International Research Opportunities (IROP)
IROP is designed for MIT undergraduates who want to conduct faculty mentored research in an international setting. These overseas research opportunities provide many of the same benefits offered through conventional study abroad experiences - including the chance to connect with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds who share similar intellectual goals. In addition, IROP experiences help students enhance communication and leadership skills and refine collaborative and decision-making skills, while increasing understanding and awareness of ethical issues.
IROP projects generally take place over the summer and mirror the traditional campus-based UROP model: qualifying projects must have the approval, mentorship, and guidance of an MIT faculty member. These projects represent a broad spectrum of research areas and interests, from particle physics studies at the CERN facilities in Geneva, Switzerland, to biological engineering research in collaboration with the Chulabhorn Research Institute (CRI) in Bangkok, Thailand. In summer 2012, IROP research took place in more than a dozen different nations, including Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Singapore and Tanzania.
For the past several years, the UAAP has provided funding support to UROP-eligible undergraduates interested in conducting summer research projects in international settings. The UAAP is committed to supporting student involvement in IROP through financial and advising support.
IROP Summer Undergraduate Research Exchanges
The UAAP is offering three research exchange programs for summer 2013 through collaborations with the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and the University of Hong Kong (HKU). These exchanges aim to enhance and broaden students’ undergraduate experiences, provide opportunities to live in another culture, conduct research in a different academic/research environment, and help develop skills to better prepare for leadership roles in a global economy.
Up to 13 MIT students will be selected to conduct faculty-mentored research in the summer 2013 exchange. In return, MIT will host a similar number of students from each university to conduct research with MIT faculty members. More information on these IROP exchanges and how to apply can be found on the IROP Summer Research Exchange section of our site:
To be approved for IROP, students must ensure the following:
- Supervision from an MIT faculty member.
- Submission of a standard UROP application, including a detailed research proposal, which should indicate that you plan to conduct research overseas and include details on your travel plans, MIT travel companions, the location where research will take place, etc.
- Completion of all required travel forms (which must be submitted no later than 3 weeks prior to departure).
All MIT undergraduates with plans to conduct IROPs, or who are interested in learning more about overseas research opportunities, are encouraged to contact UROP staff in the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming to discuss funding opportunities and related topics.
