Faculty Frequently Asked Questions

You will submit a brief (250-300) word abstract of your project using our project portal. Your abstract should generally describe the research the student will be conducting, why it is significant, skills the ideal student will need, and skills they will develop while conducting this research.  Some faculty submit a description for a specific project, others outline general areas of research that the student could conduct in their lab. Both are acceptable. Please make sure that your project description is understandable to an undergraduate student. Project applications will be reviewed by the UPRISE director and then posted to the UPRISE website, where students can view them.

Faculty mentors contribute 50% of the student stipend ($3,000). The UPRISE program contributes the other 50%. Mentor funds can come from sources such as departmental or college funds as well as grants. Please note that NIH funding does not allow for grant funding to be used towards scholarships and fellowships. The stipend that UPRISE students receive falls under this category of educational assistance.

Applicants to UPRISE are evaluated by the UPRISE committee, which will select  up to 20 students to be admitted to the program each year. The UPRISE Committee will conduct a holistic application review to evaluate a student’s potential for success in the program. Factors considered include GPA, a student’s potential for research (as described in their letters of recommendation), and their personal statement. In their personal statement students will reflect on their how their life experiences and background inspire the desire to participate in UPRISE, and how the program can help them to achieve their academic and long-term career goals.  

Prior to submitting their UPRISE application, students will also meet and interview with faculty mentors that they are interested in working with. The UPRISE committee will solicit faculty feedback from mentors on these interviews, and will use that information, as well as student information about project preference, to match accepted students to specific mentors and projects. 

*Please be aware that students must be accepted into the UPRISE program to participate. Providing feedback and selecting a student does not ensure their acceptance. As noted earlier, various criteria are considered to determine a student’s eligibility for the program.

One of the strengths of the UPRISE program is the mentorship that students receive. While we recognize that students may have multiple mentors in their research lab (including postdocs and advanced graduate students), you will be their primary faculty mentor. With that in mind, we ask that you make every effort to be a consistent presence during the UPRISE program. However, travel is often inevitable (especially in the summer)—if you will be away from the lab make sure that your UPRISE student has a clear plan for how to conduct research in your absence and a designated person to check in with. If you are going to be away for a substantial amount of the program period then this may not be the best summer to take on an UPRISE student.