Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) UNSW

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Introduction: What is UROP?

UROP provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to experience real life in a research laboratory and gain insight into biomedical research and career opportunities.

How does it work?

Students undertake projects as part of the research activities of a biomedical research laboratory. They are supervised by a research scientist in a mentoring role and work alongside other staff and students as part of a team. The project can be experimental and based in a laboratory, bioinformatical or an epidemological project.

The scheme is not part of undergraduate coursework. However, it is supported by the university as it aims to provide a vertical integration of practical research in the undergraduate years.

What are the benefits of participating in UROP?

There are many benefits to participating in UROP. As a student, you will get paid while you:

• Experience being part of a research team
• Develop expertise in laboratory skills
• Potentially contribute to scientific publications, patents and presentations
• Create future job and post-graduate opportunities through networking

What is the time commitment?

Students are recommended to spend 8 hours per week on their project during term. Times are arranged between supervisors and students to fit in with both the students and supervisors commitments. During vacation periods students may work in the laboratory full-time, but this should be negotiated between the student and supervisor before the project begins. It is desirable that students commence their project during the vacation period, so they can integrate into the laboratory before semester recommences.
The Faculty of Medicine offers a $5000 subsidy to five supervisors (to be paid into a research account nominated by the supervisor) to help defray the costs of employing a UROP student. A successful student applicant should discuss this arrangement with the supervisor, as the Faculty is not able to offer more than the agreed $5000.

Who can apply?

The scheme is open to any undergraduate at UNSW (except Medical Students). Students can join the Program from the second year onwards of their undergraduate course (or third year onwards in the case of double degrees).

The scheme appeals particularly to Science, Biomedical Science and combined-Science degree students, including those studying the biomedical sciences, genetics, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, sociology, mathematics and statistics. Students from non-scientific courses are welcome to apply but will need to demonstrate their particular interest in biomedical research.

When are applications open?

There are two rounds of UROP intakes per year to coincide with the winter and summer vacations.

Applications for the summer round are now open and will close November 6 2009

Send to: Dr John Hunt, Dept of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW ().

How do I apply?

A call for expressions of interest in UROP is distributed via the Faculty of Medicine website. Students submit a letter of application (see Instructions), a CV including the name of one academic referee, and a copy of their academic transcript to the UROP Program Manager.

Please re-visit the Faculty of Medicine website from September 2008 for applications for the Summer 2009 round. To learn more, download Application Instructions (doc)

How are students selected?

The selection process occurs in 3 stages:

1. Students are selected for interview based on their application.
   
   
2. At an interview, particular subject areas of interest can be discussed. These are used to assist matching the student to a particular project and supervisor.
   
   
3. After the interview, selected applicants are introduced to a suggested supervisor at an informal meeting, to discuss the scope of the proposed project. If successful, students receive a letter of offer containing an outline of the work to be performed. If the meeting with the proposed supervisor is not successful, we would endeavour to find an alternative placement for the student.

Are UROP students paid?

Students receive an hourly casual rate of pay for the time they work on their project, approximately equivalent to Higher Education Worker (HEW) 2 Casual. They are required to fill out time sheets to confirm their attendance. These must be signed by their supervisor.
Payment is managed through the department where the student will be employed.

What conditions apply to UROP projects?

Students receive full OH&S training upon induction into the research institution. In the time that they are present in the research institution, they are covered by all regulations and conditions governing the organisation, including occupational health and safety, good scientific practice, ethics, intellectual property and confidentiality.

What are the students’ responsibilities?

Students are required to:

• Work in a manner that complies with codes of good scientific practice, animal and human ethics regulations and occupational health and safety procedures.

• Sign the Intellectual Property and Confidentiality agreements of the research institution (if applicable).

• Work in a cooperative manner with other members of the research team, sharing results and meeting regularly with their supervisor.

• Keep to the hours of work agreed to between the student and supervisor and give reasonable notice if they need to suspend work on their project in order to concentrate on their studies. Note that the students performance in their undergraduate course must come first and academic performance will be monitored to ensure it is not detrimentally affected by participation in UROP.

Who manages UROP?

The UROP Manager (Dr John Hunt), Faculty of Medicine UNSW.

Information for Supervisors

Supervisors are invited to to submit applications to host students in their laboratories through the UROP scheme. Entry into the scheme by students is highly competitive. Faculty of Medicine coordinates the selection of students and their matching to suitable projects.

Note that UROP is not a vacation scholarship scheme but is designed to allow students to become integrated in the research group - students would be expected to hold the position for a minimum of 6 months.

Students in the scheme are employed by the host laboratory as casual staff, at a rate approximately equivalent to universities' HEW 2 level. Prospective supervisors need to ensure they are able to support the position for the envisaged period of the project and be able to arrange suitable supervision of the student.

It is recommended that students work an average of 8 hours a week on their project during semester and full-time for part of the long vacations. Below is a letter of invitation to join the UROP scheme and a form to be completed by prospective supervisors. Please contact the Program Manager for more information.

For the period June to December 2009, the faculty will provide a subsidy of $5000 to five UROP supervisors to help defray the costs of employing a UROP student. The supervisor must be able to nominate a UNSW (or affiliate) research or school account to accept these funds. The supervisor must decide how many hours they can afford to employ the UROP student, as the Faculty will not cover employment costs above $5000. The supervisor may supplement these funds to increase the number of hours that the student is employed. The $5000 provided by the faculty may not be used for any other purpose and unspent funds must be repaid to the faculty.

To learn more, download Letter to Supervisor (doc)

Supervisor Application Form

Prospective supervisors are requested to complete the attached form, including a general description of their research or the project area the student would be engaged on.

Completed forms may be sent by e-mail to the Program Manager: Dr John Hunt ().

To learn more, download Supervisor Application Form (doc)

Contact

The UROP Program Manager (Dr John Hunt) can be contacted for further information. Email () or telephone on 9385 1580.