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
Lindsay Andrews |
Human Nutrition, Dietetic |
Mack Ivey |
Mille Appleton |
Print/Editorial Journalism |
Patsy Watkins |
Jisoo Bae |
International Business |
Raja Kali |
Iain Bailey |
Biological Engineering |
Brian Haggard |
Rex Bair |
Mechanical Engineering |
Po-Hao Huang |
Bryant Baker |
Environmental, Soil, And Water Science |
Thad Scott |
Ashlee Bell-Cohn |
Biology |
Roger Koeppe II |
Jody Bland |
Finance, Economics |
Jeffrey Jones |
Micah Borges |
Communication Disorders |
Fran Hagstrom |
Natalie Brown |
Psychology |
William Levine |
Lucas Brown |
Mechanical Engineering, Physics |
Douglas Spearot |
Allen Busick |
Chemical Engineering |
Shannon Servoss |
Courtney Cagle |
Biochemistry |
Jeffrey Silberman |
Lacey Carnahan |
History And Anthropology |
Daniel Sutherland |
Trent Chudej |
Mechanical Engineering |
Uchechukwu Wejinya |
Hannah Coffman |
Psychology |
Matthew Feldner |
Leeanne Compere |
Nursing |
Bill Buron |
Isaac Cook |
Kinesiology |
Ro Dibrezzo |
Nathan Cook |
Music Education |
Elizabeth Margulis |
Robyn Cota-Sieckmeyer |
Biology |
Ralph Henry |
Jonathan Cox |
Anthropology |
Jesse Casana |
Catherine Craig |
Transportation And Logistics |
Christian Hofer |
Kaitlyn Datzman |
Early Childhood Education |
Marcia Imbeau |
Lauren Dech |
International Business |
Amy Farmer |
Chris Dempewolf |
Computer Science |
Craig Thompson |
Laura Dickerson |
Psychology |
Ellen Leen-Feldner |
Carrie Forrester |
Accounting |
Juan Manuel Sanchez |
Anna Franceschi |
Political Science |
Todd Shields |
Elise Geraghty |
Psychology |
Denise Beike |
Donald Goetz |
Anthropology |
Nicholas Copeland |
Sarah Griffis |
English, Classical Studies |
Alexandra Pappas |
Terra Hardcastle |
Marketing |
Molly Rapert |
Isaac Hayes |
Music/Psychology |
Elizabeth Margulis |
Melissa Hinds |
Finance |
Juan Manuel Sanchez |
William Hogan |
Political Science |
Fiona Davidson |
Michael Howland |
Civil Engineering |
Micah Hale |
Brady Hurlburt |
Electrical Engineering |
Jingxian Wu |
William Jean |
Honors Biology BS |
Michael Lehmann |
Kathleen Kennedy |
Political Science |
Andrew Dowdle |
Luke Knox |
Art |
Kristin Musgnug |
Iris Celeste Kon Njewel |
Biology |
Paul Adams |
Matthew Krieger |
Finance |
Dub Ashton |
Jesse Lassiter |
Economics And Mathematics |
Javier Reyes |
Lauren Lavender |
Biology |
Timothy Kral |
William Lewis |
Physics |
Reeta Vyas |
Li Hui Li |
International Business, Finance |
Robert Stapp |
Hannah Lois Lintag |
Chemical Engineering |
Christa Hestekin |
Nicole Lorenz |
Chemical Engineering |
Jamie Hestekin |
Aisha Mahmoud |
Physics |
Julia Kennefick |
Tyler McBride |
English And Journalism |
William Quinn |
Michael McCain |
Finance-Financial Managment/Investment |
Molly Rapert |
Jay Mehta |
Mechanical Engineering |
Wilbur Myers |
Melinda Milburn |
Accounting |
Carole Shook |
Hannah Moreland |
Biological Engineering |
Robert Beitle |
Shannon Mumma |
Chemistry And Biochemistry |
Wesley Stites |
MariAlison Murry |
Biology, Anthropology |
Douglas Rhoads |
Brent Norniella |
Finance |
Molly Jensen |
Joseph O'Neill |
Horticulture |
Ashley Dowling |
Luke Osborn |
Mechanical Engineering |
Min Zou |
Elizabeth Phillips |
Architecture |
Tahar Messadi |
Chase Phillips |
Economics |
Robert Stapp |
Claire Purdy |
International Marketing |
Robert Stapp |
Morgan Race |
Civil Engineering |
Richard Coffman |
Kylan Rakestraw |
Chemical Engineering |
Donald Roper |
Jessie Rambo |
Communication Disorders |
Kimberly Baker |
Anum Rasheed |
Biology |
Nilda Burgos |
Rosalee Reese |
Animal Science |
Jason Apple |
Austin Reid |
English |
Joseph Candido |
Thomas Rembert |
Physics & Electrical Engineering |
Gregory Salamo |
Greg Renick |
Psychology |
James Lampinen |
Daniel Rice |
Political Science |
Andrew Dowdle |
Brittany Rodgers |
History |
Andrea Arrington |
Ashley Rosenberg |
Chemistry/Biochemistry |
Matt McIntosh |
Francis Sabado |
Computer Engineering |
Jia Di |
Amee Salois |
Physics |
Claud Lacy |
Stuart Shirrell |
Mathematics And Economics |
John Ryan |
Ayla Smartt |
Biology |
Michelle Evans-White |
Hayley Stephens |
Political Science |
Jeffrey Ryan |
Nicholas Tingquist |
Biochemistry |
Suresh Kumar |
Jimmy Vo |
Biological Engineering |
David Zaharoff |
Andrew Walchuk |
Political Science |
Jeffrey Ryan |
Derek Walker |
Biology |
Jeannine Durdik |
Abigail Washispack |
Biological Engineering |
Anoop Samant |
Kathryn Watkins |
Social Work |
Alishia Ferguson |
Chelsea Williams |
Music/History |
Elizabeth Markham |
Elizabeth Wilson |
Anthropology |
Sabrina Billings |
Frances Wilson |
English |
William Quinn |
Lauren Wood |
Entomology |
Fiona Goggin |
Topics
- Administrative News
- Awards
- Research & Innovation
- Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
- Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences
- College of Education and Health Professions
- College of Engineering
- Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences
- Sam M. Walton College of Business
- Honors College
Contacts
Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and director
Office of Nationally Competitive Awards
479-575-4883,
smccray@uark.edu
Steve Voorhies, manager of media relations
University Relations
479-575-3583,
voorhies@uark.edu
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