Overview

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) is a free 9-week program that provides supplementary infrastructure to undergraduate students at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) during the summer.

SURE provides participants with a cohort of undergraduate peers; 9 weeks of programming, including professional development modules and a presentation venue; and the Mentoring Grant to support eligible student projects.

Note that SURE does not provide undergraduate students with research/creative work projects, positions, or mentors.

Registration for SURE 2024 opens in April.

2019 SURE Participants remove invasive plants in the native Hawaiian section of Lyon Arboretum

Cohort of Undergraduate Peers

SURE provides students with a supportive cohort of peers. Most students conducting research and creative work at UHM in the summer may be working independently or in small groups, and therefore may feel isolated in their respective work spaces. Students in this situation are not benefiting from the cohort structure that other organized summer research programs offer (e.g. NSF-REU site programs). The SURE program serves as a central gathering place where students can meet each other and confer on the challenges, solutions, and rewards they experience when working on their project.

Programming

Schedule of Programs

Best Practices to Jump-start Your Summer of Research/Creative Work


When: Thursday, June 6
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

UROP staff discuss ways students can start conducting research or creative work off on the right foot. This module covers topics such as reasons to do research or creative work, how to manage a project, how to work with a mentor, best practices for effective time management, and more.

Untold Stories of Mānoa: Huaka’i (Campus Tour)


When: Friday, June 7
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

This module serves as a huakaʻi (campus tour) wherein participants learn about Mānoa through a Hawaiian lens. The 1.5-hour tour helps students to learn about many of the largely untold histories of Mānoa and how UHM can work toward becoming a Hawaiian place of learning.

Responsible Conduct of Research: Importance and Case Studies


When: Thursday, June 13
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

Attendees will be introduced to responsible conduct of research (RCR) as a standard practice for researchers and creative workers. The first part of this module covers the conceptual and practical aspects of RCR and underscores its importance to properly conducting research and creative work in all disciplines. The second part reviews case studies to illustrate the consequences of misconduct in research and creative work.

Zotero: Collect, Organize, Annotate, Cite, and Share Research


When: Thursday, June 20
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

Students are given hands-on training with Zotero, a free program that helps researchers efficiently organize and properly cite references. Attendees can expect to gain knowledge about managing and using references as one of the first steps in the responsible conduct of research. Participants are requested to bring their own computers and must have Zotero and the browser connector already installed before the event. In-person seating is limited but remote participation via Zoom will be made available.

Panel on Identifying and Exploring Graduate Schools


When: Thursday, June 27
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

A two-part module in which UROP staff first discuss basic considerations when thinking about graduate school, including the benefits and tradeoffs of entering a grad program, different program types and possible career paths, finding an advisor, and more. The second part of the discussion includes a panel of guest speakers from different disciplines who each will provide their unique perspectives and experiences on topics like why they chose their respective schools and programs, what their experience was like applying for and after finishing graduate school, what makes for successful applications, and more.

Résumé and Cover Letter Writing


When: Wednesday, July 3
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

Real-world professionals discuss ways to build and organize the content of impactful résumés and cover letters. Students will learn how to describe responsibilities and accomplishments, both academic and professional, as well as receive advice about formatting and presentation. The discussion will cater to students at all stages in their professional journeys, whether first-time job seekers or experienced employees.

Best Practices for Oral and Poster Presentations


When: Thursday, July 18
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

UROP and Honors Program staff members will introduce students to two different formats for professional presentations: oral and poster. The discussion will cover how to design and format slides and posters, best practices for speaking to the audience, and what to expect during a Q&A session. Students will learn how to effectively create their first professional presentation and how to refine existing presentations.

Symposium


When: Friday, August 2
Where: Hybrid (details forthcoming)

The symposium is an end-of-summer event at which undergraduate students conducting faculty-mentored research and creative work in all disciplines get to showcase their projects. Features oral and poster presentations.

Mentoring Grant

The Mentoring Grant provides awards of up to $10,000 each to eligible mentors of undergraduate students conducting research or creative work during the summer. Funds are disbursed to mentors and must be used to directly support undergraduate student projects.

UROP accepts proposals for the Mentoring Grant from February 1 to March 1. Submissions from all disciplines are accepted, with particular interest given to applications from non-STEM fields and from early-career mentors in any discipline.

Note that the Mentoring Grant has specific eligibility requirements independent of SURE eligibility requirements. Learn more on the “Eligibility tab” of the Mentoring Grant page.

Participation and Eligibility Guidelines

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