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

News Daily