University of Arkansas Students Earn State Awards
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A record number of University of Arkansas undergraduates earned state Student Undergraduate Research Fellowships for the 2009-10 academic year. A total of 108 University of Arkansas students enrolled in the arts, architecture, agriculture, business, education, engineering and the sciences were awarded SURF funds for research projects in their respective fields. The awards more than doubled the 51 SURF grants received by University of Arkansas students in 2008-09.
“The SURF program is a major contributor to undergraduate research in this state,” Chancellor G. David Gearhart said. “It helps strengthen the connections between faculty and their students. The award supports undergraduates as they investigate important questions in their fields, and it also provides them with invaluable experience in writing competitive grants. That the state has chosen to increase funding for this important program is commendable. We can all take great pride in this effort that so successfully promotes undergraduate involvement in the creation of new knowledge and new solutions.”
Individual state awards for the 2009-10 academic year ranged from $1,650 to $2,900, totaling $241,760, with the university providing matching funds for each student. Faculty mentors received $1,000 for each of the students they support. Most of the students also applied for and received $400 for travel costs associated with their research.
Of the 108 students receiving awards, eight are from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, three from the Fay Jones School of Architecture, 51 from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, eight from the College of Education and Health Professions, 16 from the College of Engineering, and 22 are from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Approximately half of the students who applied from the university received a fellowship.
“The unprecedented success of University of Arkansas students in this year’s expanded SURF competition reflects both the capability and commitment of our students and the support of the many dedicated faculty mentors who are inspiring undergraduates to get involved in high level research and other creative activities,” said Bob McMath, dean of the Honors College.
Undergraduate students with at least a 3.25 grade-point average and who are planning a research or artistic project for the coming year, have at least 30 hours of credit at the time of the funding and have the support of a faculty mentor are eligible to apply for a SURF award. To be considered for an award, applicants must submit a detailed project or research proposal and additional letters of recommendation.
The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards works in partnership with the Honors College, Research Support and Sponsored Programs as well as individual departments in advising students on SURF grants. More information about the program is available at http://fellowships.uark.edu.
The SURF program was created in 1992 with a start-up grant from the National Science Foundation and is designed to provide high-achieving students the funds to conduct in-depth research in various fields while fostering positive relationships between student researchers and faculty mentors. Two years later, funding for the fellowships shifted from the NSF to the state of Arkansas.
The SURF program is administered through the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. Most University of Arkansas SURF recipients present their research at the annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference held at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. A journal of student papers is published from those proceedings.
University of Arkansas SURF Recipients:
Student |
College |
Mentor |
Brooke Alexander |
WCOB |
Rebecca Miles |
Amanda Anderson |
ARSC |
Ralph Henry |
Rex Bair |
ENGR |
Po-Hao Huang |
Sydney Baker |
WCOB |
Jim Webster |
Adam Barito |
ENGR |
Matt Gordon |
Ryan Bauer |
ARSC |
Joshua Sakon |
Alia Biller |
ARSC |
William Levine |
Stanislav Bobovych |
ENGR |
Amy Apon |
Jacquelynn Booker |
EDUC |
Gretchen Oliver |
Andrew Briggler |
ARSC |
Charles Riggs |
Meredith Brown |
EDUC |
Nan Smith-Blair |
LaRae Brown |
ARSC |
Danielle Carrier |
Geri Burkett |
ARSC |
Denise Greathouse |
John Burks |
ARSC |
Douglas Rhoads |
Kristen Byrne |
AFLS |
Gisela Erf |
Landon Caley |
ENGR |
Jia Di |
Mary Chilcote |
EDUC |
Barbara Shadden |
Allison Chinn |
ARSC |
Doug Rhoads |
Alexander Cole |
WCOB |
Molly Jensen |
Chris Cotton |
AFLS |
Brian Haggard |
Stephen Crain |
ENGR |
Magda El-Shenawee |
Tyler Davis |
ARSC |
Javier Reyes |
Erin Dillon |
WCOB |
Kathy Fogel |
Stephanie Eliason |
WCOB |
Charlene Henderson |
Stacie Ellis |
ARSC |
Andrew Dowdle |
Emily Erstine |
ARSC |
Anna Daily |
Justin Fengler |
WCOB |
Javier Reyes |
Amir Francis |
ARSC |
Denise Greathouse |
Danielle Frechette |
ENGR |
Jamie Hestekin |
James Gasaway |
ARSC |
David Fredrick |
Darby Gieringer |
ARSC |
Ted Swedenburg |
Noel Gieringer |
ARSC |
Kirstin Erickson |
Thomas Gilbert |
ENGR |
Richard Coffman |
Hailee Golden |
ARSC |
James Lampinen |
Bethany Haefner |
WCOB |
Carole Shook |
Lauren Hall |
ARSC |
Suresh Kumar |
Allyson Hammond |
ARSC |
Heidi Kluess |
Adam Hammond |
WCOB |
Robert Costrell |
Lucas Harrington |
WCOB |
Jeff Amerine |
Megan Haskins |
WCOB |
Barbara Lofton |
Shayne Henry |
ARSC |
Janine Parry |
Hannah Henson |
ARSC |
Anna Daily |
Adam Higgins |
ENGR |
Wing Ning Li |
Joseph Hill |
WCOB |
Javier Reyes |
Sharon Holifield |
AFLS |
Ken Korth |
Emily Huber |
EDUC |
Marcia Imbeau |
Stephen Ironside |
ARSC |
Cynthia Sagers |
Amen Ismail |
ARSC |
T.K.S Kumar |
Holly Jackson |
ARSC |
Oliver William |
Sigrid Johannesen |
ARSC |
Paul Adams |
Ruth Jones |
ARCH |
Greg Herman |
Lauren Kegley |
ENGR |
Vijay Varadan |
Matthew Kern |
ARSC |
Daniel Fologea |
Mindy Knox |
ARSC |
Michael Plavcan |
Mary Kordsmeier |
AFLS |
Luke Howard |
Kevin Lammers |
ARSC |
William Levine |
Nicholas Langston |
ENGR |
Min Zou |
Elizabeth Lindly |
ARSC |
Ana Bridges |
Chelsea Link |
AFLS |
William Bailey |
Hannah Lintag |
ENGR |
Christa Hestekin |
Patricia Lopez |
EDUC |
Marcia Imbeau |
Ashley Malik |
ARSC |
Yuchun Du |
Ari Masli |
WCOB |
Raja Kali |
Charles McClure |
ARSC |
Ellen Leen-Feldner |
Leanna Medal |
ARCH |
Mark Boyer |
Jessa Mehlhoff |
WCOB |
Molly Rapert |
Jay Mehta |
ENGR |
Matthew Gordon |
Stephanie Moore |
EDUC |
Kathleen Barta |
Simone Mullinax |
ARSC |
Lisa Corrigan |
Michelle Murphy |
ARSC |
Fiona Davidson |
Matt Naglak |
ARSC |
Alexandra Pappas |
Jerra Nalley |
WCOB |
Molly Rapert |
Rachel Newberry |
ARSC |
Emily Bernhard Jackson |
Amy Parette |
EDUC |
Nancy Smith-Blair |
Shaina Parks |
ARSC |
Justin Nolan |
Lindi Phillips |
ARSC |
Justin Nolan |
Jill Provaznik |
ARSC |
Michael Lehmann |
Morgan Race |
ENGR |
Richard Coffman |
Brayton Rand |
WCOB |
Raja Kali |
Gregory Renick |
ARSC |
James Lampinen |
Katherine Rhoades |
WCOB |
Don White |
Maggie Riggan |
ARSC |
Joseph Candido |
Charles Roscopf |
WCOB |
Charlene Henderson |
Omar Salem |
ARSC |
Paul Adams |
Amee Salois |
ARSC |
Claud Lacy |
Connor Scogin |
WCOB |
Robert Stapp |
Kayla Shrum |
AFLS |
Charles Rosenkrans |
Mary Sick |
EDUC |
Fran Hagstrom |
Kari Sigmon |
ARSC |
Ted Swedenburg |
Raymond Simmons |
WCOB |
Timothy Yeager |
Amanda Simpson |
AFLS |
Andrew McKenzie |
Carly Squyres |
ARSC |
David Fredrick |
Charles Starbird |
ENGR |
Shannon Servoss |
Meagan Stellpflug |
WCOB |
Susan Bristow |
Nicholas Stephens |
WCOB |
David Gay |
Caitlin Stevens |
ARCH |
Michael Hughes |
Brigetta Super |
ENGR |
Shannon Servoss |
Jessica Sutton |
ARSC |
Neil Allison |
Zoe Teague |
AFLS |
Jennie Popp |
Elizabeth Trent |
ARSC |
Elizabeth Margulis |
Casey Trzcinski |
ARSC |
William Levine |
Jessica Turk |
WCOB |
Robert Stapp |
Bryant Virden |
ARSC |
Timothy Kral |
Kristin Watson |
ARSC |
William Oliver |
Helen Wick |
ENGR |
Danielle Carrier |
Matthew Williams |
ARSC |
Daniel Fologea |
David Williams |
ARSC |
Matt McIntosh |
Sidney Winford |
ARSC |
Eitan Gross |
Contacts
Suzanne McCray, vice provost
Enrollment Services
479-575-4883,
smccray@uark.edu
Steve Voorhies, manager of media relations
University Relations
479-575-3583,
voorhies@uark.edu