The Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA) oversees research grants, fellowships, and programs for Krieger School undergraduate students and for visiting undergraduate researchers from across the U.S. Our mission is to increase access to undergraduate research opportunities and to provide support and mentorship for students interested in or currently pursuing research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

There are three main pillars of URSCA’s work:

Research Grants for Krieger School Undergraduates

URSCA oversees the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, the Dean’s ASPIRE Grants, and many other research awards for KSAS undergraduates. Our staff works with a council of KSAS faculty members to evaluate applications and award funding. We then provide oversight of funded projects throughout the award period and prepare awardees to present their research at our annual URSCA Symposium and/or at national conferences.  

Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium

URSCA is proud to host the annual Macksey Symposium, which invites undergraduate students from across the country to present their original humanities research at Johns Hopkins University. Named for Richard Macksey, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Comparative Thought and Literature, the symposium celebrates the history of Johns Hopkins University as a hub of humanities research and innovation. URSCA also publishes a peer-reviewed journal of proceedings, the Macksey Journal. 

Summer Research Experiences for Visiting Undergraduates

Johns Hopkins University hosts a variety summer research experiences designed to give students visiting from other institutions access to our world-class labs, libraries, faculty, and staff. In each program, students come to JHU to take part in rigorous 10-week research projects. The programs are funded and administered in conjunction with several other organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Amgen Scholars Program, and the Leadership Alliance. URSCA provides oversight and logistical support for all these programs, while also running the signature Mellon Humanities Collaboratory and PhD Pathway for Advancement in the Humanities and Social Sciences.