Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
Similar to applying for a grant, students submit research proposals that are evaluated and ranked by faculty members. Awardees are then announced and receive a stipend and expenses to move forward with their project.
If you are curious, you can look back at titles of previous UROPs in the links at the bottom listed by department. If you are interested in faculty mentoring UROP students, please follow this link. Know that you do not need to work with a faculty in your department, find something interesting and explore and talk to professors.
Applications are accepted in the fall and spring and some summers. To find out more about the program, see who is eligible and apply, visit:
Deadlines
Next due date is June 26 for fall 2023 projects.
Due to the large volume of applications and processing requirements, UROP deadlines are strict. Late applications are not accepted.
Sharing UROP Results
UROP Presentation Opportunities
UMD Showcase
Every fall and spring UMD provide any University of Minnesota undergraduate student who has completed a research or artistic project to showcase their project at the UMD Undergraduate Research and Artistic Showcase. Students DO NOT have to be a UROP student to participate and they do not have a be student on the Duluth campus. All undergraduate students from any University of Minnesota campus are welcome to attend.
2022/2023 Academic Year Showcase Dates (Tentative, (check back late to confirm that date))
Fall - Tuesday November 15, 2022
Spring - Tuesday April 12, 2023
11:00 - 2:00
Oral Presentations in the Garden Room
Poster Presentation in Rafters
Set up day of show from 8:00 - 10:45
Registration for the spring showcase will begin in mid-January.
Guidelines for creating a professional poster
The fall 2021 showcase was featured on Fox21 news.
The spring 2019 showcase was featured on both WDIO and Fox21 news reports.
NCUR
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) hosts the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) for students. In order to attend NCUR, UMD students must have a UMD UROP project, apply and be accepted by their college to attend NCUR, and submit an abstract to CUR. If CUR approves your application, they will contact you of your acceptance and then you will be contacted by UMD and travel arrangements will be made for you. Each year between 10 and 20 UMD students, attend NCUR.
Submissions to the NCUR 2023 will open November 2022
University Digital Conservancy
Students may also deposit UROP project reports to the University Digital Conservancy. This counts as a presentation, a requirement for UROP project, it will publicize work, make it findable through Google and provide a secure backup with a persistent URL.
How to make this work:
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Go to the University Digital Conservancy (UDC): z.umn.edu/umdudc
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Click on the gold “Upload to the UDC” button and log in with your UMD credentials
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Select a collection: “University of Minnesota Duluth>UMD Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP)> UMD Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP)”
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Follow the prompts and fill in the form, selecting “Next” to move to the next page when needed
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For Type, choose “Presentation”
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Read the Terms of Deposit before submitting
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Click “Complete” when done and your work will be submitted!
- If you have any questions specific to the digital conservancy, please contact Laura Vavrosky ([email protected])
Final Report Steps
Students who have completed or are nearing completion of their UROP projects need to submit a final report as that is a condition of your UROP award. Information you provide is helpful to continue to improve the program. Preparing this report also benefits you in assessing the outcomes of your apprenticeship.
Be sure to check out these important links:
Final Report Information - This is a necessary step for all participants. If you have completed or are near completion of your project, check this out.
Faculty Verification Form (Google Form)
Helpful tips for completion:
- When writing your summary, write with the general audience in mind who may not be familiar with your particular field.
- You may include other materials in addition to your report (for example a published paper or final report written in conjunction with your faculty sponsor or other researchers), but these should not take the place of your summary.
- We may want to quote excerpts from your final report to share with others as part of publicity for the program. If you prefer that your name not be used, please let us know.
- Please complete the evaluation and your final report as soon as possible after completing your project. Because these are essential components of your award, failure to file the narrative report and evaluation form jeopardizes any future applications you submit for UROP funding.
Travel Fund Requests
Student Travel Fund Application
SCSE can potentially provide funds to students to assist in covering costs for presenting research or accepting awards. Applications are reviewed and depending on fund availability, it can be a competitive process. Funding is provided by generous annual gifts from alumni and friends of Swenson College.
Deadlines to apply:
Please submit your application form prior to travel dates. Travel must be associated with presenting research or accepting awards. A student can only receive funding once as an undergraduate and once as a graduate.
Examples of Impactful Research
Looking to get a sense of the types of projects students have recently done as part of the UROP program? Click on the departmental links below to see information about completed projects:
Chemistry & Biochemistry Department
Mathematics & Statistics Department
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department
Additional Resources for UROP Participants
- List of potential faculty mentors, their research interests and availability by semester.
- Be sure to check in with your department or other departments of interest as they have additional information that can help you get involved in a research project.
- Additional Funding Request - To present the results of your research when other funds are exhausted. UROP students are encouraged to make use of other possible funding sources, no matter the amount, such as possible departmental or collegiate funds, and to have that funding secured when they make a request.
- Institutional Review Board (IRB)
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
- Extension form - Print it out, fill it out, sign it and return it to the address listed.
If you have questions about the UROP program, contact:
Swenson College UROP Coordinator
Brian Hinderliter, Associate Dean
140 Engineering Bldg.
(218) 726-8707
[email protected]