015
• Final report
• Presentation at SW or SRC
• Other: papers, performances
MTSU Summer Celebration Poster Session
July 31, 2015
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Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for
Minority Participation (TLSAMP)
• Goal: To increase the number of underrepresented
students in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) – 500 students in 10 years
• Benefits: Recruitment and tutorial programs,
scholarships, and undergraduate and summer
research opportunities ($1000)
• For more information
 Ms. Mimi Thomas, mthomas@mtsu.edu
 http://www.mtsu.edu/tlsamp/
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Other MTSU Options
Department Research/Experiential Coursework
•
1-4 credit hours (usually 3-4 hours work /ch)
•
Poster or report requirement
Examples
• Research methods courses: PSY 3070, PSY 4080
• Independent research courses: CHEM 2880, 3880, 4800
• Thesis courses: UH 4950, PHYS 4850, ANTH 4920
• Field work: PGEO 3401, ANTH 4910
• Experiential: “Learning by doing – work or service” EXP
http://www.mtsu.edu/exl/
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Off-Campus Research Options
Academic
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Government
• National Labs (ORNL)
• NASA Labs
Industrial
• Internships in industry
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Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (REU)
• Junior level student with GPA > 3.0
• Applications due in Feb - March
• 2 mo - 10 weeks
• $4000-5000 stipend
with lodging, travel
Variety of locations
Cal State San Bernardino
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Government Lab Research
Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)
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•
•
•
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Summer 10 weeks
$400/week stipend
$105/week housing
1/10/15 deadline
Application workshop held each fall
NASA Laboratories (Marshall, JPL, Ames,
Goddard, Langley, Johnson)
• https://intern.nasa.gov/
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•
•
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Summer 10 weeks
$5000 stipend + travel
11/10/14 -3/01/15 deadline
Industrial Research
EXL(credit)
Cooperative Education
Academic year, usually full time
MATH 2930 Cooperative Education
ET 2930 - Cooperative Education Experience I&II
Internships (credit or pay)
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•
•
•
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Bridgestone Corp Headquarters
Biotechnology (Dr. Seipelt, rseipelt@mtsu.edu)
mtsu.edu/~biotech/
Variety of local industries Dr. Gore, dgore@mtsu.edu
Career Development center http://www.mtsu.edu/career/
Contacts through your network
More Information
Dr. Friedli afriedli@mtsu.edu
Faculty in your department
URECA/URC www.mtsu.edu/urc
julie.gannon@mtsu.edu
www.facebook.com/urcmtsu
TLSAMP mimi.thomas@mtsu.edu
Honors laura.clippard@mtsu.edu
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