What do Ambassadors do?

Ambassadors assist OUR in a variety of ways. An individual's activity and responsibilities within the group vary around their other commitments and the time of year. These are different ways that our Ambassadors contribute to OUR's overall mission to facilitate undergraduate research.

Online Profiles. All of our Ambassadors have online profiles and are open to students contacting them for information or help. Some students prefer to talk to an Ambassador instead of a staff member. Ambassadors are expected to respond to email requests from students in a timely manner and share any resources that may be helpful. Ambassadors typically receive anywhere from 0-10 emails per semester, but it is usually on the lower side of that range (~2-4). Ambassadors from areas with fewer other Ambassadors receive emails on the higher end of that range.

Weekly Meetings. OUR Ambassadors have a group meeting with staff weekly. These meetings usually occur on Thursday evenings, though it is open to changes if Ambassadors' schedules are heavy. During weeks that are academically challenging (midterms) or event weeks, meetings are often cancelled. Ambassadors who are unable to attend meetings are still eligible to be Ambassadors; they frequently take on other responsibilities outside of meeting times.

Meeting times are spent developing and planning events, giving feedback or opinions about student needs, or going over information that Ambassadors may find useful. 

Events. If you have ever been to one of our conferences or presentation events, you know that Ambassadors play a huge role. They help plan, advertise, and run all of OUR's events.

Speaking/Tabling Engagements. OUR relies on Ambassadors to help with on-campus (and occasionally off-campus) speaking and tabling engagements. These include classroom visits, Hawkeye Visit Days, various admissions events, special conferences, and more.

Office Help. The Front Desk at the OUR office is staffed by Ambassadors who are paid for their time. 

Special Projects. Some Ambassadors want to take on their own unique project. These have been social media campaigns, presentation series, journal clubs, etc. OUR is happy to help students develop and execute their project.

Represent. Talk about your research involvement. Refer students to OUR if you think it is helpful. We want our Ambassadors to be good community members who help raise awareness about research and OUR.

Am I eligible?

The main requirement for an OUR Ambassador is an excitement about research and the desire to help others both discover their interest in research and make the most out of their experience with research. There is no GPA or course load requirement. We ask that Ambassadors have secured a research opportunity before getting started. Everything else can be learned "on the job".

How do I start?

We want this process to be as simple and non-taxing as possible. Students are free to join any time during the semester.

1. Fill out THIS AMBASSADOR INTEREST FORM. It goes straight to OUR. We do not share it with anyone, it is just for our records and to get a basic idea of who you are.
2. OUR will contact you to set up an informal meeting time with staff. This is a chance for us to get to know you (and vice versa!), tell you about expectations, and answer any questions that you might have. 
3. Decide whether or not you really want to be an Ambassador. Let us know. If you are still unsure, we will have you join in on a weekly meeting.
4. Register for the OUR Ambassador course (URES:3100). This can be taken for credit (1sh, graded) or for transcript notation (0sh).
5. Be an official Ambassador. Send us your bio and photo so that we can get you on the website!