Research Programs & Opportunities

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) unit in the College of Letters and Science encourages undergraduates conducting independent research projects or creative activities to apply for funding to support these efforts. The funding for URCA grants comes from university, federal, and private sources and is intended to cover a project’s expenses, included research-related domestic travel. If you receive an URCA grant, you will be expected to present your work at the Undergraduate Research Colloquium in May.

The Faculty Research Assistance Program (FRAP) allows undergraduates to gain valuable research experience, work with leading UCSB researchers, and simultaneously earn academic credit through special research assistance courses, 99/99RA or 199/199RA. The URCA Office publishes the on-line FRAP Directory, which lists current projects of participating faculty and senior researchers with whom students might work.

Transfer Student Research Awards (TSRA) provide support for transfer students to engage in research activities. One set of grants will be given to graduating seniors for research projects to be completed by June; a second set will be given to juniors/rising seniors for research projects to be completed by December of the following year. To qualify for the Transfer Student Research Award, you must meet the eligibility requirements described below and submit the complete proposal packet online by the application deadline. The maximum award is $750 per project.

The AIM Photonics Future Leaders Program for Undergraduates is an 8-week summer research program designed to provide the technical and professional training required for university undergraduates to transition into careers within the photonics industry. Training and professional development activities are hosted by AIM Photonics at the UC Santa Barbara, University of Colorado Boulder and Rochester Institute of Technology campuses. Science and engineering undergraduates will work alongside graduate student and postdoctoral researchers to gain first-hand experience in scientific investigation in a dynamic, collaborative research environment. Research areas include Telecom/Datacom, RF Analog Applications, PIC Sensors, and PIC Array Technologies. The program is open to all undergraduate students majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering. Military Veterans and disadvantaged or underrepresented students are encouraged to apply.

Scholars embark on a 15 month program designed to enrich their development as students and scientists through innovative research, mentoring, collaboration and practice in effective communication. The program offers students a unique opportunity to become immersed in the scientific community. Beckman Scholars will receive a scholarship of up to $19,300 over two summers. Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Chemical Engineering majors currently enrolled as a full time UCSB student in sophomore or junior year, with a GPA of 3.3 or above, are eligible.

The Summer Research Program provides a 10 week intensive research experience for CAMP eligible students interested in a career in science, engineering, technology or mathematics. CAMP participants work in a UCSB laboratory with a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher mentor.

The California Alliance for Minority Participation provides resources and opportunities to under-represented students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The CAMP school-year research internship supports eligible students who are conducting research with a UCSB faculty mentor during Fall, Winter, and/or Spring.

This program sends US science and engineering undergraduates to international partner institutions for a 10-week summer research experience. Internships are available at research centers in Eindhoven-Netherlands; Dublin-Ireland; Cork-Ireland; Oxford-England; Shanghai-China; Saarbruecken-Germany and Goethenborg-Sweden.

The EUREKA! program is designed to enrich the academic experience of undergraduates at UCSB in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) disciplines early on in their educational careers. Applicants must currently be enrolled as a full-time UCSB student, hold at least a 3.3 GPA, and should be in their first year.

Science and engineering students from UCSB and other universities acquire research experience in a variety of exciting fields through these internships. Interns meet regularly to share their experiences and report on their progress. Research interns often present at conferences such as SACNAS, SHPE, ACS, APS and others.

Once selected as Gorman Scholars, students embark upon an academic-year long program of scientific research and educational enrichment guided by individual Faculty Mentors and staff at CSEP. Scholars begin with a 10-week full-time summer research experience and continue their research into the following academic year. Scholars are provided with an invaluable opportunity to explore, early on, their discipline, experience a research environment, and improve their opportunities for future study in their chosen field. Each scholar is mentored by a member of the UCSB faculty, who assists the student in designing a plan of research and enrichment activities fitted to the individual interests and academic goals of the student.

This program seeks to increase the number of highly-trained biomedical and behavioral scientists, from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds, in leadership positions to significantly affect the nation’s health-related research needs. MARC Scholars embark upon a two-year program of scientific research, leadership development and graduate school preparation guided by individual biomedical faculty mentors across UCSB science and engineering departments and staff at the Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships.

The McNair Scholars Program prepares qualified undergraduates for entrance to a PhD program in all fields of study. The goals of the program are to increase the number of first-generation, low-income and/or underrepresented students in PhD programs, and ultimately, to diversify the faculty in colleges and universities across the country. Student eligibility requirements include at least a 3.0 GPA, the completion of at least 60 units (transfers exempt), the intention to pursue a PhD, and be either low income as defined by the US Department of Education and a first generation college student (where neither parent completed a 4-year degree) or a student underrepresented in graduate education.

Science and engineering students from UCSB and other universities acquire research experience in a variety of exciting fields through these internships. Interns meet regularly to share their experiences and report on their progress. Our research interns often present at conferences such as at the annual Southern California Conference on Undergraduate Research. Interns choose between two award levels, $500/quarter and $1000/quarter, based on the hours committed to research (between 50-100 hours/quarter).

STEEM is an innovative and comprehensive academic enhancement program to increase undergraduate student success, graduate school and teacher preparation for community college transfers in Mathematics Majors at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). STEEM is hosted by the UCSB Mathematics Department in collaboration with the Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships (CSEP) at the California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI). We aim to nurture student’s academic achievement through financial support and opportunities to actively engage in the Mathematics community through early preparation that addresses the academic skills, social networking, and career exploration needed for success in Mathematics.

This program brings science and engineering majors from across the U.S. to UCSB for a summer research experience. Interns are partnered with a mentor of similar interest, conduct research in our state-of-the-art laboratories, attend research seminars, receive training in career development skills, and participate in social activities. Students must be a science, engineering, and/or mathematics undergraduate or masters student enrolled as a junior, senior, or masters student in the Fall 2013, have a minimum B average, and must be from an under-represented group – Blacks/African Americans, Native Americans/Alaskans, Pacific Islanders, and Latinos/Latinas.

The SIMS program brings science, engineering, and mathematics incoming freshmen to the UC Santa Barbara campus for the Summer Institute in Mathematics and Science, a 2-week science intensive residential program hosted by CNSI. SIMS will provide university housing and meals on campus. You will have the opportunity to interact with science, engineering, and mathematics researchers through social, academic, and professional development activities.

The CCS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program provides a stipend to support CCS students in summer research projects working in a faculty-led research group at UCSB. This experience is perhaps the most effective means of training students in the sciences. It serves as a mode by which students can see what graduate research is like and give them the experience needed to be competitive in graduate admissions and graduate fellowship awards. Such research experience normally is most effective after the sophomore or junior years, and preference for SURF awards will be given to such students who are in good academic standing. Seniors who are graduating from CCS are not eligible to receive a SURF award. Limited funding puts CCS students who have previously received a SURF award at a lower priority for an award. Students graduating in less than four years or in BS/MS programs may be considered for funding in the summer of their Sophomore or Junior year.

This program program is designed to engage and educate California’s future leaders by preparing promising students for advanced education in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM). The program is designed to identify upper-division undergraduate students with the potential to succeed in these disciplines, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have adversely impacted their advancement in their field of study. Participants should apply prior to their junior year and/or should be on track to receive the baccalaureate degree at the conclusion of the second year of the UC LEADS program.

Offers the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on mathematics research projects for eight weeks during the summer.Each student participant will be working individually or in a small group with a faculty mentor in one of the proposed research projects. Participating students receive an stipend of $3,500, housing at the university, and an allowance of $300 for travel expenses. Open to any undergraduate students who have not yet graduated. Students participating in this program must be United States citizens or permanent residents.

UCEAP provides outstanding opportunities to conduct research abroad! Explore their offerings to find programs where you can engage in independent research based on your personal interests, or contribute original work to research conducted by internationally renowned teams and colleagues in your field.