Research Programs

ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program

admin — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 10:43:35 -0500

Cultivating the Future since 1982

Since 1982, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences has supported the ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program to provide research opportunities for upper-level undergraduate students who demonstrate superior academic ability and a strong interest in the agricultural and human sciences.

About the Program

News and Resources

IN PREPARATION: The first annual issue of ABSTRACTA BENTLEYANA (BENTLEYAN ABSTRACTS), the College of ACES' undergraduate research journal, is being edited for publication on this website in late 2008. The journal will be made available as a PDF file. Updates will be posted here as more information is developed.
COMING SOON: The ACES Undergraduate Research Handbook -- This new publication is currently in preparation. It will serve as a comprehensive guide to conducting undergraduate research projects in the College of ACES. All aspects of the process will be covered, from beginning to end. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available!
Essentials for Eaters and Dieters -- A Website Based on the Research of Several ACES James Scholars
Summer in the Grove of Academe -- A series of articles by ACES James Scholar alumna Katie Baker, a 2005 Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellow, in which Katie shares her memories and reflections on scientific research and the positive impact that it can have on the undergraduate experience at the University of Illinois.
Webguru: Guide to Research for Undergraduates -- A comprehensive site that provides information and resources for undergraduate researchers at Northeastern University in Boston.

Overview of the Undergraduate Research Program

admin — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:21:00 -0500

Program Objectives

The ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program is designed to develop and foster student interest in scholarly research in a broad range of biological, physical, and social science disciplines related to solving problems in the food, agricultural, consumer, and environmental sciences. Eligible students enrolled in the College of ACES are invited to apply for support for original research projects. Students conduct research projects under faculty guidance comparable to that given to graduate students. This is an opportunity for qualified students to explore the rapidly expanding frontiers of science and technology, meet major new intellectual challenges, and contribute to scientific knowledge.

Eligibility

Students are eligible for the ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program if they meet the following general requirements:

Reach either junior or senior status in an undergraduate degree program by the time that the project will be conducted;
Be officially enrolled with a declared academic major in the College of ACES;
Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher.

Approved projects are funded up to $1,000, based on a project budget submitted with the application. Students whose projects are approved are also awarded a $400 merit scholarship for the semester during which the research project is conducted.

Application

All proposals for projects beginning during the summer or fall terms must be submitted no later than the second Monday in April each year. Proposals for projects beginning in the spring term must be submitted by the second Monday in November of the preceding year. The research advisor for the proposed project must have a faculty appointment in the College of ACES.

Applicants are strongly urged to identify and define an appropriate research project well in advance of the application deadline. Application forms and other program information are available from the Honors Secretary in ACES Academic Programs (104 Mumford Hall).

Preparing the Research Proposal

Project proposals should follow the format shown on the application form and be limited to two pages plus a budget page and a title page. The project budget should itemize all funds necessary to support the proposed research. Allowable expenses include laboratory supplies (e.g., chemicals, glassware, lab animals, plant materials), other disposable supplies, and off-campus travel necessary to collect data. Funds will not be provided for labor or major equipment.

In general, students receiving academic credit for their research studies will be expected to use other resources to support needed computer time; projects involving specialized computer needs will be considered as exceptions. Any budget items that are not self-explanatory should be justified in footnotes.

Presentation of Research Findings

A project report (2-3 pages) summarizing research findings must be submitted in writing to the Honors Dean at the conclusion of the project so that funds can be released and accounts can be settled with the research advisor's department. Students are also expected to display their findings in a poster session competition at ExplorACES held each spring.

An undergraduate researcher whose paper has been accepted and who plans to present research results at a professional meeting may apply for up to $200 to help defray travel expenses.

Projects that lead to publication of full-length papers in peer-reviewed journals may qualify for up to $200 toward publication expenses. To qualify, the published paper must list the undergraduate researcher as an author and acknowledge support of the ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program.

Requests for supplemental funding should be made by letter to the Honors Dean and should provide evidence that an appropriate research paper has been scheduled for presentation and/or accepted for publication. Requests for travel funds must be submitted to the Honors Dean at least thirty (30) days prior to professional meetings.

Academic Credit

Undergraduate researchers may receive academic credit (typically up to 3 hours) by registering for an independent study course (usually DEPT 295 [for non-James Scholars] or DEPT 396 [for James Scholars]) during the semester in which the research project is completed. Standard registration procedures must be observed, with the final grade to be assigned by the research advisor when all project requirements have been met.

Challenging Tomorrow's Scientists

Our agricultural, consumer, and environmental science resource systems are complex and rapidly changing. Recent advances in information technology and biotechnology serve to underline the profound importance of today's agricultural science to society. Scientists are now using these tools to improve the production and utilization of food, fiber, fuels, chemical feedstocks, and other agricultural-related commodities while preserving our fragile environment and depletable natural resources.

Tomorrow's scientists will be at the forefront of scientific investigation, exploring even more sophisticated means of producing high-quality products, maximizing the use of our resources, and enhancing the quality of our daily lives. Many professionally trained graduates of the College of ACES will fill these critical roles. The ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program introduces highly qualified students to the fascinating and challenging world of agricultural, consumer, and environmental science research. By providing opportunities for student researchers to investigate important scientific problems and present new knowledge, we seek to increase their professional competency and help prepare them for the even greater challenges in the 21st century.

The ACES Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program is funded through private donations to the University of Illinois College of ACES.

Summer in the Grove of Academe

admin — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:55:11 -0500

Katie Baker's Summer 2005 Articles

Katie is one of four ACES James Scholars who participated in the Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellowship (HURF) Program during the summer of 2005. The following articles from Cursus Honorum chronicle Katie's HURF experiences from start to finish. For more information about this exceptional research opportunity, see Chapter VI of the ACES Honors Handbook.

Katie Baker represented the Class of 2006 on the ACES Honors Council for two years and is an active alumna member of the ACES James Scholar Media Team. (Photo appears courtesy of Katie.)

MAY 2005: HURF Program, Here I Come!

This summer, I will be working on campus through the HURF (Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellowship) Program. As many of you may know, this is the second year that the College of ACES has reserved four HURF positions specifically for ACES James Scholars. Luckily, I have been given a chance to participate in this program and to share my experiences with you.

My HURF faculty mentor is Dr. Darrel Kesler from the Department of Animal Sciences, and I will be doing my research in his reproductive biology lab. Our proposed research will investigate whether hCG can sustain a corpus luteum without altering the luteolytic signal. We will be using the cow as a model and hope to gain more insight on how a corpus luteum is sustained in the human. However, the HURF Program is not strictly composed of research. Some of my requirements are to participate with other HURF members in activities such as discussions and social events. In September, I will also be required to present a poster detailing my research and its results.

As far as living arrangements go, I will be living with other HURF and UMEB (Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology) participants at Illini Tower. You could probably compare it to the “learning communities” in the University dormitories, because part of the program's intention is to unite students interested in research. We will also have HURF advisors living among us, just like the University dorms.

Though I will not begin my research until the second week of June, I am very excited about being able to participate in the HURF Program. Not only will I get to spend a summer doing research on a subject that I enjoy, but I also hope to meet new people and expand my knowledge. Plus, I will be receiving a stipend and paid tuition for five hours of research credit! Now seriously, how can a summer get any better?

AUGUST 2005: The Summer of Research

It's amazing that summer is already heading into August and that the fall semester is right around the corner. I have been busy with HURF (Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellowship) all summer, and the time has flown right by! I am happy to report that my HURF experience has been, and still is, very intriguing and enjoyable. My fellow HURF counterparts are some of the nicest and most fun people I have met at the University of Illinois. It is nice to meet people with diverse backgrounds who share a common interest in scientific research. I plan on keeping in touch with many of them during my last year as an undergraduate and later on in life.

So far, this summer has basically consisted of lab/field work, HURF weekly activities and seminars, and extracurricular activities with my horses. I am now proficient in ultrasound, and I am currently learning to do progesterone assays. My research has also taken an interesting turn due to some data that my advisor and I analyzed. It may eventually evolve into an interesting research paper (more on that later!). I have learned so much more than I expected -- which is great, especially since I am still learning new things everyday.

The HURF activities and seminars have been both informative and engaging thus far. At this very moment, I am sitting on a charter bus en route to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago . We also visited beautiful Allerton Park in Monticello earlier this summer, which you must visit before you graduate. Though it may sound boring, there was even a very useful seminar on writing a scientific paper and preparing a presentation poster. Believe me; it has definitely made the scientific writing process much clearer and less burdensome! I have to give the HURF program due credit for striving to give their participants an educational and “horizon-broadening” research experience.

Soon my work in the lab will be complete for the summer, but I plan to continue with the HURF program throughout the next school year. My research will be presented at a HURF poster session in the Illini Union this September, and I will give you an overview of my research once I have finalized my presentation. Sadly, I do not look forward to this “research summer” ending so soon after it started -- research can be quite addicting, especially when you are surrounded by people who share the same passion for it as you!

October 2005: The HURF Program -- Not Just a Memory

The summer HURF Program ended in full this September with a banquet that included poster presentations of HURF research. My research detailed the use of the CIDR as a resynchronization tool in the CO-Synch+CIDR protocol in cattle. The research I presented will be expanded this fall and throughout the winter as I continue with the HURF Program. It was surreal how everything happened so quickly during the summer HURF Program, and then – BAM! – it was over in a flash. Yet I know the “quickness” of the summer was not only due to being busy with research, but also due to the amount of learning, fun, and excitement that came from participating in the HURF Program.

Seeing Body Worlds in Chicago, eating at HURF potlucks and the delicious Cheesecake Factory, visiting Allerton Park, and participating in other research activities helped uphold the program's reputation for a being an enjoyable yet broadening experience. The people were great, and the amount of expertise I gained in the area of estrus synchronization was priceless. I am only sorry I did not do this sooner in my college career, as the interest I gained in scientific research has made me want to do a lot more undergraduate research. Although I am participating in the HURF Program until graduation next May, getting involved prior to my senior year would have been exceptionally wonderful. But I am glad to have had a slice of the HURF Program rather than none at all! My summer as a HURF will never be just a memory in the back on my mind; it has instead expanded my academic interests to include research and added a new flare to my lifestyle. As I leave you with my last article detailing my summer HURF experience, I encourage you to give the HURF Program and/or undergraduate research heavy consideration. You will only learn more about yourself and the types of careers that may, or may not, be of interest to you – plus you will meet new people and have a lot of fun along the way!