Summer Program for Undergraduate Research

OVERVIEW The University of Oregon (UO) Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) provides fellowship opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research in Life Sciences laboratories at UO during the summer. SPUR serves as an umbrella for two primary programs that bring undergraduates from other colleges and universities to UO. All programs share the goal of preparing students for research careers. All participants in all program cohorts interact with each other during weekly workshops and receive equivalent administrative support. Visiting students are housed together in UO dormitories. MISSION STATEMENT The Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) aims to train students to become creative explorers, to expand their interest and excitement in science, and to increase opportunities for them to pursue careers in research. SPUR is committed to diversifying the next generation of life scientists in the research community. We strongly encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply. Underrepresented groups in life sciences research are considered by race, ethnicity, low-income, first-generation, and disability status. Access to research is also considered. We stress active, experiential learning, because a true understanding of scientific ideas requires immersion into the processes of discovery, and it is reflected in the ability to communicate these ideas. SPUR offers closely mentored research projects to provide broad, experience-based training in science research. This training, which stresses active learning for both interns and mentors, includes experimental approaches, methodological skills, strategic design, creative and critical reasoning, and scientific communication. We aim to boost personal confidence by professional and social interactions with active researchers at all levels. In selecting summer interns, we seek talented, motivated, adventurous, and hard-working undergraduates who would benefit from what our program has to offer, and who perhaps would not otherwise have such opportunities. SPUR contributes to national efforts to raise competence in STEM areas, enhances access to research careers for students with limited access to research facilities and experience, broadens the participation of minority researchers in STEM field related careers, and trains graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to be effective mentors.