Undergraduate Research Office CAL

The Undergraduate Research Office CAL (UROC) provides resources and supports practices that elevate CAL's position as a research-forward college, including when it comes to our bachelor's degree seekers.

Research shows that enabling research, scholarship, and creative activities (RSCA) for undergraduates:

• Enriches the student experience
• Increases student retention and graduation rates
• Supports workforce development in terms of both “soft skills” (communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork) and technical/professional skills
• Increases students' social mobility after graduation
• Enhances instructor job satisfaction and supports professional growth

Read Student Showcase Shines Light on Undergraduate Research in CAL.

Resources

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CAL

• Mentoring for Undergraduate Student Excellence award program - Grants to support CAL faculty mentors from all disciplines as they engage undergraduates directly in their own research and creative activities (RSCA)
  
  
• CAL Student Success Center - Offers a comprehensive range of services to support students in the College of Arts and Letters.
  • Career Counselor and Program Coordinator: Lorenzo Sianez, Jr., [email protected], Make an appointment via Handshake.
    
    
• Splice - The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship at the College of Arts and Letters at SDSU, an anthology of peer-reviewed publications produced by undergraduate students; it is initiated, organized and directed by CAL students, for students.
  
  
• CAL Office for Research and Innovation (CORI) - Provides support to faculty research efforts and in CAL.

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Campus Wide

• Division of Research & Innovation (DRI) - curated information on finding a mentor, student research funding, creating a conference presentation/poster, and more.
  
  
• SDSU Student Symposium (S³) - formerly known as the Student Research Symposium (SRS), this annual two-day spring conference showcases SDSU student discovery, innovation, and creativity.  All undergraduates are encouraged to participate.
  
  
• SDSU Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) - funds undergraduate participation in faculty-led research activities. Mentor-student matchmaking services are available for both students and faculty members.
  
  
• SDSU IRB guidance on human subjects research - includes ethics training requirements (CITI/HRPP certification) and examples of projects or activities which typically do not need IRB review (and can be folded into the classroom experience with relative ease).
  • IRB-approved ‘self-enroll’ Canvas course for CITI/HRPP training certification, created by students for students.
  
  SDSU Mentoring Program – This list of opportunities is maintained by Student Affairs.

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External

• CSU Student Research Competition
  
  
• Council on Undergraduate Research
  • Undergraduate Research Week
  • Student Resources - project examples, student journal links.
  • Student Resource Center - ‘How to’ pages for giving good presentations, networking, securing mentors, finding opportunities, etc. 
  • National Conference for Undergraduate Research - a conference for both students and faculty/URP administrators.
  • Trimmer Travel Fund Award - support for student conference participation.
  • Social Sciences Undergraduate Conference Awards
    
    
• NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates program
  
  
• Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) - Resources for effective research mentoring relationships and information on how to promote cultural change that values excellence in research mentoring as a critical aspect of diversifying the research workforce. 
  
  
• ProFellow.com - Online resource for information on professional and academic fellowships, including for undergraduates. Offers a free, searchable database with than 2,600 fellowships and fully funded graduate programs. Provides application tips written by fellows.
  
  

• USC Awards and Fellowship Database - University of Southern California’s searchable online database of opportunities for transformative academic experiences.

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For further information or connections

EJ Sobo, Ph.D.

Director of Undergraduate Research
Arts and Letters, Room 411
619-594-6591
[email protected]

Follow us on Instagram: @uroc_sdsu

Student Success Center

Arts and Letters, Room 172
619-594-6270
[email protected]

Students can also contact their major’s undergraduate adviser.