UROP


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UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM (UROP)
The UROP Team is delighted to announce that VLSCI and the State Government have agreed to sponsor the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to a value of AU$ 6000 per relevant project per student per annum. Projects that are only for 6 months will receive pro rata funding of $3000. Initially sponsorship was for 5 projects but due to demand VLSCI and the State Government have generously agreed to sponsor all 7 projects that were received that met the required criterea. This is subject to the match being succeessful and the placement going ahead.

Applications for winter 2010 will open on 1 April until 19 April 2010.

Applications must be submitted online in the format outlined in the application procedures provided on this site. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Applicants will be selected for interview based on their application. Interviews will take place during the first 2 weeks in May 2010.

Applicants who have not been successful in gaining an interview will be notified by the end of May.

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. Applications from students studying Maths and Stats and Computer Science are also encouraged.

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 (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 bioinformatics, mathematics and statistics, the biomedical sciences, genetics and molecular biology. 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 for the Winter 2010 round will open on 1 April 2010 until 19 April 2010. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

How can students apply?
Students submit a letter of application, a CV including the name of one academic referee, and a copy of their academic transcript using the online form on the website. Please note there is no notification of successul submission.

Applications use an on-line procedure. Please re-visit the website from 1 April 2010 for applications for the Winter 2010 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. Updated instructions are now available. Incorrect or incomplete applications will not be accepted.**

To learn more, download Application Instructions (Word file 990 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 administration of UROP is by the Bio21 Cluster. The Cluster provides the recruitment service only and does not directly employ UROP students. Students placed in the scheme are employed by the organisation in which they are placed.

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

Faculty of Pharmacy and pharmaceutical science - Monash University

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

CSL (also UROP Principal Sponsor)

Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) - Monash University

Patrys Ltd

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/

There is also a UROP facebook site at UROP-Bio21 Cluster http://www.facebook.com/pages/UROP-Bio21-Cluster/101542159364

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 (Word file 983 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 986 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: urop-bio21@unimelb.edu.au

To learn more, download Supervisor Application Form (Word file 988 KB)

Contact
The UROP Administrative Team, can be contacted for further information.
Email urop-bio21@unimelb.edu.au or telephone +61 3 8344 2199 (Program Manager) or 903 55132 (Administrative Assistant).

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.