MU Undergraduate Research Scholars

The MU Office of Undergraduate Research is accepting applications for the MU Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (MUURS) for the 2008 Summer and the 2008-2009 Academic Year. This program is open to all Mizzou undergraduates regardless of academic major or college. Undergraduate research is defined as engagement in an independent research project conducted under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This includes creative as well as scholarly activities (playwriting, music composition, laboratory research, survey research, archival research, marketing research, art portfolios, etc.) Preference for the MUURS Program will be given to students in areas not traditionally thought of as life sciences; students majoring in business, humanities, journalism, education, social sciences, and the arts are strongly encouraged to apply. Life Sciences students must apply for both MUURS and the Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (LS UROP). At least five scholars will be selected for the summer, and at least five for the academic year.

Summer 2008 eligibility

MU students are eligible to apply if they have:

Students are not eligible to apply for funding for Summer 2008 if they are graduating before December 2009.

Students are only eligible to receive funding from this program once during their undergraduate career regardless of whether they work on their project during the summer or the academic year.

Katie Roehrick

Summer 2008 benefits

Summer MU Undergraduate Research Scholars will receive a $3,500 scholarship stipend while participating in the program, which will be paid in two $1750 increments. In addition to the stipend, students will be eligible to apply for travel money to present their research at national meetings and conferences and funds will be available to print a poster to present at the MU Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum on Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Summer 2008 requirements

Scholars will be expected to work at least 40 hours per week on their project and meet with their faculty mentor on a weekly basis. Students are also expected to be on campus working on the project for a minimum of nine weeks (June 2 - August 1) and attend weekly Brown Bag Lunches and other educational activities as appropriate. Students conducting their projects off-campus should speak with the Office of Undergraduate Research prior to submitting their application. MU Undergraduate Research Scholars will be required to present their research at the MU Summer Undergraduate Research Conference on Thursday, July 31, 2008 and to turn in a written account of their experience (approximately 1500 words) via e-mail and hard copy in a format suitable for publication in a peer-review journal of their discipline.

Academic year 2008-09 eligibility

MU students are eligible to apply if they have:

Students are not eligible to apply for funding for Academic Year 2008-2009 if they are graduating before May 2009.

Students are only eligible to receive funding from this program once during their undergraduate career regardless of whether they conduct their research during the summer or the academic year.

Patrick Dell and poster presentation of research

Academic year 2008-09 benefits

Academic Year MU Undergraduate Research Scholars will receive a $2,500 scholarship stipend while participating in the program, which will be paid in four $625 increments. In addition to the stipend, students may apply for travel money to present their research at national meetings and conferences and funds will be available to print a poster to present at the MU Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum on Monday, April 28, 2009.

Academic year 2008-2009 requirements

Scholars will be expected to work 15-20 hours per week on their project both semesters and meet with their faculty mentor on a regular basis. MU Undergraduate Research Scholars will be required to present their research at the MU Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum and to turn in a written account of their experience (approximately 1500 words) via e-mail and hard copy in a format suitable for publication in a peer-review journal of their discipline.

Intern selection and notification for Summer 2008 and academic year 2008-09

It will take four weeks to thoroughly review applications and make final selections. As soon as final decisions are made, we will attempt to quickly contact students via e-mail. All students and faculty mentors, regardless of their status, will receive official notification by campus mail or U.S. mail.

Applications

The same application is used for both the summer and the Academic Year. Students may for either the summer or the academic year, not both. Applications can be downloaded here (PDF) or picked up in the Office of Undergraduate Research in 150 Life Sciences Center. The submission deadline for applications is Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008 at 5 p.m. in the Office of Undergraduate Research (150 Life Sciences Center). Applications must be submitted in hard copy format and no applications will be accepted in electronic form, unless the student is studying abroad. A complete application will include:

  1. Application form. The form must be typed or printed neatly in blue or black ink. It must include a list of your classes for the Winter 2008 semester. Although prior research experience is not required, if you have prior research experience it must be listed on your application. Please include the time period (semester/academic year/summer); your faculty mentor and his/her university/institution; whether you received academic credit, a salary, or a stipend; how many hours/week you participated in the work; and whether it was part of a formal internship program. Part-time research-related jobs should also be listed in this section. You are encouraged to expand upon your prior experience in your personal statement or through a resume. Download the application form (PDF) and the faculty mentor recommedation form (PDF).
  2. A brief project proposal (2 typed pages, single spaced). The project proposal should address the following:
    • Purpose: a clear and concise explanation of the question(s) to be answered or project to be conducted.
    • Methods: a description of research approach, type of information collected, type of analyses, and activities to be accomplished during the period of funding (DO NOT include detailed descriptions of research methods/protocols, just cite references or give the standard name of the technique/protocol/method).
    • Significance: a statement of the significance of the research of project. For example, how the research, scholarship, or creative activity relates to an important issue or concept in your field.
    • Involvement: Tell us what you (the student) will actually do. Use simple terms to tell us how you will contribute to the project indicating how you will be spending your time.

      Although you should consult with your mentor(s), the student should write the project proposal. The proposal should be configured in accordance with the standards of your individual academic discipline. Keep in mind that your proposal will be evaluated by a multi-disciplinary committee, so your proposal should be directed toward a more lay audience rather than to professionals in your field. Make sure you use ALL the space allotted.
  3. A personal statement (no more than 1 typed page). Relate your educational objectives for this internship program to your long-range career objectives and professional goals.
  4. An MU transcript. You may use an unofficial copy printed from StarMU.
  5. Two letters of recommendation. One letter must be from your faculty mentor(s). Other letters may be obtained from classroom instructors, faculty advisors, or other faculty mentors. Recommendation letters must come from faculty--Letters from graduate students will not be accepted. If you have conducted research in the last 12 months with someone other than your proposed faculty mentor, you must include a letter of recommendation from him/her or include a statement explaining why a letter could not be obtained. Hard copies can be mailed to Dr. Linda Blockus, PhD, Director, Undergraduate Research, 150 Life Sciences Center, e-mailed to BlockusL@missouri.edu, or faxed to 573- 884-9395 by Feb. 15, 2007. All letters must be received before your application will be considered complete and ready for review. Faculty recommendation letters will NOT be accepted after Thursday, February 14, 2008. Faculty mentors also need to fill out the Faculty Mentor Recommendation Form and attaach it to their letter of recommendation. This form can be downloaded here (PDF).

Other Reminders

Other Important Information to be Read Before Submitting Your Application

Scholar Stipends

Undergraduate research stipends are considered to be scholarship income and will be processed through the MU Office of Financial Aid. Upon acceptance of the MU Undergraduate Research Scholar Internship, the MU Office of Financial Aid will be provided with your name, student ID number, and stipend amount. This will be calculated into your financial aid package. The STIPEND MAY IMPACT YOUR FINANCIAL AID! Students are encouraged to discuss this with their MU financial aid advisor prior to accepting the MU Scholars award.

After the MU Office of Financial Aid processes the stipend payment, the payment will be placed in your MU student account. If you have any outstanding payments owed to the University (i.e., bookstore charges, housing, parking tickets, etc.), these charges will be taken care of first, before a refund check is issued. More detailed information will be provided in October to students who are selected as MU Undergraduate Research Scholars.

NCAA Athletes If you are an intercollegiate athlete, your internship stipend (as scholarship income) may impact your athletic scholarship or eligibility. You should discuss participation in the undergraduate research program with your compliance officer before accepting the Undergraduate Research Scholars award.

This is a full-time research program in the summer. Students are not allowed to enroll in formal coursework while participating as a MURS-funded summer intern. Permission to take a class (other than for research credit) may be granted only in extremely rare and exceptional circumstances but must be obtained prior to accepting the internship offer. Academic year interns are expected to be enrolled as full-time students at MU for both the Fall 2008 and Winter 2009 semesters.

Other sources of funding

Students eligible to apply for other sources of funding are expected to do so. This includes, but is not limited to Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (LS UROP), Arts and Science Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program and the McNair Scholars Program.

Finding a faculty mentor and developing a project

You must identify a faculty mentor and, together with your mentor, develop an idea for a research project or scholarly activity. You are encouraged to check MU Web sites with faculty research listings. You are strongly encouraged to consider faculty mentors both outside of and within your undergraduate major department.

Hannah Reeves

Your faculty mentor must be able to guide you in the development of your project. Some projects are best served by faculty co-mentors. If you have two mentors, you should request recommendation letters from both of them. You may wish to include a third letter from a class instructor if your mentor(s) have not had you in class.

Your project may be suggested by a course you have taken, the research interests of your faculty mentor, or an idea of your own that challenges you to further exploration. You and your mentor should agree on the nature and scope of your project, your method of inquiry, a timetable, and the means by which you will meet your personal educational goals. If you have questions about the appropriateness of the research project, you should discuss the project with Linda Blockus, director of undergraduate research, prior to completing your application. Your project should provide a significant intellectual and educational experience. Students may receive academic credit (including capstone credit) for their project, as appropriate to their major.

Helpful hints and suggestions from the MUURS Committee

The committee looks favorably on project proposals that are developed and written by the student; however, the initial idea for the project need not be student generated. The project idea may initially come from the faculty mentor.

Reviewing/Citing scholarly literature in your field will help provide context for your project and help provide a rationale for the study. This can be done in your proposal or by a separate page. A short review will demonstrate that you have done the background work necessary to complete an independent project.

A clear statement of purpose is essential, and the proposal should be well organized with clear methods.

The review committee is diverse in terms of academic discipline, so all proposals need to be crafted for someone who is educated and interested in your project but not necessarily familiar with your discipline and its practices.

Research projects should be grounded in a theoretical framework appropriate to your discipline.

The project proposal must show that you are growing independently as a scholar.

In your personal statement, be sure to articulate how you project/experience will contribute to your future goals and aspirations.

Recently funded MUURS projects

Anthropology

Art history/architectural studies

Business

Classics

Communication science & disorders

Economics

English

Fine art

  • The development and divergence of craft and art quilting

Fisheries & Wildlife

  • The ecology and epidemiology of raccoon roundworm prevalence at Basket Wildlife Area

History

  • Twelfth century women's paradox: Power and perceptions
  • How the revolutionary thought of two West Indian intellectuals predicts and explains post-independence African problems
  • Differences between Martin Luther's preaching and theology on sexual morality

International Studies

  • Immigrant women and domestic abuse: Barriers to seeking services

Journalism

  • Effects of emotional tone and visual complexity on processing health risk and benefit information in DTC advertising

Marketing

  • Can ambient scent influence retail employee productivity?
  • The effects of arousing video on attention and memory for attack vs. non-attack political advertisements

Mathematics

  • Mean value formulas for differential operators

Music education

  • Tips and advice for teaching the french horn: A reference for band directors and students
  • Video game music beyond its original function: Practice, styles, and ends
Peace and Conflict Studies
  • The Israeli woman solider: The under-utilized potential of women in the Israeli defense forces

Physical therapy

  • Sex differences in muscle pain: Effects on self-care behaviors and activities of daily living

Physics & Astronomy

  • The effect of astromineralogy of stardust on the ionization structures of the helix nebula
  • Atomic force microscopy measurements of dotriacontane films absorbed on SiO2
  • Water transport through carbon nanotubes: A molecular dynamics study

Political science

  • Mental health policy: Achieving parity in healthcare coverage
  • Do investors react negatively to democratic elections in emerging markets?

Psychology

  • Are episodic memory deficits in old age mediated by sensory loss? Investigating the associative deficit
  • Me, myself or my family: Examining the influence of third parties on romantic relationships
  • Impact of food choices on behavior expectancy and judgments of morality
  • Individual differences in alcohol and tobacco users: Self-classification and problem recognition

Occupational Therapy

  • Efficacy of modified constraint induced movement therapy protocol with clients with chronic stroke

Social work

  • Pregnancy intention and social well-being in relation to child outcomes
  • Metro and non-metro youth: Evaluating differential pathways to delinquency

Spanish

  • Poetry of resistance among Hispanic minorities in the United States

Theatre

  • Creating a new style: Examining culture through theatre design
  • Have no fury: A modern translation of medea in modern day Darfur

Women's Studies

  • The elderly, parent-child relationships, and AIDS in South Africa