University of Oregon students participating in SPUR do so through the OURS program (Oregon Undergraduate Researchers in SPUR). OURS offers fellowship opportunities for current UO undergraduate students to participate in ongoing research in life sciences laboratories at UO during the summer months. To be selected for funding in 2024, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for either the Alden Fellowship or the AHA program.  The OURS application closed April 7, 2024.

OURS Program Features:

• Full-time mentored research project
• Faculty Seminar series
• Professional Workshop series
• Research Stipend
• Undergraduate research group discussion
• Training in scientific communication
• Undergraduate Research Symposium
• Potential opportunity to present at a national conference

Prerequisites

All applicants should:

• Have completed at least one year of undergraduate coursework by summer.
• Be undergraduates in good standing.
• Be strongly motivated to participate in ongoing research projects.
• Be US citizens or permanent residents (for federally funded opportunities – does not include AHA or Alden Awards).
• Be a University of Oregon student not graduating prior to Fall 2024.
• Be working currently in a UO life sciences lab or actively seeking a research position in a UO life sciences lab.
• To get involved in research at the UO, please visit the Center for Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE), or the Biology Undergraduate Research page .
• Should not be planning to take summer coursework the Summer they wish to participate.

Special consideration is given to qualified students who are also members of a group under-represented in the sciences (e.g., low income and first generation, Native American, African American, Latino, or Pacific Islander).

How to Apply

• • When the application cycle opens, a link to the online application will be available under the Application tab above.
  • Although OURS is administered under the SPUR umbrella, the application process differs and therefore UO students will not be considered through a SPUR application.
  • Where requested in the application describe the lab in which you are currently affiliated and explain the nature of your involvement and contribution to the research. Also, please provide the name of your lab mentor, if you are working with a grad student, postdoc, or research assistant in addition to your PI.
  • Request only ONE recommendation from your sponsoring UO professor. It is the applicant’s responsibility to communicate with their sponsoring professor about the recommendation. When you submit your application online, identify your sponsoring professor by name and email will automatically send a request to complete the recommendation.
  • If you encounter any problem submitting your application online, please contact us at spur@uoregon.edu. Do not email us your application.

Deadlines for applications

We begin making offers of admission to OURS toward the beginning of Spring term, and we continue to review applications until all slots are filled. Please note that space is very limited. If you do not hear from us, please feel free to email us.

Please note:
Deadlines on the SPUR website, referenced many times on this page, do not apply to OURS students. Because the OURS cohort is made up exclusively of UO students, application deadlines differ. Please refer only to the deadlines referenced specifically on this webpage.

Information for recommenders

Students applying for OURS in your lab will identify you in their application and a request will be emailed to you to complete the recommendation form or upload a letter.  To ensure a successful experience, faculty hosting OURS students are expected to:

• Provide an opportunity for original undergraduate research with engaged mentorship for the intensive 10-week, 40 hours per week program, June 17 – August 23, 2024 (duration of commitment is not stipulated for Alden awardees)
• Identify a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow to serve as the mentor for day-to-day supervision, and have them participate in a mentor training workshop to be held in Spring.
• Establish a clear mentoring plan together with the day-to-day mentor. Meet with the intern and mentor regularly throughout the summer and review their weekly progress reports.
• Expect that interns will attend weekly seminar and professional development sessions.
• Encourage interns to participate in social activities
• Support interns in preparing a research poster and presentation to be shared at the program closing symposium held on the final week of the program.
• Encourage interns to attend ABRCMS and/or SACNAS conference in the fall and present a poster or talk.
• Participate themselves and/or encourage mentors from their lab to participate in SPUR seminar series.