Summer Program for Undergraduate Research

June 5th to July 30th, 2005

The National Science Foundation requires that participants in this program are members of underrepresented minority groups and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The underrepresented groups include African American, Hispanic and Native American.

Many underrepresented minority students are unaware of opportunities for science, mathematics or engineering (SME) careers. A principal goal of the Northeast Alliance Summer Program for Undergraduate Research is to introduce undergraduate students to SME research and prepare them for graduate school in SME disciplines and for SME careers. The program provides hands-on positive research experiences and mentoring in a supportive setting.

Participants will be assigned both an SME faculty mentor and a near-peer mentor in a laboratory of interest to that student and will spend approximately five days a week working with their mentors to complete a research project in the 8-week session. Other activities include field trips and group activities in which they will hear from faculty and graduate student role models about SME research and career paths. Participants will meet frequently with their peers and mentors to discuss the progress of their projects. They will also learn about preparing for, and applying to, graduate school. Towards the end of the program they will prepare a final report on their projects and give a formal, public poster presentation.

The program provides basic University health care coverage for the period of the participants' stay at UMass Amherst. However, participants must also have a current medical insurance plan in place to cover major health needs during the period of the SPUR program. Participants must submit evidence of such insurance before starting the program.

Up to $500 is reimbursable for the cost of roundtrip travel.

Participants will receive a total stipend of $2,500. Room and board will be paid by the program.

The application is available in a PDF format.

You may also request an application by contacting:

      Program Director
      Northeast Alliance SPUR
      Goodell Building Room 528
      University of Massachusetts
      Amherst MA 01003
      Phone: (413) 577-4178
      Fax: (413) 545-3754

      Email: alliance@resgs.umass.edu