For Faculty/Staff Researchers
Get involved with undergraduate research:
Become a research supervisor or recruit an undergraduate research assistant by registering in the Undergraduate Research Experience database.
Apply for a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award (CURA) to employ a student as a research assistant at no cost to you or your department. [Note: A student must have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the UIC Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, to qualify for a CURA.]
Information on CURA program
Get involved in a structured research program designed for undergraduates in your area of expertise elsewhere at UIC: Heading link
- Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences Bridges to Baccalaureate
- College of Dentistry Multi-disciplinary Oral Science Training
- College of Engineering Guaranteed Paid Internship Program
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Initiative
- College of Medicine Hispanic Center of Excellence
- College of Pharmacy Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Graduate College Graduate Pathways to Success
- Graduate College Summer Research Opportunities Program for Undergraduates
- Honors College Undergraduate Research Grants
- Latin@s Gaining Access to Networks for Advancement in Science
- Impact and Research Day
- Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement Urban Public Policy Fellowship
- Newberry Library Undergraduate Seminar
- President’s Award Program STEM-Initiative
- School of Public Health Health Centers, Institutes and Programs
- Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy
Help students get credit for the work they do with you Heading link
Students can often get credit for the work they do with you, usually their major department or your department. They must meet with the academic advisor in their degree-granting college to select the best option for their graduation plan. Students can explore available credit offerings here, in addition to searching the undergraduate catalog course description.
Engage in best practices in mentoring undergraduate research Heading link
We value the work that you are doing in collaboration with UIC undergraduates, and seeks to support you as you grow in your your mentoring practice. Here are some readings that we recommend.
- Mentoring Undergraduates in Research and Creative Endeavors, from Perspectives on Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Journal
- Pathways of Support Webinar, Mentoring Underrepresented Students Webinar & Broadening Participation Resources Webinar, from Pathways to Science website
- 7 Key Ways to Make Student Mentoring Matter, from Inside HigherED
- 6 Tips for Effective Undergraduate Research Mentoring, from The University of Kansas Center for Undergraduate Research
To help facilitate clear communication and transparent evaluation processes, we recommend that faculty and students set up a research experience plan with the help of this template.
Fund your work with undergraduate researchers Heading link
Faculty conducting grant-funded research should contact their program officers to inquire about adding supplements to pay undergraduate researchers, for example through an NSF REU supplement, an NIH R25 supplement or through an NSF REU research site development grant. The Division of Chemistry for the Council on Undergraduate Research offers these tips.
Funding for your individual students to travel to conferences is sometimes available through professional organizations such as Council on Undergraduate Research, ARSC, Psi Chi, etc. To help your students apply for competitive external research fellowships such as the Fulbright, the Goldwater or the DAAD/RISE programs, refer them to UIC External Fellowships.
Our office can also provide UIC partners with data or student stories and is available to work with UIC faculty and staff and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research or UIC Advancement on grant applications and funding appeals centered on the high impact practice of undergraduate research.
Get more information and resources from the Council on Undergraduate Research Heading link
The Council on Undergraduate Research webpage page provides news, opportunities and links to their informative social media feeds. Their faculty resource page can help you locate collegial organizations and societies, award possibilities, publication opportunities, and more.