Spring Break
Undergrad Research Rising Trend At UConn
Freesia Singngam
Issue date: 2/9/07 Section: News
With students engineering biodiesel monitors outside of the classroom, monitoring stem cells in labs and creating new set designs in theaters, undergraduate research is on the rise at UConn, following a trend of many universities across the nation.
"Undergraduate research, it's definitely on the rise," said Dr. Jennifer Lease Butts, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. "We're seeing more universities putting more offices in for undergraduate research."
Lease Butts has been director of the Office of Undergraduate Research for 1 1?2 years and has noticed an increase in applicants for research at UConn.
"Students are interested in not just theories and facts and figures, but application," Lease Butts said. "I think that they're looking for a way to learn material differently."
The Office of Undergraduate Research does three main things, according to Lease Butts. It assists with placement of students in research, hosts an annual showcase of research called "Frontiers" and offers grants to fund research. The office works with faculty, schools and foundations to give students research opportunities and funding.
"It's being a part of a community of scholars, really," Lease Butts said. "It's a good personalization of education."
Lease Butts estimates that about 75 students have visited the Office of Undergraduate Research in the past year to start research.
About 100 students applied for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) grant, and about 50 applied for the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR grant), Lease Butts estimated. Between summer 2005 and summer 2006, there was a 40 percent increase in applications for SURF grants.
Those numbers do not include students who were already working on research or found research on their own. There is no requirement for people to report outside undergraduate research, so the numbers may be much higher, Lease Butts said.
When most people think of research, they think about people in labs. However, research is conducted in every subject.
"Undergraduate research, it's definitely on the rise," said Dr. Jennifer Lease Butts, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. "We're seeing more universities putting more offices in for undergraduate research."
Lease Butts has been director of the Office of Undergraduate Research for 1 1?2 years and has noticed an increase in applicants for research at UConn.
"Students are interested in not just theories and facts and figures, but application," Lease Butts said. "I think that they're looking for a way to learn material differently."
The Office of Undergraduate Research does three main things, according to Lease Butts. It assists with placement of students in research, hosts an annual showcase of research called "Frontiers" and offers grants to fund research. The office works with faculty, schools and foundations to give students research opportunities and funding.
"It's being a part of a community of scholars, really," Lease Butts said. "It's a good personalization of education."
Lease Butts estimates that about 75 students have visited the Office of Undergraduate Research in the past year to start research.
About 100 students applied for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) grant, and about 50 applied for the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR grant), Lease Butts estimated. Between summer 2005 and summer 2006, there was a 40 percent increase in applications for SURF grants.
Those numbers do not include students who were already working on research or found research on their own. There is no requirement for people to report outside undergraduate research, so the numbers may be much higher, Lease Butts said.
When most people think of research, they think about people in labs. However, research is conducted in every subject.
Be the first to comment on this story