Undergraduate Research Opportunities: TERC, Independent Study & Research Roles

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates ## TERC Program Information * Application & Dates: The information for the current year's TERC program has not been released yet. Last year's project submission deadline was February 14. It is assumed the application deadline will be around April, with information becoming available by February 14. The online project directory is currently outdated. * Course Levels: For freshmen, TERC usually requires taking one of the $300$-level courses, though $4100$-level courses are also available, starting at $3100$-level equivalents. * Stipend Structure: * Summer: The stipend amount for the summer is not explicitly stated but is separate from academic year stipends. * Academic Year: If participating during the academic year, the stipend was historically $\$3,000$ total, split into $\$1,500$ for the first semester and $\$1,500$ for the second semester. There's a possibility of scaling back, but confirmation is pending a new announcement. * Credit Options: The TERC program supports both course credits and stipends simultaneously. There is a $0$-credit option, but courses are typically $3$ credits. The ability to receive both credit and payment is noted as unusual for internships but is permissible for TERC because it is considered a 'program' or 'scholarship' rather than an employer-paid internship. * Funding: TERC funding is believed to come from a different pool of money than other faculty/student research grants, suggesting less impact from recent institutional budget changes. * Project Types: Participants can engage in either team projects or student-led individual projects (designated as 'Advanced Undergrad Research Project'). * Flexibility: The TERC project can be a continuation of an independent study or a new project aligned with the student's interests. Projects are not typically posted on a public database; recruitment is often through word-of-mouth and current student referrals. * Inquiry: Gabriel LeBlanc is the contact for TERC information, and an email has been sent for updates. ## Independent Study * Nature: An independent study is a flexible academic option, allowing students to pursue a topic with a professor (not a traditional class setting with multiple students). * Credit Hours: Students can choose to take $1$ to $3$ credit hours for an independent study. * Workload: For every $1$ credit hour, it is expected to involve $3$ hours of work per week. Thus, a $3$-credit independent study would typically require $9$ hours of work per week. * Multiple Studies: Students can take multiple independent studies, for example, two $3$-credit independent studies to achieve $6$ hours of credit. * Enrollment: An independent study can be started relatively soon, possibly as early as next semester. It's flexible regarding start times compared to traditional courses, and advisors can help with registration. * Grading: Grades are based on pre-defined requirements, which can be tailored. An example grading breakdown for a research-focused independent study includes: * Data Collection: $25\%$ * Developing a Research Abstract: $25\%$ (typically $150-200$ words, summarizing study purpose, methods, results, and conclusions in one paragraph). Guidance will be provided for writing abstracts. * Creation of a Poster: $25\%$ * Presentation (at a local, state, regional, or national meeting, or an internal event like Oxley Research Day, class, or faculty meeting): $25\%$ (presentations are usually short, $5-10$ minutes, with $6-9$ slides). * Benefits: Prepares students for official courses (like Biomechanics) by providing practical, hands-on experience and a foundation in research skills before formal academic grading. ## Research Assistant (RA) Role * Nature: An RA role is distinct from TERC or independent study; it typically does not offer course credit. Students often do it out of genuine interest and receive payment as an assistant. * Preference: The professor prefers RAs who volunteer initially to familiarize themselves with the lab's work. * Commitment: For effective progress, RAs are expected to commit to coming in multiple times a week, rather than once a week or every two weeks. Schedules are determined based on student availability. * Benefits: Offers hands-on experience without the formal assignments and milestones of a course-based research project. ## Current Research Projects & Mentors * Zara (Graduate Student & Assistant Director): * Focus: Community engagement projects. * Academic Path: Pursuing a Master's in Leadership, planning to go to medical school (med school acceptance already secured). Her assistantship helps fund her education and provides leadership experience. * Skills: Good at running statistics, event planning, community outreach, understanding community needs. * Schedule: Tends to be in the lab between $10:00$ AM and $2:00$ PM. * Maddie (Graduate Student): * Focus: Robotics Institute projects aimed at improving the lives of elderly people and helping them age in place. Also involved in the dog walking study. * Academic Path: Mechanical Engineering, taking a