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.

SPUR Programs for Students from Outside the UO
Currently (2024-), non-UO students, alongside UO students, participate in an AHA-funded program that supports research related human health.

Previously, SPUR has included an NIH-funded R25 program in basic research related to the goals of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NIH UO R25) and an NSF-funded REU program in molecular biosciences (NSF UO REU).

OURS: A SPUR Program for UO students
UO undergraduates are invited to apply for the OURS program.

The Experience

SPUR trains students to become creative explorers, to grow further interest in and excitement for science, and to prepare for life science research careers. SPUR training stresses active learning for interns and their mentors in experimental approaches, methodological skills, strategic design, creative and critical reasoning, and scientific communication. Professional and social interactions with active researchers at all levels helps interns boost personal confidence. 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.

Enhancing Diversity

Enhancing diversity is a priority for SPUR. 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 participation of minority researchers in STEM related careers, and trains graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to be effective mentors.

Program Themes

The American Heart Association (AHA) supports research with implications for human health. See the AHA page.

Previously, the National Science Foundation supported the NSF UO REU program as a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site for Molecular Biosciences.  

The National Institutes of Health through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) supported the NIH UO R25 Summer Research Program. Both visiting and UO students participated. 

SPUR continues to accept and place qualified applicants who are supported by their home campuses through the NIH MARC Scholars, NIH RISE Program, and other external awards. Students who are self-funded may apply for consideration. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact us (spur@uoregon.edu).

Additional support for UO students’ participation is provided by institutional sources with life sciences themes.

Program Benefits 

• A stipend for full time training in a research lab for 10 weeks 
• A series of professional development workshops
• Social activities and outings
• Travel expenses to and from the University of Oregon for visiting students
  (students not enrolled at University of Oregon)
• Housing and meal plan for visiting students
• Funding to attend a research conference (e.g., SACNAS and ABRCMS)