<p>Can someone just give me a quick overview of how, exactly, UROP works? </p>
<p>I'm going to a mentor training thing on Friday because we're opening up our project to UROP students. At this point though, we're not sure if anyone will show interest. </p>
<p>As someone who didn't go to undergrad here, I'm completely in the dark about what UROP actually is... help?! </p>
<p>I had a few UROP students more than 10 years ago when I was a postdoc. This is how I remember the way it was. Basically, the mentors will come up with some projects. The UROP will compile the list and give to the UROP students. The student will pick several from the list and the mentor will interview the students who pick his projects. Sometimes the student may bring a new idea deviated from the original project. After the interview, the mentor will decide and match with the student choice. I think there are over 1000 projects and more than the number of UROP students. So there are likely projects no one interested in it.
Note that some UROP students may want to use that for work study.</p>
<p>Ah, ok that makes some sense. I was just trying to figure out the whole “matching” thing. </p>
<p>We already have quite a few independent study students on the project. I guess we’ll wait and see if any UROP students find it interesting enough 
</p>
<p>I think it is the student that set the priority for the matching process. My former PI likes to have UROP student but the burden was always laid onto me as I was the senior person in the lab. UROP students are clearly not created equal. It may be worse these days and many MRC students are more interested in the dorm room at MoJo than doing research. Many freshmen would do anything to avoid North Campus housing.</p>
<p>My son is in the RC in East Quad but was also accepted to UROP and will be using it as his work study so he’ll get paid for his UROP hours and get 1 credit. He’s in the social sciences arena and is pretty excited about UROP in general. I think his group will get the project list at their next session- mid month. </p>
<p>They actually can get the booklet on monday at 9 AM. We should start hearing from people early next week. </p>
<p>Cool Since it is his work study, I’m ready for him to start making money. </p>
<p>Lol! I know that they’re required to start by Oct 1. Those on my project will hopefully start before then!</p>
<p>I can tell you what UROP is like from the student’s perspective. Note: I did it a few years ago, so a few things may have changed.</p>
<p>UROP gives undergrads an opportunity to work on a research project. UROP consists of 2 components, a research project and a bi-weekly seminar. In the seminar component, students learn about research techniques and discuss their projects. They have assignments, some of which relate to their research projects. For instance, one of my assignments involved interviewing my research sponsor. The students find out about the projects through a book that lists all of the projects. Students would write down the contact information and email cover letters to the sponsor listed in the book. Then the sponsor would send an email if he/she would like to set up an interview. </p>
<p>Here are a few important notes that a sponsor should consider </p>
<ol>
<li><p>The research sponsor determines a part of the student’s grade. Therefore, don’t be a jerk. UROP is a class where almost everyone gets an A- or above (at least that was the impression I was given). Don’t just give your student(s) an A (or a +, sponsor’s might have a different rating system). You should expect them to contribute. However, keep in mind that you could have a freshman working for you who has had never done something similar to what you are expecting.</p></li>
<li><p>There are some “annoying” assignments that the students need to complete. Some of these require the assistance of the research sponsor. Your student should not wait until the last moment to ask his/her sponsor to do something though. However, the sponsor should also make sure that he/she makes time to help the UROP student with these tasks. If your student tells you 2 weeks in advance that he needs to interview you or someone on the team, set aside 30 minutes for an interview.</p></li>
<li><p>The research sponsor should be a good mentor. Like I said earlier, you could have a freshman doing work that he/she may have never done before. Therefore, you need to be understanding. You also will probably have to teach them a lot of things. However, you should still give them meaning full tasks.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks, 777. That was very helpful. I’ll definitely try to keep all of that in mind. </p>