Undergraduates Earn State Research Awards

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas once again leads the state in the number of its students who earned state Student Undergraduate Research Fellowships. A total of 89 University of Arkansas students, representing all five colleges and the Fay Jones School of Architecture, received SURF funds for research projects in their respective fields.

“The SURF program has done an excellent job of encouraging undergraduate research on campuses across the state,” Chancellor G. David Gearhart said. “The grants encourage collaboration between faculty and students, giving undergraduates hands-on experiences that connect them to the professional communities they will soon embrace. Every part of the experience is valuable — from learning to frame a question in their field of study, to successfully writing a grant, to completing research that leads not only to new understanding for the student, but also to new knowledge that will benefit the state and the global communities. I am incredibly proud of our students and look forward to seeing the results of their efforts.”

Individual state awards for the 2010-11 academic year ranged from $1,250 to $2,500 with the university providing matching funds for each student. Faculty mentors received $750 for each of the students they support. Most of the students also applied for and received $750 for travel costs associated with their research (an increase from last year’s $400 for travel). The total funds awarded were $284,250.00.

Of the 89 students receiving awards, four are from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, one from the Fay Jones School of Architecture, 45 from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, eight from the College of Education and Health Professions, 17 from the College of Engineering, and 15 from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Approximately half of the students who applied from the university received a fellowship.

“Undergraduate research is an important learning experience that connects the student with faculty and with the department,” said Bob McMath, dean of the Honors College. “Studies show that students who pursue research graduate. There’s no question that it is the bond that makes this so. Anyone can apply for a SURF grant whether or not they participate in honors, but the bulk of the students are from the Honors College because of the value we place on research. Research has been required since honors began in Fulbright College in 1955. The founders understood then what we all know now — research inspires students to ask important questions and to create innovative ways to find the answers.”

Undergraduate students with at least a 3.25 grade point average 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 university’s office of nationally competitive awards works in partnership with the Honors College, the office of 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 two years later funding for the fellowships shifted to the state of Arkansas. The fellowship program 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.

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.

The 2010-2011 SURF recipients from the University of Arkansas:

Student                      Department                                 Mentor