FAQs

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program is a research opportunity for undergraduate students. Students participating in the program work closely with faculty on a hands-on research project to gain research experience.

The UO Linguistics Department has a long-standing history of partnering with Indigenous language communities with the goal to strengthen community capacity for the documentation, description, and revitalization of languages. UO Linguistics also has an especially diverse breadth of expertise ranging from field linguistics, experimental linguistics, and applied linguistics. You may learn more about the UO Linguistics Department here.

The UO Linguistics REU site is designed for American Indian/Alaska Native students as a culturally responsive introduction to STEM and higher education more broadly. No prior experience in linguistics is necessary. In fact, this REU site is designed to offer an introduction to linguistics to students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to explore the discipline through their home institution.

Yes! This NSF REU site is intended as an intensive introduction to linguistics. No linguistics background or experience is necessary. No course prerequisites are required although you need to have completed your first year in community college or four-year college prior to applying.

The REU site Increasing American Indian/Alaska Natives perspectives in field and experimental linguistics is hosted by the Department of Linguistics at the University of Oregon in the city of Eugene. We are situated on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya People, the First Peoples of the Willamette Valley, whose descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.

Selected students are funded to participate in this REU site with travel expenses reimbursed up to $300 dollars, housing for the 7 weeks of on-campus programming (the first week will be preparatory activities held remotely), and a $600 stipend for each of the 8 weeks of the program.

The curriculum of the UO Ling REU site is designed to

  • expand participants’ skills in scientific research methods through practical training in experimental linguistics, language documentation, analysis, and description and language revitalization.
  • expand participants’ vision of the cross-disciplinary potential of linguistics and career paths in STEM.
  • increase participant’s familiarity with academic writing and applying to graduate school.
There will be eight (8) students participating in the program each Summer.

The first week of the program will focus on preparatory activities and will be held remotely. The remaining 7 weeks of the program will be held in-person at the UO campus. The UO is following CDC Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education at the direction of the Oregon Health Authority. The university’s COVID-19 safety plans include (but are not limited to) vaccination requirements for all students and employees and weekly testing for all unvaccinated or partially vaccinated students and employees.

Faculty and students work with the UO Accessible Education Center (AEC) to arrange appropriate accommodations to meet students' accessibility needs. The AEC provides a range of supports and services to students who encounter barriers to full access or participation in the physical, curricular, or informational environments within the university. Our goal is to help students access and experience the full benefits of a research university. For more information, visit the Accessible Education Center's website. 

Fill out the Contact Us form and our Program Manager (Shayleen EagleSpeaker) will get back to you as soon as possible.