Undergraduates Do Advanced Research at University of Arkansas This Summer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – College undergraduates from Arkansas and across the country are spending their summer getting a taste of the graduate school experience, thanks to three programs at the University of Arkansas.

“These programs bring outstanding students to the university and give them a chance to conduct real research in their fields of interest,” said Kendra Smith, coordinator of diversity initiatives and outreach in the Graduate School and director of the George Washington Carver Research Program. “They are also an excellent way to recruit future graduate students, because they get to see for themselves the quality of the resources we have here at the University of Arkansas.”

The largest of the programs is Research Experience for Undergraduates. It is funded by the National Science Foundation and gives students 10 weeks of hands-on research experience, in-depth seminars each week and field trips related to their areas of interest. The chemistry and biochemistry department has the longest running REU program on campus, dating back to 1959. This year the physics, mechanical engineering, biological engineering, microelectronics-photonics, food science, and space and planetary science programs are also taking part.

In all, about 70 students are enrolled in the REU program. They receive a scholarship to pay for room and board, and a stipend to cover expenses. REU students are enrolled at the University of Arkansas and receive one hour of research credit when they complete the 10-week program.

The George Washington Carver Research Program is a University of Arkansas program that brings prospective graduate students from historically black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions to the university, where they work directly with a faculty mentor. Students experience various aspects of graduate study, from how to prepare a graduate school application to research and presentation skills.

This year there are 23 George Washington Carver interns on campus. Departments and programs hosting Carver interns this term are chemistry and biochemistry; chemical engineering; civil engineering; computer science and computer engineering; crop, soil and environmental science; education; food science; hospitality and restaurant management; industrial engineering; mechanical engineering; microelectronics-photonics; music; physics; and social work.

Four Arkansas students are also engaging in research at the university as part of the Institutional Development Award Network of Biomedical Research Excellence program in the chemistry and biochemistry department. This program is funded by the National Center for Research Resources. It provides each student with a 10-week fellowship to pursue biomedical research with a university faculty mentor.