UPRISE @ UC

REU Program: Student FAQ's



  1. What is the UPRISE REU Summer Program?

  2. The UPRISE REU Summer Program is a 12-week summer research program that engages students students in research projects with faculty in a wide variety of disciplines.
  3. When is the application deadline?

  4. Application packets are due February 29, 2024. Please see application instructions, online application materials, and online letter-of-reference forms here (Click Here).
  5. Where do I find a listing of the various UPRISE projects for the summer?

  6. A listing and a brief description of each UPRISE project is available at REU Page.
  7. How do I select the projects/advisors pertaining to my field of interest?

  8. Review the projects listed (Review the projects listed here). When you have identified projects that interest you, contact the faculty mentors in charge of those projects to set up a meeting. You should use this meeting to discuss project details with the faculty mentor and determine if the project is a good fit for you. The faculty mentors also use this meeting to evaluate whether you would be a good fit for the project. You must meet with 2 UPRISE mentors for your application to be considered complete. Please set up these meetings well in advance of the UPRISE application deadline.
  9. How many projects/advisors should I list in the application?

  10. A completed application form should list two projects/advisors, in order of preference. If an applicant fails to list at least two projects, it is possible that the review Committee might be unable to place the applicant in the requested project in case a better candidate exists to those projects.
  11. Do I need to submit official transcripts? How do I do it?

  12. In order for your application to be complete you will need to provide unofficial transcripts. Once we have these we will formally request your official transcripts through the university (at no cost to you). You can access your unofficial transcript by following the instructions here on UC OneStop
  13. How many letters of recommendation are needed? Can one of those recommendations be from my preferred mentor for the program?

  14. Two completed recommendation letters are required per applicant. Remember to follow-up on your recommendation letters to make sure that they reach us by the application deadline.
    Here are some suggestions for the recommendation letters:

    • One or more of the recommendations and letters can come from the faculty listed as mentors on the current UPRISE research project abstracts. As part of the application process, you are required to meet with these faculty members. Use these meetings as opportunities to impress upon these faculty members that you are serious about their research project, and are committed to the research and all that they expect of you during the summer.

    • Students often have a greater degree of interaction with faculty teaching lab courses, so you may want to approach one of those faculty (not teaching assistants) with whom you had, or are currently taking, a lab course. You must request these faculty members (not teaching assistants) to comment specifically on your research potential.

    • Letters from high-school teachers may not serve you well, since the letters need to comment on your research potential, a key input we are seeking in a UPRISE REU recommendation.

    • Letters from friends or classmates are not acceptable.


    Recommendation letters must comment on your potential for research
  15. When will I know the results of the application review?

  16. The review process will occur soon after the application deadline and the applicants will be informed of the results in early April.
  17. Will I be allowed to take one or two courses during the summer when I participate in the UPRISE program? These courses are available only in the summer, and I need these courses in order to graduate in my major.

  18. The UPRISE program requires your full-time commitment on your research project, i.e., a minimum of 40 hours of research effort per week. Moreover, this is a full-immersion program; hence, no concurrent course work is permitted, even if these courses are scheduled in the evening hours.
  19. Can I retain my part-time job for which I work only in the evenings or on the weekends?

  20. The UPRISE program requires your full-time commitment on your research project, i.e., a minimum of 40 hours of research effort per week. Moreover, this is a full-immersion program; hence, no concurrent employment is permitted, even if the hours for this part-time employment are scheduled during the evenings and/or weekends.
  21. Will UPRISE impact my financial aid?

  22. The funding you receive from this award is classified as a scholarship for financial aid purposes. Therefore, it could limit your ability to accept other scholarships or federal aid per institutional policy and federal regulations. Additionally, this award can reduce financial aid already received during this academic year. It is important to review your aid eligibility and the impact of this award with staff at One Stop prior to accepting this funding and to review information detailed at: https://financialaid.uc.edu/eligibility/scholarshiplimits.html.
  23. Our family has already scheduled a vacation during the UPRISE program period; will I be permitted to join them on this vacation?

  24. If this is unavoidable, and is for no more than one week, you may be permitted to begin your research earlier than the scheduled start date in May, so as to ensure that you contribute the full 12 weeks of time to your research project. All arrangements for this must be discussed and finalized at the time of the original application to the Program, and of course, must be coordinated with your project mentor as well.
  25. What are the start and end dates of the UPRISE REU Summer Program?

  26. The 2021 UPRISE program start and end dates are May 6 - July 26, 2024.
  27. Is the program applicable to international students?

  28. Yes, UPRISE is not limited to U.S citizens. All UC undergraduate students STEM majors may apply for UPRISE.
  29. Is the program applicable to graduate students who are very interested?

  30. UPRISE is meant for only Undergraduate students STEM majors at UC. However, if a specific project interests you, as a graduate student you can assist the UPRISE participants with their research after obtaining approval from the respective mentor. It is up to the mentor to arrange for any payment. UPRISE will not provide any payment to the Graduate Student.
  31. Can graduate students assist the mentors?

  32. Yes, if a specific project interests you, as a graduate student, you can assist the UPRISE participants with their lab research after obtaining approval from the respective mentor. It is up to the mentor to arrange for any payment.
  33. I do not want to take part in the UPRISE program. But, I would like to attend the UPRISE workshops organized. Do I have an opportunity?

  34. UPRISE weekly workshops are designed to educate all emerging researchers on important topics pertinent to the process of research. If you wish to attend these workshops and you are not a part of UPRISE, you must communicate with your advisor about your interest in these workshops and request approval from the Director of REU Program.
  35. What is the amount of stipend for UPRISE student participants?

  36. The present student stipend amount is $4,500 for the 12-week program, and will be reflected in the yearly UPRISE-REU announcement. a minimum of 40 hours of research effort per week is expected.
  37. Does UPRISE provide accommodation for the student participants?

  38. No, UPRISE does not provide housing for the UPRISE students during the summer, i.e., the UPRISE program does not make arrangements for the housing, and also does not cover any of the associated costs. In the past, UPRISE students were indeed housed on a common floor in one of the student residence halls; you will need to check with the Housing office to learn if that is still being done. The Housing office (Email: uchousing@uc.edu) should also be able to guide you with locating places available on campus as well as off-campus:
    https://www.uc.edu/housing.html
    https://www.uc.edu/international/services/students/life/housing/off-campus-housing.html
  39. Does UPRISE assist with parking for the student participants?

  40. No, UPRISE does not provide parking space for the UPRISE students during the summer, i.e., the UPRISE program does not make arrangements for parking, and also does not cover any of the associated costs. Please arrive early to obtain a spot on the street or in one of the UC’s garages. Please visit the UC Website (http://www.uc.edu/parking.html), or call the Parking Services at 513-556-2283 for further assistance.
  41. What if I cannot attend a UPRISE weekly workshop?

  42. If you are not able to attend a weekly workshop you must do the following:
    • Inform the REU Program Director and the UPRISE GAs, by email, stating your reason for not being able to attend a workshop, as soon as you know that you will not be able to attend.

    • Arrange with one or more UPRISE students to collect any material handed out at the UPRISE workshop you are missing.

    • Follow up with one or more UPRISE students to learn the important points discussed during the workshop.

    • Email to the UPRISE director and the UPRISE GAs of the information you gathered about the workshop.

    Attendance at the workshops is mandatory, as these workshops are all planned and intended to support your preparation for learning, research and overall professional skills development.
  43. What do I need to include in my application essay? How long does it need to be?

  44. The UPRISE application requires a 500-word essay describing your reasons for wanting to participate in the UPRISE program, what you hope to gain from this experience, and comments on your career plan as best as you can define it at the present time.
    Outlined below is the step-by-step procedure for student selection:

    1. Student reviews projects listed on the UPRISE website.
    2. Student schedules meeting with UPRISE mentors.
    3. Student completes UPRISE application, including a ranking of their top 3 projects and the dates that they met with these project mentors.
    4. Mentors provide UPRISE co-Directors with a ranking of the students they met with.
    5. UPRISE committee reviews applications and matches students with mentors based on qualifications and student/mentor preference.
    6. Accepted students will be notified of the matching process; a copy of that communication will be sent to the respective mentors.
    7. Remaining applicants will be informed that they were not accepted to this year’s UPRISE program.
  45. What if the I mentor I would like to be placed with does not currently have a UPRISE project listed?

  46. If you have a mentor that you would like to be placed with we ask that you encourage the mentor to submit a project to the UPRISE program. The deadline for faculty to submit projects is December 28th 2021.

This is a summary of the program procedures. Please be sure to contact the UPRISE Program Director if you have questions. Thank you for your interest in UPRISE.


Questions?

Contact: Tiffany Grant, Ph.D., UPRISE REU Director (Email: tiffany.grant@uc.edu)