PRESENTATION AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE CAS
There is a great big world beyond CAS, and even NYU, filled with a plethora of opportunities of all sorts. Here, we list a few of those opportunities related to undergraduate research.
Opportunities to Present Your Research
The National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
NCUR is open to undergraduate researchers from any college or university in the U.S. from any discipline. Students have the option to do either an oral or poster presentation. NCUR is an annual event but hosted by a different university every year. Interested students must submit an abstract of their presentation (generally) in early December. Notification of acceptance will begin in late January. NCUR generally takes place in early April. Of course, CAS students who are invited to present at NCUR would be eligible to apply for a DURF Conference Grant to help offset related travel expenses.
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
ABRCMS is held every fall and brings together over 2,000 undergraduate students and recent graduates to present the results of their STEM research projects (list of disciplines represented at ABRCMS). This is a great opportunity to present your work as well as to network with other STEM undergraduate researchers. This is also a great place to meet faculty and program directors attending the conference as representatives of their graduate programs. You’ll be able to network with them while learning more about the opportunities for post-graduate study offered at their institutions.
NYU Funding Opportunities
There are several bodies at NYU that offer students funding for research and/or experiential learning projects. Most of these have a particular, thematic focus. Depending on the nature of your project and your interests, some of these might be better options than those available in CAS or they might provide necessary, supplemental funding.
Gallatin Global Fellowship in Human Rights
The Gallatin Global Fellowship in Human Rights is open to all NYU undergraduates and supports extended summer research and/or experiential learning projects focused on human rights. The fund provides up to $5,000 to selected applicants to support their travel and work. Interested students should consult the information provided to prospective applicants in order to learn more about the application requirements, conditions of the grant, the application process, deadlines, and so on.
Green Grants
Green Grants provide funding for NYU students, faculty, and staff with ideas for sustainability projects in one of four categories:
- Operations: For pilot projects improving sustainability related infrastructure at NYU
- Engagement: For projects that foster a greater campus culture of sustainability
- Research and/or Design: For projects that use the NYU campus or community to collect data or that result in products with the potential to spur change at NYU
- Academic: For projects that improve NYU’s sustainability education initiatives
Support in developing a proposal is available for interested applicants. There are several application deadlines throughout the year and potential applicants should also consult the Green Grants Application Tool Kit. Information on application procedures, processes, a link to the Tool Kit, and application deadlines can all be found on the page linked above.
NYU Abu Dhabi Visiting Student Semester Undergraduate Research Assistantship
Undergraduate students from NYU and NYU Shanghai who wish to build their research experience during a semester abroad at NYUAD may apply for competitive Undergraduate Research Assistantships for the semester(s) in which they study at NYUAD. The assistantship creates a platform for visiting students to contribute to an ongoing research project under the supervision of an NYUAD faculty member, who will serve as a mentor, collaborator, and role model. Additionally, students will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities on campus. Previous student assistantship work has been varied and included laboratory sample preparation and field experiments, experimental data analysis, collecting original data, analyzing quantitative data, writing literature reviews or research reports, and filming videos to assist with research outreach and communication. The priority deadline for spring 2022 positions is September 30. Please visit the NYUAD Visiting Student Semester UGRA page for further information and to apply.
NYU Abu Dhabi Visiting Student Summer Research Program
NYU Abu Dhabi provides an opportunity for limited number of undergraduate students at NYU New York, NYU Shanghai, and UAE-based universities to take part in research projects at NYUAD over the summer, supervised by NYUAD faculty. For NYU NY applicants, one must have successfully completed at least 44 credits, and have a cumulative GPA above 3.3, with a good academic and disciplinary record. Visit this page for program information and position descriptions. More information regarding applications and deadlines coming in Spring 2022.
Sulo Undergraduate Research and Travel Grant
The Sulo Undergraduate Research and Travel Grant is part of a three-year Philippine Studies Initiative at NYU funded with support from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and Congressional Representative Loren Legarda. The grant is designed to help students defray expenses associated with research or travel related to the study of the Philippines and/or its global diaspora. Successful recipients of a DURF award may be nominated for the supplemental grant of up to $1,000/year, which may be awarded to one or more applicants.
Student Government Assembly (SGA) Conference Grant
Any CAS student who will be presenting the results of their research project at a national or international conference should definitely, and firstly, apply for a Conference Grant from the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund. However, if it is unlikely that a DURF Conference Grant will cover all expenses, students can also (i.e., in addition to a DURF Conference Grant) apply for a Student Senators Council Conference Grant to help offset the total cost of attending a conference.
Non-NYU Summer Research Programs
What’s better than doing research over the summer? Getting paid to do research over the summer! There are numerous summer programs that not only help undergraduates gain hands-on research experience in any number of disciplines but also provide funding. Though the opportunities listed below are funded by several different organizations, they all enable undergraduates to gain valuable research experience, build their professional network, and work closely with faculty at leading national and international research institutions. All the programs listed here provide students a stipend, most provide housing, and many provide transportation as well.
Eligibility, selection criteria, and application requirements (including deadlines) vary from program to program. Students should, therefore, start researching opportunities as early as possible!
Research Experience for Undergraduates (National Science Foundation)
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs) are programs funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and actively involve students in cutting edge research in areas funded by the NSF (e.g., archaeology, behavioral psychology, biology, chemistry, data analytics, engineering, mathematics, public health). REUs offer accepted students a living stipend, housing, and some travel expenses.
Prior research experience is often not required. Because of the wide variety of subjects, disciplines, and areas of research, it’s also possible to find opportunities in areas that NYU/CAS might not offer or specialize in (e.g., oceanography, seismology, geology).
Eligibility:
- US citizens or permanent residents;
- Expressed interested in pursuing a graduate degree and/or a career in research;
- REUs also especially welcome applications from students from underrepresented groups in science;
- This list is not extensive. Students will need to visit individual REU sites for more information on program-specific eligibility requirements.
Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
Summer Undergraduate Research Programs (SURPs) are similar to REUs in that they provide meaningful summer research opportunities to students interested in scientific research. These programs, however, more often focus on biomedical sciences. SURPs offer accepted students a stipend, housing, and sometimes travel costs as well.
Eligibility:
- Open to US citizens or permanent residents (some SURPs accept students on F1 visas);
- Expressed interested in pursuing a graduate degree and/or a career in biomedical research;
- SURPs also especially welcome applications from students from underrepresented groups in science;
- This list is not extensive. Students will need to visit individual SURP sites for more information on program-specific eligibility requirements.
Amgen Scholars (Amgen Foundation)
Funded by the Amgen Foundation, the Amgen Scholars program provides the opportunity to gain a meaningful research experience for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. No previous research experience is necessary, and each program site offers a stipend, housing, and travel expenses though amounts vary by site. Students at US institutions can apply to participate in either the US or Japan program. The US program takes place at 10 host institutions. The Japan program is hosed at two sites: Kyoto University and the University of Tokyo.
US Program Eligibility:
- US citizens or permanent residents;
- Sophomores (i.e., students who have completed at least 3 college semesters), juniors and non-graduating seniors (i.e., students must not be graduating in the fall after the program);
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2; Expressed interest in pursuing a Ph.D. or MD/PhD in science.
Japan Program Eligibility:
- Must be enrolled in a college or university (anywhere in the world, which includes the U.S. and therefore NYU);
- Completed their first year of undergraduate study by the time the summer program begins;
- Possess a strong academic record;
- Good English skills;
- Expressed interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in science.
Application deadlines are generally early February for all sites.
Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE Germany, German Academic Exchange Program)
RISE is funded by the German Academic Exchange Program (DAAD) and offers students majoring in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, or engineering from North American and British universities summer research internships at German universities and research institutions. All internships take place over the summer and include a monthly stipend.
In early November of each year, internship openings are posted to an online database. Interested students need to search the database to find opportunities best suited to their research interests and experience. Students then apply to individual internships through the DAAD RISE online portal by mid-December (students can and should apply for more than one internship).
Rising juniors and seniors with prior research experience and a strong academic record will be the most competitive applicants. Pre-med students are welcome to apply, and German language skills are typically not required.
National and International Scholarships and Awards
NYU's Office of Global Awards (OGA) provides support for all NYU students interested in applying for any number of competitive, merit-based awards (fellowships, scholarships, and internships). Not all of these awards require a background in research. However, many do fund research projects and/or advanced study abroad. DURF recipients often make strong candidates for such awards because they already have a well-defined research interest and experience successfully applying for research funding. While many of these awards are for research or further education abroad, there are also awards funding post-graduate study in the U.S. and even a few others for current/continuing undergraduates. No matter your research experience or area of interest, it is well worth your time and effort to research these awards. OGA offers support and guidance to students throughout the application process.