UROP


	Once you have logged on the Member menu will appear.

Education General UROP UROP FAQ UROP Application

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM (UROP)

Applications for Summer 08/09 round are open from 1 September to 26 September (closing time 5.00pm).

No late applications will be considered.

Introduction
UROP is a scheme designed to give undergraduate students an early opportunity to experience real life in a research laboratory and gain insight into careers in biomedical research.

How does UROP work?
Students undertake a project which is part of the research program of a biomedical research laboratory. They are supervised by a research scientist in a mentoring role and work alongside other research staff and students in the team. The project can be experimental and based in a laboratory, bioinformatical or statistical.

While the scheme is not a formal part of undergraduate coursework, it is supported by universities because it aims to provide a vertical integration of practical research into the undergraduate years. Students will be able to practise the knowledge and skills obtained in undergraduate science-based courses in this program and vice versa.

What are the benefits of participating in UROP?

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

Be part of the excitement of being a researcher in an internationally competitive laboratory
Experience being part of a research team
Develop expertise in laboratory techniques and experimental design
Potentially contribute to scientific publications, patents and presentations
Create future job and post-graduate opportunities through networking
Benefit from workshops in scientific and career development

How much time does participation require?
In general, the students are expected to spend 8 hours per week on their project. The times are arranged between supervisors and students to fit in with both the students and supervisors commitments. During vacation periods, students would usually work in the laboratory full-time for a total of at least 6 weeks (4 weeks during the summer and 2 weeks during the winter recess). It is desirable that students commence their project during the vacation period, so they can integrate into the laboratory before semester recommences.

Who can apply?
The scheme is open to any undergraduate in any Victorian tertiary institution. Students can join the Program from the second year onwards of their undergraduate course onwards (or third year onwards in the case of double degrees). Students currently in the first year of their course (or first two years in the case of double degrees) or in their final semester are not eligible to apply.

The scheme appeals particularly to Science, Biomedical Science and combined-Science degree students, including those studying the biomedical sciences, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, 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 winter round are open in April and applications for the summer round are open in September.

Applications open 1 September 2008 and close 26 September 2008 for the summer round.

Applications close 5.00 pm on the closing date.

Late applications will not be accepted.

How can students apply?
A call for expressions of interest in UROP is distributed via e-mail through some university student databases for science and related fields. 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.

Applications use an on-line procedure. Please re-visit the website from 1 September 2008 for applications for the Summer 2008/09 round. Click on the UROP Application tab that will be activated at that time.

**Please note, there are specific instructions associated with your application that may change from time to time. DO NOT complete the application form without reading the Instructions first. Incorrect or incomplete applications will not be accepted.**

To learn more, download Application Instructions (Word file 220 KB)

How are students selected?
The selection process occurs in 3 stages:
1. Students are selected for interview based on their entire 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.
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. Payment is managed through each research institution's Human Resources unit.

What conditions apply to UROP projects?
Students receive full safety 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 Program was started by two Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs), the Gene CRC and the CRC for Cellular Growth Factors in 1999. The management of UROP transferred to Bio21 Australia Ltd in 2004.

Which institutions offer places in UROP?
The Program runs at present in several research institutes and university departments including:

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

St. Vincents Institute of Medical Research

Howard Florey Institute

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Monash Institute of Medical Research

Prince Henry's Institute

Departments of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

Department of Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

School of Population Health in in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University

School of Dental Science in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne

Department of Medicine - St Vincent's Hospital

The Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery

The Burnet Institute

Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute

The Bionic Ear Institute

Department of Otolaryngology - University of Melbourne

Victorian College of Pharmacy

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Orygen Youth Health

The Hugh Williamson Gait Analysis Laboratory - Royal Children's Hospital

Biogrid Australia

Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA)

NICTA

Bio21 Institute

CSIRO

and others

The Program is also expanding to include other major biomedical research institutions. The institutions that participate vary each round and the participation of any of the above institutes or departments is not guaranteed in any particular round.

UROP Projects - Students' perspective

You can contact other UROP students at the UROP Alumi Site at http://www.uropalumni.org/

The attached document contains some examples of previous UROP projects in the students' own words.

To learn more, download the file (PDF file 35 KB)

More Information - Background
Refer to the document below

To learn more, download UROP background information (PDF file 30 KB)

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. Bio21 Australia Ltd 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 are 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.

To learn more, download Invitation to Supervisors (Word file 211 KB)

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: e.johnson@unimelb.edu.au

To learn more, download Supervisor Application Form (Word file 211 KB)

Contact
The UROP Program Manager, Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, can be contacted for further information.
Email her here or telephone on +61 3 8344 2199.

UROP is a scheme designed to give undergraduate students an early opportunity to experience real life in a research laboratory and gain insight into careers in biomedical research.