Get connected with some of the amazing research being done on campus!
While some thesis projects begin in the classroom, many other theses grow out of research opportunities that students undertake with professors, either one-on-one, or in a lab setting. Still other theses may grow out of a student’s participation in professional development opportunities like internships. The earlier one can get involved with research, the better. In fact, some students (particularly those in lab science fields) find it helpful to get involved during their first year!
Whatever your field of study, there are many sources of funding on campus that can help support activities that might feed into your thesis project. Several are linked here, but make sure to check with your advisors and faculty mentors in both your major and the CHC to learn about opportunities specific to your interests.
CHC Resources for Getting Connected with Research and Experiential Learning
- Mentored Research Program (MRP): The CHC’s Mentored Research Program provides students funding to work as research assistants for UO faculty members. Students are eligible to apply for up to ~$1,000 of funding per term (~$3,000 per academic year) to work with a professor on a research project. You can work with a professor on an existing project or pitch your own research project. MRPs can lay the groundwork for your thesis project and supplement your income.
- Internship Funding Program (IFP): The CHC’s Internship Funding Program provides up to $5,000 in funding for living expenses for low-paying or unpaid internships external to the University of Oregon.
- Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholars (KCUS) Program: The Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholars program is a comprehensive research experience designed to develop the next generation of leading researchers. The program immerses a cohort of students in a full year of research in a Knight Campus-affiliated lab from January to December each year. The CHC sponsors two KCUS research experiences each year.
- CHC’s OHSU Internships: Each year Oregon Health & Science University Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology (OHSU/CDCB) offers a Summer Research Internship Program. Through an ongoing partnership between OHSU and the Clark Honors College, two internship positions are reserved specifically for CHC students.
Other University Resources for Getting Connected with Research
- Center for Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE). Offers resources for getting connected with undergraduate research opportunities.
- Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) encourages and supports undergraduate research and creative scholarship in all academic disciplines.
- Handshake. Handshake is UO’s job search portal that includes postings for jobs, internships, and even research opportunities on campus.
- McNair Scholars Program. A federal TRIO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential. This program provides comprehensive support to earn undergraduate degrees, complete research projects in your fields of study, and apply to graduate schools.
Additional Sources of Funding for Thesis-Related Work
- CHC Scholarships and Awards: In addition to the Mentored Research Program and Internship Funding Programs discussed above, the CHC has many scholarships and awards that specifically to support CHC students in their thesis work.
- University of Oregon Undergraduate Research Funding: A diverse set of internal awards and fellowships for research across a range of disciplines.
- Center for Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE): Summer research funding, conference funding, and emergency funds.
- Distinguished Scholarships: Highly competitive national and international scholarships. Some will fund undergraduate study at UO while others fund post-graduate activities.
Present Your Research or Get Published!
- The UO Undergraduate Research Symposium takes place each May. Hundreds of students present papers, posters, and performances as part of this event.
- The Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal is an open-access interdisciplinary journal run by and for undergraduates.