Introduction
How to participate in UROP
Expectations of UROP
What is UROP?
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is an educational scheme designed to give undergraduate science students an opportunity to participate in a biomedical research project. UROP will give you early experience in biomedical research, while still enabling you to continue with formal studies, and assist you financially.
Benefits to UROP students
Who is
eligible?
Applications from 2 nd or 3rd year Science students enrolled in any Melbourne-based University will be considered by the CRC-CGF.
Where can
UROP be undertaken?
Each organisation within
the CRC-CGF is able to host UROP. The participating organisations in the
CRC-CGF are all based in
To enquire about participating in UROP through the CRC for the Discovery of Genes for Common Human Diseases, please contact them directly
When does
UROP run?
UROP runs through out the academic term and for part of the summer holidays and mid-semester break. Intakes will usually occur at 6 monthly intervals (ie/ January and June).
UROP is designed to fit in with students' academic time-tables, exam periods and with their supervisor's activities. Therefore the periods worked in the laboratory on a UROP project are flexible and should be worked out directly between student and supervisor. As we believe that students gain maximal learning from the program by coming into the laboratory regularly over the six-month period, we ask students and supervisors to consider the following model as a guide of our time expectations and our budget:
For a UROP position awarded in January or early February:
· 3 full-time weeks in February
· 8 hours per week for March, April and May (13 weeks)
· 1 week full-time in mid-semester holidays
Then for the last 6 months of the year:
· 1 full-time week during mid-semester break
· 8 hours per week for August, September and October (13 weeks)
· 3 full-time weeks in December
Therefore the guide for a UROP student funded for both the first half of the year and the second half of the year to gain research experience is:
· 26 weeks, spread out at approximately 8 hours per week during semesters 1 & 2
· 6 weeks of full-time experience (@ 35 hours per week)
Time sheets will be issued to UROP students to record their hours in the laboratory and should be returned to the UROP coordinator each fortnight. Should UROP students depart significantly from this guide of hours, the CRC-CGF Director, in liaison with both the UROP student and their supervisor will resolve how the UROP student can continue in a more sustainable manner in the scheme.
Role of the
UROP Coordinator
The UROP coordinator
· is the first point of contact for the program
· calls for, acknowledges, assesses applications and notifies applicants of the result of the selection process
· organises meetings between the CRC-CGF Director and applicants, and between potential supervisor(s) and applicants
· liaises between UROP students and supervisors
· liaises with WEHI Human Resources personnel
· organises reporting by UROPs
· conducts exit interviews
The UROP coordinator for
the CRC-CGF is Dr Doug Hilton.
How to apply
Please send an expression of interest including curriculum vitae, a letter from at least one referee and a copy of your academic transcript to:
Dr Doug Hilton
Principal Research Fellow
CRC for Cellular Growth Factors
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia
E-mail:
Applications will be
received through out the year. Only applications received prior to January 15
each year will be considered for that particular year and applications received
prior to the end of The University of Melbourne's semester 1 will be considered
for the last half of the year. Applicants who have successfully completed a
UROP in the first half of the year may, after discussions with the Director and
their supervisor, role-over their UROP into the latter half of the year.
Invitation
to attend an interview
Upon receipt, your application will be acknowledged and the UROP Coordinator will contact selected candidates to organise an interview. Potential research project(s) and supervisor(s) will be discussed at the interview and arrangements made for interviewees to meet directly with potential supervisors. After these interviews, all candidates will be notified of whether or not they have been successful in being accepted into UROP.
Administration
All students participating in UROP will be administered through The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). If your research project for UROP is based in another CRC-CGF participating organisation, then you will be seconded to that organisation from WEHI. Any administration queries (such as pay) should be directed in the first instance to Leecia Angus, Executive Officer in the CRC-CGF.
UROP payment
UROP participants will be casual employees of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and will be paid at a rate of approximately $18.85 per hour. This payment will be subject to tax.
Starting
UROP
Having been accepted into UROP, you and your UROP supervisor will organise the times when you will come into the laboratory (you will need your student timetable to do this). On your first day of UROP, you will be introduced to WEHI Human Resources staff who will require you to fill in forms regarding ownership of intellectual property, confidentiality and bank account details for deposit of your pay. If your host Institute is WEHI, an Institute Safety Officer will contact you to organise your participation in a safety course.
UROP
reporting requirements
The aim of UROP is to give you realistic experience in research in an internationally competitive laboratory. As a UROP you will be treated as a professional member of the research team from the beginning of your participation in the program. To assist with this process, UROP students are required to liaise with the UROP Coordinator at least once a month to discuss learning outcomes such as objectives of their project, skills gained and importantly, laboratory interactions.
All UROP scholarship holders are required to give a presentation of their work. The UROP Coordinator will choose the format for the presentation.
UROP students are required to forward their academic results to the UROP Coordinator as soon as they become available.
Expectations
UROP participants must:
· be honourable in their intentions to participate in UROP. This means that UROP participants should actively pursue the opportunity to learn research skills
enthusiastically and not simply participate in the program for the monetary benefit.
· conduct themselves with the same integrity and professionalism expected of all members of the CRC-CGF
· comply with WEHI administration procedures and adhere to their host Institute policies and procedures
· adhere to the formal reporting requirements for UROP
· liaise at least monthly with the UROP Coordinator
· maintain a high standard in their formal academic studies (at least comparable to their academic record prior to participating in UROP)
Discontinuation
UROP students must notify the UROP Coordinator and their supervisor(s) of their intention to discontinue UROP and come to an agreement about the date when their UROP will cease. UROP students discontinuing should make themselves available for an exit interview with the UROP Coordinator.
The Director of the CRC-CGF or the UROP Coordinator in consultation with the UROP participant and their supervisor(s) may request that a UROP student discontinue in the program if the student has not met the UROP expectations of if the program is experiencing a financial difficulty.
Written by Leecia Angus in September 2000 for prospective and existing UROP students. The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is the administrator of the UROP scheme on behalf of the CRC for Cellular Growth Factors.
The Cooperative Research Centre for Cellular Growth Factors. Disclaimer and Copyright Information.
Send comments to crccgf@wehi.edu.au, January
2004.