Meet Deborah. She is an Animation major. Her research explores the inner workings of the body through the medium of 3D animation. Typically, the only way the inside of the living body can be observed non-invasively is through the use of specialized medical equipment.

Who did you work with on this project?
I worked on it myself.

Was this your first independent research project?
Yes.

Do you get course credit for this work? How much time do you put into it?
Yes. Each art major is required to take a class in which they create their senior capstone project. This project has occupied most of my free time this semester.

What academic background did you have before you started?
I had been studying computer animation for about five years.

How did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this project?
I studied anatomical books, drawings, and videos so that I could make my project as accurate as possible.

What was the hardest part about your research?
Making all parts of the model move together accurately.

Is this the first time you have applied to present at URCAD? How did you find out about applying to present your work? Are you excited?
This is my first time. The professor who teaches my senior projects class mentioned that, to fulfill one of our assignments, we could submit our projects to URCAD. I am very excited to have my work seen by people outside my department.

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?
Besides my animation classes, I have used knowledge from the computer science classes I have taken to write the code that controls the arm model in my project.

What are your career goals?
I would like to work as a computer animator for practical applications, such as the federal government, serious gaming, or medical visualization.

Read about her research here...

Summer interns earn $3,500 while working for eight weeks in a research laboratory with a faculty mentor. Interns have the opportunity to learn cutting-edge research skills from faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and current graduate students. Mentor assignments are based on the intern's interests and goals.

Eligibility:

Applicants should be US citizens or permanent residents who have completed one year of undergraduate work and are interested in obtaining a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

How To Apply:

The application deadline is April 15.

To apply, please:

1. Complete the online application, which includes two essays, each with a 500 word limit. Detail your research interests and why you are interested in participating in the Summer Research Program, and describe your research experience, if applicable.
2. Submit transcripts from all colleges attended (photocopies are allowed).
3. Submit two letters of recommendation.

Meet Sanchari. She is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major and current URA (Undergraduate Research Award) Scholar. She is also engaged in oncological research in a UMBC laboratory and has also worked in a lab at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

How did you find your mentor for year research project?
When I was looking for research mentors on campus, some upper classmen suggested that I look into Dr. Rosenberg’s lab, especially since I had some background in oncological research. I looked at her research on the UMBC website, and the research excited me; although I had conducted oncological research before, I had not explored the immunological approach to cancer before. I e-mailed Dr. Rosenberg about my interest in her lab, and it all started from there!

Is this your first independent research project?
No, I have worked in three other research labs before this, including an HHMI funded project.

How much time do you put into it?
I try to put in an average of 16-18 hours a week for research, but it varies depending on the experiment being conducted.

How did you hear about the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) program?
My PI, Dr. Rosenberg, emailed me about the URA. One of the senior undergraduates in my lab was a previous URA scholar, and she encouraged me to apply.

Was the application difficult to do?
Not at all – it was very straightforward and easily accessible.

What has been the hardest part about your research?
The hardest part about research is effectively communicating the results of the research to others, and this is something that Dr. Rosenberg, my mentor, Dr. Sinha, and others in the lab are working with me on so that I can continuously improve on this essential skill for any researcher. I am practicing this skill by presenting in lab meetings and conferences both here at UMBC, as well as other states.

What was the most unexpected thing?
The most unexpected thing about this internship was that, through my experience, I am getting to make so many valuable connections to people, who can (or have already) helped me out in many ways. It gives me immense pleasure to see that people understand and appreciate the research that I am doing, and are willing to help me to continue researching.

How does your research relate to your work in other classes?
When we research, we are expected to learn very specific details about one subtopic under a larger umbrella subject. In college classes, we start by learning those umbrella subjects in a very broad manner, and as classes go on, we learn the more specific details. Therefore, there are many times that I have light bulb moments in class or lab, when I am able to connect what I already know with what I am learning.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
Research is extremely important, no matter what subject area we are involved in, because it teaches us to think critically, a skill essential for any type of career today. I would like to encourage all students to get involved in some type of research in these undergraduate years. The experience can help you to narrow down your career choice and develop essential skills for that career as well.

Read her abstract here...

No, I have been with UMBC since my freshman year.

Read Stephen's abstract here...

• Advice on a strong proposal http://www.umbc.edu/undergrad_ed/research/URA/documents/successfulURAproposals10_Evergreen.doc
• Your proposal content must be on the form provided on the URA web site. The two page narrative must be only two pages long. Longer proposals are not accepted.
  
• Print the cover sheet, proposal, and your transcript all SINGLE SIDED and deliver with NO STAPLES.
• You and your mentor should both sign the cover page of the proposal. IF your mentor is not available to sign in person on Tuesday, AND has read and approved your final proposal copy, the mentor signature can be skipped. Just let me know of the situation.
  
• Mentor materials include a letter from your mentor and the very short form linked from the URA forms page. Mentor materials may be submitted by e-mail. Student materials must be delivered in hard copy.
  
• Deliver on Tuesday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to Sherman Hall Suite 114.
  

Summer Training in Alcohol Research

The University of Kentucky offers a 10-­week, paid laboratory experience for talented undergraduate students interested in gaining research experience in alcohol-­related disorders such as alcoholism, fetal alcohol syndrome, cancer, and pain. This is a competitive program designed for students considering a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-­related fields, but especially graduate study. Opportunities range from applied psychological approaches in humans to basic cellular mechanisms of alcohol action in cell culture. Students will spend the summer performing independent research under the supervision of faculty mentors, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, give a scientific presentation that describes their accomplishments, and have the opportunity to contribute to front-­line research in either of these areas.

Meet Kaitlyn. She is a Psychology major and current URA (Undergraduate Research Award) Scholar. Her research focuses on the psychological sense of community for first-generation Latin American immigrants. She also serves as a research assistant in the Making Words Count Lab.

How did you find your mentor for year research, scholarship, or artistic project?
I am a research assistant in the Making Words Count Lab. My research mentor is Dr. Anne Brodsky. I was really interested in her work on risk and resilience in Afghan communities. I read some of her published research and thought it was really interesting and innovative.  

What project are you working on?
In December 2012, when I began working in the Making Words Count lab, our team was in the process of collecting interviews for our Community and Immigration study. We interview first- and second-generation Latin American immigrants and third-generation or more U.S. born citizens. Our research seeks to understand how these groups experience psychological sense of community, as well as to understand the acculturation practices of immigrants from Latin American countries. Our team has almost finished transcribing and checking our data now, so we’ve made great progress in the past year.  

Do you get course credit for this work?
I have taken Honors 400, Psych 498, and I will be enrolled in Psych 499 in the spring.  

What academic background did you have before you applied for the URA?
I worked for two different professors before I began in the Making Words Count lab. As well, I have taken many psychology classes, including two research methods courses. My English classes provided me with concise writing skills, which is important for the application.  

Was the application difficult to do?
The application was not difficult, but thought-provoking. It was a great exercise in understanding the research methods I planned to use and what direction I wanted my ideas to take.  

What has been the hardest part about your research?
I’m new to the field of community psychology and never had any training in qualitative methods, so that learning curve felt overwhelming at first. If possible, I’d recommend taking classes that are as close to your research methodology and subject area as possible before you begin to ease the process.  

What was the most unexpected thing?
The amount of work that is put into doing “background” preparation for the actual data analysis and write-up is surprising.  

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
I would highly recommend getting involved in any and all research opportunities available. Research is an amazing way to both learn about an academic field as well as be a part of contributing to it. In addition, the people you meet through your research can become really great resources. My research mentor and the graduate students in our lab have both been amazingly helpful and supportive of my interests, and having them as role models and academic advisers has been one of my favorite parts of the research experience.

Read her abstract here...