Extended Deadlines — Explore Undergraduate Research & Graduate Student Mentor Training Opportunities
By Julia Sepulveda, Program Associate, CRA-E
The UR2PhD program, an initiative that aims to substantially increase the quality and scale of undergraduate research opportunities through mentorship and training, is offering two summer courses: a research methods and a mentor training course.
The undergraduate research methods course aims to equip students with the fundamental skills they need to be successful researchers while they contribute to a computing-related project. Over the course of 5-weeks, students working in groups of 2-4 will learn how to conduct literature reviews. They will also practice data analysis and presentation skills. All assignments in the course will be done in the context of the research project that students are working on. The course ultimately culminates with students writing and presenting a research proposal.
The graduate student mentor training course prepares participants to provide effective research mentoring. Students will learn how to tailor projects and provide scaffolding that promotes project and professional development. Course eligibility is limited to mentors of undergraduate researchers, with priority given to mentors of students in the research methods course. This requirement enables students to apply their learnings in a practical setting.
During the fall of 2023, the UR2PhD program successfully engaged more than 150 students across the U.S. and Canada. Feedback from both graduate and undergraduate participants highlighted how the program encouraged active communication and collaboration. Several first time researchers also expressed that the program cultivated continued interest in computing research.
We strongly encourage students with an interest in research, especially those who identify as underrepresented within computing, to participate in our programming. Applications for the summer undergraduate student research methods course are still being accepted, and will be considered through the start of each session. Session A is scheduled to begin on May 20, and session B is slated to start on June 17, 2024.
To learn more about the courses and the UR2PhD program, please visit www.cra.org/ur2phd
