UROP to include upper-classmen

By Rachel Edelman
Daily Staff Reporter

Upper-level students will soon have the opportunity to partake in one of the University's most hands-on research programs to gain first-hand experience at of one of the country's largest research universities.

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, which gives students the opportunity to work with faculty members on various research projects while receiving course credit or work-study grants, is expanding this year to include third and fourth-year students. Previously only first and second-year students were able to take part in the program,

"We're excited that we're able to expand the opportunity to include juniors and seniors," said UROP Director Sandy Gregerman. "We're interested in giving students who may not have had a chance to take part do research later on."

The deadline for junior and senior applications is this Friday.

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily LSA sophomore Amy Wong, left, LSA first-year student Lauren Rubinfeld and LSA first-year student Dave Werny look over project descriptions with administrative assistant Carmencita Princen in the UROP office yesterday.

"A lot of freshman and sophomores don't know the research opportunities that are out there," said LSA junior Lauren Ernst, a UROP peer adviser. "They're more likely to be more assertive during their junior or senior years."

Students who were waitlisted for the program, transfer students and those not aware of or unable to take part in the program during their first two years, now have a chance to apply.

"This is expanding the goal of UROP. It expands students' options - they have another two years to figure out what's going on," Ernst said.

LSA junior Abdiel Fuentes, a UROP peer mentor, said the expansion will give juniors and seniors valuable research experience, as well as the chance to make important connections before entering the workforce.

"It's guided my efforts and gave me a very close mentor ... I feel I have an advantage that other students haven't had," Fuentes said.

While Gregerman anticipates a few hundred junior and senior participants, the majority of UROP students will still be first and second-year students.

"For a lot of juniors, this will be more of an independent research experience," Gregerman said. "Many have already done research work."

The expansion allows students who are working on hon

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