What
Is UROP?
The Undergraduate
Research Opportunities
Program (UROP)
cultivates
and supports
research partnerships
between MIT
undergraduates
and faculty.
One of the
earliest programs
of its kind
in the United
States, MIT’s
UROP invites
undergraduates
to participate
in research
as the junior
colleagues
of Institute
faculty. The
late Margaret
L. A. MacVicar,
Professor
of Physical
Science and
Dean for Undergraduate
Education,
created MIT’s
UROP In 1969,
inspired by
Edwin H. Land.
Land, the
inventor of
instant photography,
believed in
the power
of learning
by doing.
UROP offers
the chance
to work on
cutting edge
research—whether
you join established
research projects
or pursue
your own ideas.
As UROPers,
undergraduates
participate
in each phase
of standard
research activity:
developing
research plans,
writing proposals,
conducting
research,
analyzing
data and presenting
research results
in oral and
written form.
UROP projects
take place
during the
academic year,
as well as
over the summer,
and research
can be done
in any academic
department
or interdisciplinary
laboratory.
Projects can
last for an
entire semester,
and many continue
for a year
or more. UROP
students receive academic
credit, pay,
or work on
a voluntary
basis.
MIT students
use their
UROP experiences
to become
familiar with
the faculty,
learn about
potential
majors, and
investigate
areas of interest.
UROPers gain
practical
skills and
knowledge
they eventually
apply to careers
after graduation
or as graduate
students.
Most importantly,
they become
involved in
exciting research!
Essential
to all UROP
projects
are the
following:
- Research
work worthy
of academic
credit, regardless
of whether
or not
credit
is requested.
- Active
communication between
the UROPer
and faculty
supervisor,
who is
responsible
for guiding
the intellectual
course
of the
student's
work.
- An Online Application, including a Research
Proposal: a
student-authored
statement
of purpose
that
describes
the
planned
research.
Beginning Summer 2008, .
- Evaluations
of your
UROP
experience. Both
you
and
your
faculty
supervisor
are
required
to submit
evaluations
of your
research
collaboration
to the
UROP
staff
in the
UAAP
at the
end
of each
semester
and/or
summer.
Among many
other options,
these UROP
opportunities
have been
available
to students
in the past:
tissue engineering,
media arts
and sciences,
robotics,
Project I-Campus,
remote memory
studies, cancer
research,
chemical synthesis,
architectural
studies, wireless
data and mobile
commerce,
genetics,
financial
engineering,
internet modeling,
market research,
political
policy, oral
history and
organic chemistry.
UROP
Coordinators in
each department
and interdisciplinary
laboratory
are available
to offer
suggestions
and review
your research
plans.
The UROP
staff in the
UAAP is always
prepared to
answer your
questions,
help solve
problems and,
when possible,
help with
financial
support. All UROP
applications must be approved first by your faculty supervisor, then the appropriate departmental UROP
Coordinator, and
then by the
UROP office.
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