Finding a research position is the first step in your research adventure. Research benefits go beyond discipline-specific techniques. This page has resources to help you make the most of your research involvement and develop widely-applicable skills like communication, mentoring, gaining funding and awards, writing personal statements, and asking for letters of recommendation.
Always make sure you get transcript recognition for your research involvement. CLICK HERE to learn more.
OUR Events & Awards
OUR offers events to help students practice communication and presentation skills and learn more about the opportunities that research leads to. OUR also runs a number of awards to recognize and support undergraduate researchers. Follow our website, social media channels, or newsletter to keep updated
OUR Events
Poster sessions designed to give presenters experience in speaking to both general and academic audiences.
Poster session with all 3 Regent Universities; Presenters speak to state legislators about their research.
Half-day conference to help students get involved in research.
Presenters give a comprehensive overview of their work in less than three minutes.
Resources and Workshops
Online and in-person, available throughout the year covering topics like presenting, poster preparation, and graduate school materials.
Other Grants and Awards
Click on this link for more information and check back often as we do update it when opportunities arise.
Ambassador Program
Serve as a research ambassador to help other undergraduate and prospective students learn about research at the university. For more information, visit our Ambassador Information Page.
OUR Awards
Competitive summer and academic year funding for mentored research with UI faculty and staff.
One-time award of up to $500 for conferences, presentations, and other research-related travel.
Partnered Funding
Grants and Fellowships through on-campus partnerships.
Recognition for students who have gone above and beyond in their research. Fellowship and travel stipend included.
Recognition for those mentors who make a positive difference in the research lives of their
Funding
Securing funding is great practice for writing grants and using communication skills. Follow OUR's Newsletter "OUR Updates" for other scholarship and funding opportunities that we hear about.
OUR Funding Programs
OUR Fellowship Program - Small Fellowship stipends awarded to students doing mentored research and creative scholarship projects in all disciplines.
Research Supply Grants - Up to $1000 to fund undergraduate research projects that have a funding deficit.
University of Iowa Funding Programs
OUR Fellowship Program - Small Fellowship stipends awarded to research and creative scholarship projects in all disciplines between students and mentors.
Dewey Stuit Fund for Undergraduate Research For students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
John and Elsie Mae Ferentz Undergraduate Research Fund For students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Student Impact Grants allow UI students in any discipline to pursue opportunities outside of the classroom.
Hawkeye Experience Grant For unpaid summer internships and research experiences
Discover, Engage, Inspire For underrepresented/underserved students who want to work in Psychological and Brain Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders, and similar labs.
Conferences
Conferences, especially discipline-specific, are great ways for students to deepen their research involvement. Conferences offer presentation and networking opportunities that students cannot get elsewhere. Students considering graduate school and workforce options after graduation should talk to their mentors and strongly consider attending discipline-specific conferences.
Presentations
Presentations help students practice and solidify critical research communication skills. From medical doctors explaining complicated diseases to a young patient to political lobbyist hoping to convince legislators to vote for important bills, communicating in-depth information to broad audiences is vital in any career.
How-To Resources
Poster Presentations
Oral Presentations (In development)