FAQs - CRA

What is the UR2PhD program?

The Undergraduate Research to PhD (“UR2PhD”), pronounced ‘you are to PhD’, program focuses on engaging more women and gender-marginalized students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents in computing PhD programs. The program aims to ensure that participants have access to high-quality undergraduate research opportunities, positive mentorship experiences, and information about applying to graduate school.

In order to meet its objectives, the UR2PhD program facilitates three primary activities:

An undergraduate research training course to increase the capacity of computing departments to provide high-quality undergraduate research experiences
A mentor training program for graduate students to train them to support undergraduate students in a culturally responsive manner
A series of online workshops for students to continue to engage students in research, while increasing their understanding of the field and graduate school application process

How many students have participated in the UR2PhD program so far?

CRA launched the UR2PhD program in the fall of 2023 and has had over 500 participants across the courses and workshops.

My question wasn’t answered in this section. Who can I reach out to for assistance?

A member of our team would be happy to assist you. Please send us an email at ur2phd@cra.org.

Is this the same as the undergraduate research methods course?

Yes, this course was re-named from the “undergraduate research methods course” to the “undergraduate research training course.”

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility for the UR2PhD research training course is limited to groups of 2-4 undergraduate students enrolled in a North American university or college. Students must commit to attending the live, virtual sessions of the undergraduate research methods course at the same time as their research team.

Students do NOT need to hold any specific nationality, nor do they need to identify as any specific gender to be considered for this program; however, they MUST be attending a North American-based institution.

Students who identify as Black, Latinx, and/or Native women or gender-marginalized people are especially encouraged to apply.

Do I have to attend an “institutional partner” school to apply?

No. Students do not need to attend an institutional partner school to participate in the program.

If you do attend an institutional partner, inquire with the local coordinator at your school to learn more about how to get involved.

If you do not attend an institutional partner, complete the application, if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Do I have to be a CS major to participate?

No. Students do not need to have declared a major (or concentration) in computer science. However, they must be participating in a research project supporting the computing field, which includes computer science, computer engineering, and information science. Fields not housed in one of the departments listed here may be considered on a case by case basis.

Do my research teammates have to work on the same project as me?

Yes. To be eligible for this program, undergraduates must be a part of a team of 2 to 4 students working on a research project. We are hoping that undergraduate students will receive mentorship and support not only from their faculty advisors, graduate student mentors, and instructors, but also from their peers.

Do my research teammates have to attend the same session as me?

Yes. The curriculum for the course is collaborative in nature and was designed to be completed in groups. To participate, students must be able to attend the same session time as their research team.

Are there any requirements with respect to the length of a research project?

No. While we hope that students are engaged in a research project throughout the academic year, at this time, we do not have strict requirements about the length of a research project.

Can my research project be completed virtually / remotely?

Yes, it can. Most students participate in research projects at their home institutions, or work locally with a mentor, but experiences can be remote.

How do I apply to participate?

It depends!

If you are an undergraduate at an institutional partner school, you will follow the application instructions provided by the local coordinator.

If you are an undergraduate student not attending an institutional partner school, you will need to submit an application directly to our team. To do so, you will need to identify a faculty mentor, research project, and research team.

Can I apply as an individual? / Is it okay to participate without a research team?

No. The UR2PhD course is only open to research teams. A research team is defined as a group of 2 to 4 undergraduate students working with a faculty member on a computing research project.

If students are applying to participate in the program, each student within a group must submit their own application.

Do my research teammates have to apply separately?

Yes, every student must submit their own application. The application form provides an opportunity for applicants to tell us more about their lived experience within computing and research.

How do I identify a research advisor and team?

We suggest inquiring about research opportunities with faculty members and advisors at your institution. They may be able to provide additional guidance on how to identify research opportunities, participate in research projects, and receive compensation for research (either in the form of course credit or payment).

Will undergraduate students participating in the program receive funding from CRA?

No, the UR2PhD program does not provide funding for undergraduates. Undergraduate students participating in the program will receive access to our virtual, synchronous research methods course, as well as bridge workshops.

Undergraduate students should direct any compensation questions to their faculty advisor. Faculty advisors are strongly encouraged to provide students with either course credit or pay for their engagement in the research project and course.

NOTE: Students who successfully complete the course will become eligible for additional funding opportunities, including technical conference travel and REU funding.

Are there any fees or tuition associated with participating in the program?

No, this program is designed to offer free support and mentorship to students who want to explore research opportunities. However, all students must currently be enrolled in courses at their home institution.

Do I have to commit to the entire program to participate?

Yes, to be considered, students must be able to commit at least 10 hours per week to conduct research for their project, attend the research methods course, and complete any associated assignments.

How often is the undergraduate course offered?

We plan to run the undergraduate research training course throughout the year. For 2024, we offered summer and fall sessions. For 2025, we will offer sessions in the spring, summer, and fall.

If you are not selected to participate the first time you apply, please consider reapplying for a future session.

If the course is virtual, how is it taught?

The course is fully virtual and students participate in synchronous sessions over Zoom.

Students are view and submit assignments via Canvas. To build community, students are invited (but not required) to join the UR2PhD Discord server and a private LinkedIn group.

What types of workshops do you offer?

The Computing Research Engagement and Awareness workshops are broadly designed to teach students more about computing research and research careers.

The Graduate School Application workshops will be a cumulative experience that prepares students for completing a PhD application for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) programs.

These workshops collectively aim to empower students by offering them an enriching and inclusive environment to delve into computing research.

How can I access the workshops?

All workshops will be taking place via Zoom. Each workshop will have it’s own registration link. To learn more about the series, please toggle to the series page; links are available in the menu bar on the left of the screen.

Do I have to register by a certain date to be able to join the workshops?

No; registrations will be accepted through the end of each workshop. Please join as able.

What materials or software do I need?

To participate, students will need an active Zoom account.

Is there a schedule/agenda available?

Yes, please refer to the workshop page you are interested in:

Can I ask questions during the workshop?

Most of our workshops will be interactive. We hope you come with many questions!

Will the workshop be recorded for later viewing?

Yes. While we encourage students to attend workshops in a live manner, they will be made accessible on CRA’s YouTube channel at a later date.

What’s the duration of the workshop?

All workshops will be approximately one hour in length. While we hope participants can engage throughout the whole session, we encourage students to participate as their schedule allows.

Are there any prerequisites or recommended background knowledge?

There are no prerequisites.

What’s the format of the workshop (lecture, Q&A, breakout sessions, etc.)?

The moderators will be designing each session to be slightly different, but they will all have some interactive component.

Will there be a certificate of completion or any recognition for attending?

No. There will not be any official certificate of completion for attending sessions.

I am having technical difficulties. Who should I contact?

Contact ur2phd [at] cra [dot] org

UR2PhD: Undergraduate Research Methods Course by Computing Research Association’s UR2PhD Program. This work, “UR2PhD Undergraduate Research Methods Course”, is adapted from “Early Research Scholars Program” by Christine Alvarado, UC San Diego, used under CC BY 4.0. “UR2PhD Undergraduate Research Scholars” is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the Computing Research Association’s UR2PhD Program and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International