The Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (URSCA) manages the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, the Dean’s ASPIRE Grant, the Bander Family Fund, the Clinger Award, the Albstein Research Scholarship, and the Amgen Scholars Program. It also oversees several summer programs for visiting students, including the CCBC/JHU Summer Research Experience.
The office provides support to Krieger School undergraduate students interested in or currently pursuing research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Undergraduate Research Advisory Board
The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences established the Undergraduate Research Advisory Board (URAB) in spring of 2018. The board is a team of staff, faculty, and undergraduate researchers across disciplines that have shown dedication to undergraduate research and offer their advice in strengthening KSAS’s research support and student experience. This board supports the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, the Dean’s ASPIRE Grant, the Bander Family Fund, and the Clinger Award, all of which serve Hopkins undergraduates.
Advisory Board’s Mission
- Increase access to undergraduate research opportunities by removing barriers to applicants and promoting research opportunities
- Unite perspectives on undergraduate research policies and practices across disciplines and divisions
- Ensure that undergraduate research structure is guided by both faculty and students
- Facilitate peer review process in the review of undergraduate research award applications
- Serve as advocates for undergraduate research across Hopkins
Board Members
- Nejat Alkadir (Freshman Woodrow Wilson Fellow)
- Professor Steven David (Political Science)
- Professor Robert Johnston (Biology)
- Professor Nadia Nurhussein (English & Africana Studies)
- Dr. Joe Martin (lecturer, Theater Arts & Studies)
- Professor Erika Matunis (JHMI, Cell Biology)
Research Ambassador Program
The Research Ambassador Program (RAP) works to develop a network of JHU’s best graduate and undergraduate researchers, who will share their projects and information on finding faculty mentors, locating funding, and writing proposals with peers on campus from underrepresented backgrounds (low-income, first-generation, and/or ethnically underrepresented). The program began as an Johns Hopkins University Idea Lab Diversity Innovation Grant in 2017 and continues with the support of the KSAS Dean’s Office.
There are currently eight student ambassadors serving one-year terms.
Council on Undergraduate Research
URSCA is a proud member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Membership provides:
- Inside information on government relations, funding opportunities, and breaking news
- Discounts on CUR registration fees, publications, and services
- Participation in the highly-competitive annual Posters on the Hill event
- Discounted access to the Registry of Undergraduate Researchers
- An electronic subscription to Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research