Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
For more information about this program, please select a section from the choices below:
- Program Purpose
- Who Should Apply
- SROP Contact Information
- Special Research Opportunities
- Program Benefits
- How to Apply
- Dates and Deadlines
Program Purpose
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a summer program that provides undergraduate students from populations underrepresented in graduate study at Illinois with an opportunity to explore careers in research. The program at Illinois provides each student with an experience that will help strengthen his or her knowledge, skills, and understanding of graduate school. The many activities offered through the Summer Research Opportunities Program will afford participants an opportunity to establish important relationships with faculty in their respective fields of study, conduct graduate-level research under the supervision of a University of Illinois renowned faculty member, become acquainted with the culture of graduate school, and to learn what is needed and expected of them as graduate students in their discipline at the University of Illinois.
Who Should Apply
The University of Illinois receives applications from students enrolled in institutions from across the United States and Puerto Rico. Participation in the Summer Research Opportunities Program at the Urbana campus is extended to, but not limited to, students who are from racial and ethnic populations underrepresented in graduate programs at Illinois and/or students interested in conducting research on topics that specifically affect U.S. minority populations. Applicants should be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Any undergraduate student who has earned 45 credit hours or more and seniors who will not graduate before December 2008 are eligible to apply. A successful applicant will have at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale). Fall 2007 semester grades must be recorded and submitted in an official transcript before eligibility is determined.
SROP Contact Information
Once a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign online application has been submitted, students may forward the supporting documents to the following address:
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate College
204 Coble Hall (MC-322)
801 S. Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-4860
gradeeprograms@uiuc.edu
Special Research Opportunities
Urbana/Chicago Campus Exchange
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) participates in an exchange agreement with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Applicants must indicate, when submitting the application, whether they are interested in applying to the Urbana or Chicago campus. If you are an applicant from the Urbana campus interested in participating in the Chicago campus program, you should apply using the instructions under the heading "How to Apply" below. However, all supporting documents (including transcripts, letters of recommendation, the research interest statement and statement of purpose) must be submitted to the SROP office on the Urbana campus for referral to the Chicago campus. You should forward materials to:
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate College
204 Coble Hall (MC-322)
801 S. Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
USACERL
Students from a variety of disciplines may conduct research through the United States Army Construction Engineering Research Lab (USACERL) located in Champaign, Illinois. Students who are selected to work on research at USACERL will be assigned a Principal Investigator (PI) who is engaged in specialized research on behalf of the U.S. Army. The PI will involve the participant in his/her ongoing research project and enable the student to learn more about research outside of the traditional academic setting. Applicants may request to be considered for this special opportunity by contacting:
Elon Zeigler
U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Lab (USACERL)
2902 Newmark Drive
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: 1-800-USA-CERL, ext. 7256
E-mail:
elon.p.zeigler@erdc.usace.army.mil
WaterCAMPWS
The University of Illinois Center of Advanced Materials for Purification of Water with Systems (WaterCAMPWS) offers undergraduates an opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of a faculty mentor involved in one of the following key research areas: Membrane science and processes; absorption science and processes; chemical oxidation-reduction science and processes; biochemical processes; and active aqueous transport processes.
Nano-CEMMS
Research in the Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS) addresses a central problem in the development of nanotechnology: how to assemble structures at sizes smaller than can be seen (or transduced) and manipulated (or transcribed). The Center's goal is to develop a reliable, robust and cost-effective nanomanufacturing system to make nanostructures from multiple materials. This technology will allow advancements and discoveries in nanoscience to move from the laboratory to production. Opportunities to participate in the four major areas of the Center's research (Nanoscale Sensing, Manufacturing Systems, Micro-Nano Fluidic Toolbit, and Applications) are available to undergraduate students.
To learn more about opportunities for research with the WaterCAMPWS or Nano-CEMMS, contact:
Melina Barona, M.Ed.
Diversity & Education Programs Associate
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Center of Advanced Materials for Purification of Water with Systems
Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems
2129 MEL, MC-244
1206 West Green, Urbana, Illinois 61801
Phone: (217) 244-7191 Fax: (217) 333-4158
http://www.watercampws.uiuc.edu
http://www.nano-cemms.uiuc.edu/
CEAT - Center for Excellence in Airport Technology
The Center of Excellence for Airport Technology (CEAT) offers undergraduates an opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of a faculty mentor involved in one of the following key research areas: Subgrade support and stabilization, Raw materials, PCC mix designs, Subgrade & Pavements, Wildlife Issues, and Anti-icing.
The mission of CEAT is to develop new scientific knowledge and technology for the development, maintenance and operation of airports by conducting research in cooperation with government, industry and the private sector, enriching the engineering community through technology transfer, serving a diverse student population through educational programs, and educating the public to appreciate its investment in airport infrastructure. Our research delivers new knowledge that is relevant for improving performance, increasing quality and lowering costs. Stronger and more durable materials, better understanding of structural behavior, enhanced construction techniques, and improved safety are the outcomes of our work. CEAT is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). CEAT is located in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
To learn more about opportunities for research with CEAT contact:
Minosca Alcāntara
Outreach Coordinator
CEAT
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
303 Engineering Hall, MC-305
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)244-7673
malcanta@uiuc.edu
Illinois Summer Neuroscience Institute
Neuroscience represents one of the most interdisciplinary research fields in the sciences. The UIUC Neuroscience Program, in an effort to increase access to and pursuit of post-baccalaureate neuroscience research and degrees for underrepresented students, is offering a discipline-focused summer program. The Illinois Summer Neuroscience Institute (ISNI) is a week-long, intensive program designed to introduce discipline-interested students to the facets of neuroscience and neuroscience research, the research projects of NSP faculty and graduate students, and the culture of the UIUC neuroscience community. The goal of this program is to foster relationships and facilitate preparation of undergraduate students for graduate study and careers in the neurosciences. Following ISNI, SROP-eligible students will continue their summer experience in a neuroscience laboratory. The Neuroscience Program (NSP) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign consists of over 50 faculty conducting research across 12 research themes.
To learn more about the Illinois Summer Neuroscience Institute and research in the neurosciences at UIUC, please contact:
Dr. Sam Beshers
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
318b Morrill Hall, MC-118
505 S. Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
beshers@uiuc.edu
www.life.uiuc.edu/neuroscience/
The Benefits of Participating in the
University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Summer
Research
Opportunities Program
(SROP)
In addition to the many experiences that support students' pursuit of graduate study, students receive valuable graduate school information and a variety of other benefits:
Academic Benefits
Participants in the SROP at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are assigned a research advisor (Faculty Mentor) who will guide their summer research. The Faculty Mentor is from a discipline or is involved in research that matches that of the respective participant. Each participant has an opportunity to earn between three and six credit hours of independent study during the summer. The number of credit hours is based upon the amount of time the participant spends completing a research project, as recommended by the faculty mentor who oversees the participant's summer research.
Urbana offers an Academic Skill Building Series, which includes preparation for the Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) -- for participants who will be expected to take the exam as part of the Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 graduate admission requirement -- and a Research Writing Course. Both courses cover topics that assist students who are planning to pursue graduate study to become competitive applicants and first-rate scholars.
The University of Illinois is a member of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, which is the academic consortium of the Big Ten Universities and the University of Chicago. Students from the SROP are expected to take part in the annual CIC/SROP conference. Each summer, all of the students who participate in the SROP at one of the 15 CIC institutions will convene on a member campus for an annual CIC/SROP academic conference. There, students will meet SROP participants from other campuses who are involved in research. Approximately 500 students participate in the conference. Participants are able to present their research in either an informal (roundtable discussions) or formal (research presentations) setting. The conference affords participants an opportunity to meet and interact with faculty and graduate school administrators from the other CIC institutions. At this annual conference, students are able to exchange ideas and information about research, graduate study, and their SROP experiences.
The 2008 CIC/SROP Conference will take place on
the
Michigan State University Campus on July 25-27, 2008 !!
Collegial Experiences
There are many organized activities that are designed to enable participants to develop relationships that are useful to an emerging scholar. Aside from the many opportunities to interact socially with the other participants in the SROP and to establish meaningful relationships with faculty and administrators on campus, students are given an opportunity to exchange ideas and broaden their knowledge and perception of their discipline through research team participation. Each participant is assigned to a research team that consists of other SROP participants from similar majors. The research teams consist of approximately 10 students and meet regularly under the leadership of a Research Team Leader who is currently pursuing an advanced degree in a related field of study. In addition to expanding the participant's knowledge and scope, the research team serves as a mechanism to help refine the research project and to develop collegial relationships with other students in their prospective field of study.
Monetary Benefits
Each student will receive a stipend of $3,000 and are provided a housing and meal allowance for the summer. Travel expenses for students who reside outside of the state of Illinois will be covered. All participants will receive health coverage through the student health insurance program upon completion of summer registration and throughout the summer session. The total monetary benefit of participating in the SROP program at the University of Illinois ranges from $6,000-$7,000 per participant.
How to Apply
If you are interested in the University of Illinois Summer Research Opportunities Program, please do the following:
- Complete and submit an on-line Summer Research Opportunities Program Application by 5:00 pm on Friday, February 29, 2008 (Deadline Extended).
- Submit all completed coursework to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in an official transcript that includes graded coursework from the 2007 fall semester. Submit transcripts via U.S. mail (students from UIC or UIS may mail documents from their campuses using campus mail) to the Summer Research Opportunities Program at the following address:
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate College
204 Coble Hall (MC-322)
801 S. Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-4860
- Submit two letters of reference from faculty members, academic advisors, or other persons familiar with your academic work. Please send letters of recommendation via U.S. mail or campus mail. Letters must be written on official departmental letterhead.
- Complete a Statement of Purpose and Proposed Research Project Statement
- E-mail questions to gradeeprograms@uiuc.edu
- Include your name, undergraduate institution, and undergraduate major with each e-mail correspondence. Please send all e-mail attachments in Microsoft Word format.
Statement of Purpose and
Proposed Research Project Statement
For your application to be considered for the Summer Research Opportunities Program at Illinois, you must submit a Statement of Purpose and a Proposed Research Project Statement. The statements should address the following:
- Statement of Purpose (300 word limit)
- Describe how your personal, cultural, and academic development has influenced your educational and career plans for the future
- Explain how SROP can assist you in shaping and achieving your academic goals
- Proposed Research Project (400 word limit)
- Provide a summary of your proposed summer research project. Include the
following:
- Name of proposed research project/study
- How you became interested in this particular research topic
- Importance of the study
- Coursework that you have completed that is related to this topic
- Provide a summary of your proposed summer research project. Include the
following:
- If you are a student at the Urbana campus, you must have your Proposed
Research Project Statement approved by your prospective Mentor/Research Advisor. Include the
prospective Mentor/Research Advisor's department name, campus mailing address, e-mail address, and
telephone number with your statements.
- Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate College
204 Coble Hall (MC-322)
801 S. Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
- Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
Dates and Deadlines
The SROP runs concurrently with the Urbana summer term. The program dates for 2008 are Friday, May 30, through Friday, August 3, 2008. For full consideration for participation in the 2008 SROP, applications and all supporting documents must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, February 29, 2008 (Deadline Extended).
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate College
204 Coble Hall (MC-322)
801 S. Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
E-mail: gradeeprograms@uiuc.edu
