Application Deadline: 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

I am pleased to announce the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Fall Call for Proposals. UCI undergraduates from all disciplines who are conducting research or creative projects under the guidance of UCI faculty are encouraged to apply.

The research proposal should include background and objective of the research project, project’s design and feasibility, student’s specific responsibilities, project’s timeline, and a detailed budget with justifications. In addition, faculty mentors will be asked to upload one letter of recommendation per project, which will evaluate the student's performance to date and capacity to complete the proposed activities.

All undergraduate students who are lead researchers on faculty-mentored human subjects research that meets the criteria for exempt review must submit the UROP Exempt Review Protocol Narrative as part of their proposal. For other categories of human subjects research or projects involving the use of live vertebrate animals, the appropriate IRB or IACUC protocol number is required. Please refer to the Office of Research -- Research Protections Web site for guidelines and appropriate forms.

Complete proposals must be submitted online at the UROP Web site (http://www.urop.uci.edu/grants.html), by Tuesday, November 12, 2019.

Proposals will be reviewed by the UROP Faculty Advisory Board. Standards for evaluation of funding requests include:

• Intellectual merit of the student’s proposed research activity
• Thoroughness and completeness of the proposal packet
• Level of commitment and support from the faculty
• Assessment of student’s UCI transcript
• Available Funds

UROP will fund a varied set of projects, with requests up to $1,000 for individual projects, where average amount of funding has been close to $450. For group proposals that involve multiple students, requests can be for up to $2,500, where the average amount of funding has been close to $1,100. Funds can be used to support such expenditures as the purchase of materials and supplies, research-related travel, and the costs incurred in the presentation of research or creative activities. These funds cannot support major hardware purchases, salaries or stipends, or travel expenditures only. Proposals requiring no funding, or receiving adequate funding from departmental or other sources, may be submitted for a UROP Honorary Fellowship.

Students are encouraged to attend a UROP Proposal Writing Workshop on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Calit2 Building Auditorium. For more information, faculty and students may contact the UROP Office: Student Services II, Suite 2100; Phone: (949) 824-4189; E-mail: urop@uci.edu.