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OUR Weekly: September 18

2023

Hi Hokies,

In this week’s newsletter:

Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Resources

1. Check out the OUR website

The OUR website has many resources to support you at any stage in your undergraduate research journey. Some pages of particular relevance:

2. Drop-in hours with OUR Ambassadors

The OUR Ambassadors will be holding drop-in office hours every Monday from 9:00-10:00 a.m. in 220 Gilbert Street room 2101. Stop by and ask your research questions!

3. Undergraduate Research Opportunity Databases

4. Registering for Undergraduate Research Credits

If you are planning to complete undergraduate research for credit you must submit college-specific digital forms to your College Dean’s Office, typically within the first week of classes each semester. This form must be signed and approved by your research mentor (faculty member). Every college has their own procedure and deadline so check your college website for more information. Links to individual college pages are available on the OUR webpage.

5. Undergraduate Research Excellence Program (UREP)

The Undergraduate Research Excellence Program is designed to recognize students for their engagement in undergraduate research. It is open to any student, any major, and any academic year. You will track your journey through undergraduate research, from training and engaging to disseminating and reflecting. You will receive recognition at graduation with a specialty designed cord, and are eligible to receive awards at the Spring Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research Conference hosted annually by Virginia Tech.

6. Apply to become an OUR Ambassador

Are you passionate about undergraduate research? Do you want to share that passion and help other students get involved in research? The OUR is accepting applications to the OUR Student Ambassador Program. Students from any discipline are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, applicants must have prior research experience in any field. OUR Ambassadors are the face of the office and help advise and guide students interested in research. They interact with students through office hours, conduct information sessions, and help with outreach events. Apply to be an OUR Ambassador!

Virginia Tech Research Opportunities 

1. Translational Plant Sciences Center Research Opportunities

There are several opportunities available for paid or academic credit research with the Translational Plant Sciences Center.

  • Bargmann Lab
    • Seeking undergraduate research assistants to work with wheat tissue culture
    • $15/hr, 10 hrs per week
    • Email bastiaan@vt.edu
  • Jelesko Lab
    • Seeking undergraduate research assistants to work with wheat tissue culture
    • 9-12 hrs for academic credit
    • $10/hr for extensive genomics experience
    • Email jelesko@vt.edu
  • Williams Lab
    • Microbiome diversity and soy bean/corn characterization of nitrogen fixing bacteria as well as microbial activity in plants and soils- soil organic matter
    • Internships and paid positions
    • Email markwill@vt.edu
  • McDowell Lab
    • Seeking an undergraduate research assistant to help the group understand how plants and pathogens fight each other at the molecular level, and to examine new approaches for disease control in crops
    • $15/hr, 5-10 hrs/week during Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters, and 20-40 hrs/week during Summer 2024
    • Will provide training in molecular lab techniques in the context of plant and microbial biology, based on broadly applicable principles of host-pathogen interactions.
    • Email johnmcd@vt.edu
  • Join our community

2. Global Change Center Undergraduate Research Grant

The Global Change Center at Virginia Tech, with support from the Fralin Life Sciences Institute, is proud to sponsor undergraduate students and their research projects that align with their mission for advancing collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to address critical global changes impacting the environment and society.

Projects that address basic and/or applied aspects of global change science, engineering, social science and the humanities are eligible for this funding opportunity, and proposals must include strong endorsement by a GCC-affiliated faculty member.

Award requests can range from $250-$1,000. Find more information and application materials on the GCC research grant website.

3. VT Exchange: Technical University of Munich Practical Research Experience Program

Spend the summer of 2024 in Munich, Germany doing research with 40 others from around the world. The program is English taught and offers up to 60 different research projects.

Students can find the VT application and attached materials at the applicant search page. “VT Exchange: TUM PREP (Practical Research Experience Program)” is the search title.

The program runs from July 1-August 29, 2024.  Note, this does run through the first week of Fall 2024 semester so students should be prepared to speak to instructors about this issue by May 1, 2024 in order to gain approval to be late for the Fall term.

VT students should first apply by the November 1, 2023 deadline in the search platform. Then they will do a short interview and one student is nominated who will then do the TUM-PREP application including a ranking of their project preferences by November 22, 2023.  Students will also need to provide a letter of reference as part of the TUM-PREP application materials.

Conferences and Journal Submissions

1. Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia

The Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) is a consortium of Virginia colleges and universities dedicated to supporting undergraduate research and creative activity throughout the state.

The NURVa conference is an opportunity for undergraduates in all disciplines to present their research and creative work at the 4th annual statewide conference. The conference will be held on November 18, 2023, on the campus of Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA.

Conference registration, which includes lunch, will be free as the conference has been completely underwritten by a generous grant from the 4-VA Foundation.

NURVa invites submissions from undergraduates in all disciplines in the categories of oral presentation (12-minute), poster, or performance.

Submit abstracts (750 words maximum) with one letter of support from a faculty mentor endorsing the presentation of the project. Submission deadline for students and for faculty letters is midnight, October 15, 2023. No more than two submissions are permitted per student. See the NURVa Submission Form. Email Dr. David A. Salomon with any questions.

2. Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Undergraduate Scholarship

The 25th annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Undergraduate Scholarship (MARCUS) will be held on November 4, 2023. MARCUS is a presentation venue for undergraduate scholarship in all disciplines. This event will take place entirely in person on the Randolph College campus.

All attendees (presenters, faculty, mentors, and guests) need to register to attend MARCUS via the Simpletix portal. The early bird rate ends on September 22, 2023.

All student presenters must complete this Application to Submit a Presentation (deadline October 6, 2023) to be approved, scheduled for MARCUS, and included in the program. They reserve the right to edit abstracts, and/or request abstracts to be rewritten and resubmitted.

Additional details are available at the MARCUS site.

3. Virginia Academy of Science Fall Conference

The Virginia Academy of Science (VAS) Fall conference has been held annually since 2001 and is a competitive 'grant proposal’ meeting. Undergraduate students at universities and colleges in Virginia will submit a proposal using the online portal, which opens September 1, 2023. Students will present their prospective research projects at the conference in a poster presentation format to a panel of judges.

This conference is open to all scientific disciplines, and recent submissions have included projects that explore topics in biomedical science, molecular biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, ecology, psychology, neuroscience, and physics.

The undergraduate research grants are designed to facilitate the execution of student projects and provide recipients with the opportunity to present their results at their Spring meeting. This year, they plan to award $900 grants to the ten most outstanding proposals.

The call for proposals will open on September 1, 2023 and will close on October 1, 2023.

Faculty advisors are not required to attend, but they greatly appreciate any attending faculty who are willing to serve as judges.

The VAS 2023 Fall meeting will be held at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA on Saturday, October 29, 2023, from approximately 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The Spring meeting will be held at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA on May 16, 2024.

Please visit the Virginia Academy of Science website or email rwaters@umw.edu for any additional information.

Other Opportunities

1. WEGE Prize

The Wege Prize is an annual team-based student competition focused on the circular economy and regenerative design. Applications are now open through October 8.

Program highlights are as follows:

  • Open to all full-time college/university students around the world, at all degree levels.
  • Phase 1 (Application): Students independently form teams of 5 and apply with a basic research plan that identifies a wicked problem and proposes a circular design solution.
  • Phase 2: Accepted teams refine their ideas and submit a full project summary, which is then reviewed by a panel of core judges: seasoned professionals in the fields of biodesign and materials, the circular economy, sustainable business, and more. All submissions will receive valuable feedback on their project summaries, regardless if they move forward in the competition!
  • Phase 3: After receiving feedback from the judges, the pool is narrowed down to a set of semifinalist teams who will then continue to work on their project summary.
  • Phase 4: Selected finalist teams present their project/ideas to a live audience in May (travel is reimbursed up to $3k) and compete for a portion of a $65k cash prize pool. Award funds can be used at the individual team members' discretion.

Visit wegeprize.org to learn more or email wicked@wegeprize.org with questions!

2. Virginia Tech’s Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH) Fall Open House - October 20-21

Apply to join the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH) Fall Open House! The application deadline is October 1, 2023. Learn about the exciting opportunities available within TBMH, tour state of the art facilities and labs, hear about the wide range of cutting edge research happening at Virginia Tech, get to know TBMH students, faculty, leadership, and more! The open house is for prospective students intending to apply to research-intensive Ph.D. programs, looking to enroll in Fall 2024. For students invited to attend, TBMH will provide lodging and travel expenses, for those living outside of the Blacksburg/Roanoke area. Note international travel will not be covered.

Looking for general information about TBMH? Connect with the program through a virtual information session. Learn about the program, the admissions process, hear from current students and more.

  • October 6, 2023
  • December 8, 2023

3. Student Survey by Career and Professional Development

Career and Professional Development wants to know more about what you did this summer as they continue to develop and support career-related experiences for students.

Did you:

  • Have an internship?
  • Complete a co-op?
  • Study abroad?
  • Volunteer?
  • Participate in research?
  • Shadow a professional?

Complete the Career and Professional Development survey for a chance to win a pair of AirPods Pro (2nd gen). There will be 4 winners. Email Cody Smith for more information.

4. BMEN Student Ambassadors

As part of the Black Male Excellence Network's (BMEN) vision to expose students to ongoing undergraduate research opportunities and build confidence in securing internships, co-ops, and study abroad opportunities, BMEN is seeking to hire student ambassadors who provide peer mentoring and coaching, guiding them through the BMEN Scholars program journey. Student ambassadors will be recruited by BMEN's coordinator and graduate assistant and later receive professional development training. Familiarity with various campus resources will be an added advantage. Thus, they are hiring only sophomore, junior, and senior students. If you are an enthusiastic student leader, work-study eligible, and love peer mentorship, submit your application form.

5. Healthcare Admissions Advantage

Healthcare Professions Advising is hosting an Admissions Advantage Event for students interested in non-physician healthcare professions. The event is Sunday, October 1, at 5:30 p.m. Meet and learn from healthcare education professionals and local clinical practitioners in three 10- to 15-minute roundtable conversations, followed by 45-60 minutes of open networking. This year, the event will be hosted in-person. The on-campus location will be sent to registered attendees.

Before registering, please check your calendar carefully. Signing up for the event is a professional commitment. The event will begin promptly at 5:35 p.m. (arrivals expected by 5:30 p.m.) and attendees are expected to be present for the full event. Registration continues through Monday, September 18 at 4:00 p.m.  

Open and FREE to all VT students and alumni. Meet with representatives from:

  • Art Therapy
  • Athletic Training
  • Chiropractic
  • Counseling
  • Dentistry
  • Health Administration/Health Policy
  • Laboratory Animal Sciences
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pathology Assisting
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Physician Assistant
  • Public Health
  • Surgical Assisting
  • Veterinary Medicine

This is a great opportunity to meet with professionals in a variety of healthcare fields and find out what they look for in applicants and what their professions are really like.

Note: They hope to accommodate 150-180 students for this event. However, please be aware that if student interest exceeds our capacity, they may need to place some students on a waitlist. This event is appropriate for students of all academic years as well as alumni!

6. SPES 3954: Environment, Health, and Culture Trip to Ecuador

Spend over two weeks in the diverse regions of Ecuador, exploring the interactions of our environment and our health, and how we are shaped by our culture, community, society, and government. You will explore and learn about 3 ecosystems, comparative medical systems, service projects, agroforestry, medicinal plants, and South American culture. This is a 3-credit winter course; most departments count this in CLE Area 2/7 (check with your advisor). Trip dates are December 27, 2023–January 12, 2024.

Excursions:

  • Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage City
  • Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Center Isolated ecosystems and a "living museum and showcase of evolution"
  • Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Amazon Rainforest
  • Hacienda Verde, Andean dry forest, traditional medicine
  • Otavalo, traditional medicine and artisan market

Tentative program fee is $4,500 which includes most meals, all lodging, and all in-country travel. The program fee does not include airfare or tuition.

Email Dr. Matt Eick or Renee Eaton for information.

7. ACC Innovation Initiative Research Grant Request for Proposals

The Atlantic Coast Conference and the Center for Research in Intercollegiate Athletics at UNC- Chapel Hill extend a request for proposals for the fourth annual ACC Innovation Initiative Research Grant Program. The purpose of this competitive program is to assist conference athletics administrators with data-driven decision-making. To accomplish this, several grants will be awarded to financially support faculty members and students from ACC member institutions, including Virginia Tech, who conduct research related to issues deemed critical by conference athletics administrators. Priority will be given to research related to the following topical areas:

  • Student-athlete welfare,
  • Revenue generation and finance/budgeting-related topics,
  • Organizational behavior and managerial issues within athletics departments,
  • Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), and
  • Current issues, including governance structure and transfer student-athletes.

Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 20. Additional information, including a link to the proposal submission platform, is available on the program flyer.

8.   Biosafety and Biosecurity Month Events

  • Lab Activities Challenge: Work with your lab group to complete as many activities as possible that are listed on the BINGO activity card. Submit the card for a chance to win the annual traveling Biosafety and Biosecurity Month Lab Challenge Trophy!
  • Biosafety and Biosecurity Month Event Day: October 25, 2023, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. in Steger Hall lobby and auditorium
    • Spill response escape room 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
    • Activities and games
    • Raffle prizes and free gifts

9.   Intelligence Community Forum – Today!

Join the Hume Center tonight at 6:00 p.m. in NCB 360 for a special forum with representatives from Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). The forum participants will discuss their agencies and career paths. They will also answer moderated participant questions.

NOTE: All of these representatives will be attending the Aerospace, Defense, and Intelligence Career Fair on Tuesday, September 19 at Squires Student Center.

Register through Handshake!

Email the Hume Center with any questions.