OURE FELLOWS

The purpose of the OURE Fellows Program is to increase the quality of experiential learning for Missouri S&T students, funding has been made available to support interdisciplinary research projects for undergraduates. "Interdisciplinary" constitutes the combination of two or more academic disciplines or fields of study.

*Please note that this is a competitive program and only up to 6 fellowships will be awarded per academic year.

  • Application, Instructions and Qualifications
  • Budget
  • Proposal and Report Guidelines
  • What is asked on the form?
  • Research Support
  • Judging Criteria

Application, Instructions and Qualifications

Read Instructions Below Carefully - Closes March 1st

Application is CLOSED for the FS2023-SP2024 AY

Each applicant must submit a descriptive abstract, Abstract Form
Send abstract to Dedie Wilson at byfieldr@mst.edu by March 8, 2023

  • Group projects are not allowed
  • Interested students should contact their research faculty sponsor
  • Late applications will not be accepted

*Projects start at the beginning of Fall Semester and end at the conclusion of Spring Semester each Academic Year (no exceptions)

Each participant and faculty sponsor is to:

  • Discuss their project
  • Come to an agreement
  • A cumulative grade point of 2.50 is required to participate in this program
  • Student must be a full time student with a least 12 credit hours per semester
  • Student must have successfully completed or successfully complete by April 3, 2023 an OURE project to apply for the OURE Fellows Program
  • Previous OURE Fellow student must have completed their previous project
  • Research must be interdisciplinary 
  • Submit a completed application

*The faculty sponsor agrees to supervise the work and certifies the educational value of the proposed project

Budget

OURE Fellow Students

  • Will be awarded a scholarship of $2000.00
      ~Payments will be offered in two installments 
      ~1st payment will be in December
         --- Upon research adviser confirmation of working 
      ~2nd payment in May upon submission of the final report & reflections due April 3 
         --- Approved by their research adviser & conference judges

Faculty - Will receive up-to $200 in supply money per student

*Note for International Students Regarding OURE Payments:
Generally, a foreign person is subject to U.S. tax on its U.S. source income.  Most types of U.S. source income received by a foreign person are subject to U.S. tax of 30%.  A reduced rate, including exemption, may apply if there is a tax treaty between the foreign person's country of residence and the United States.  The tax is generally withheld (NRA withholding) from the payment made to the foreign person.  The term NRA withholding is used in this area descriptively to refer to withholding required under sections 1441, 1442, and 1443 of the Internal Revenue Code.  Generally, NRA withholding describes the withholding regime that requires 30% withholding on a payment of U.S. source income and the filing of Form 1042 and related Form 1042-S.  Payments to all foreign persons, including nonresident alien individuals, foreign entities and governments, may be subject to NRA withholding.

Proposal and Report Guidelines

Proposal Guidelines

Arts and Humanities Report Guidelines for 2022-2023

Engineering, Sciences and Social Sciences Report Guidelines for 2022-2023

Each funded project must provide a final report and reflection
Research adviser must submit approved final report & reflection electronically by April 3 to Dedie at byfieldr@mst.edu

What is asked on the form?

(section 1)
Student must have successfully completed an OURE project and must have advisor approval to submit application, there are 5 sections in the form

(section 2) Student Information
First and Last Name, Id Number, S&T Email, GPA, Department, Have you successfully completed an OURE project, Will you graduate FS, Will you be a full time student both semesters 

(section 3) Research Advisor Information
First and Last Name, S&T Email, Department, Supply Dollars

(section 4) Research Project Information
Project Title, Short OURE fellows Abstract, Description of Students Role

(section 5)
Offer Letter, Scholarship, and Final Report Information

Research Support

The Writing Center is a tremendous source for feedback and assistance about your OURE Fellow proposals, reports and reflections. From brainstorming to polishing, the Writing Center can help you at any stage of your writing process. Please visit their website for more information: https://writingcenter.mst.edu/  You can also email them at writing@mst.edu.

The OURE program encourages students to seek research support at the Curtis Laws Wilson Library (https://library.mst.edu/). Research librarians are available to help applicants conduct research in any subject area. Please schedule an appointment at https://library.mst.edu/forms/researchassistancerequestform/.

Judging Criteria

Judging Criteria

Proposal and Oral Presentation
Final Report and Oral Presentation

  • Individual will orally present their research PROPOSAL before a panel of judges at the Annual Undergraduate research Conference
  • Individual will orally present their research FINDINGS before a panel of judges at the Annual undergraduate research Conference
  • Selected proposals will be announced at the Annual Undergraduate Research Conference awards ceremony

*Please note that judges do not have to award all 6 fellowships

Projects Titles for 2022-2023
Quantifying Nanoparticle Concentration for Legionella Toxicity
Non-Food Collection Behaviors of Harvester Ants
Nanostructured Metal Selenides for Multifunctioning Non-Enzymatic Biosensors

Gabrielle Hightower, a senior in biological sciences, advised by Dr. David Westenberg, curators distinguished professor in biological sciences

Dylan Johnson, a senior in biological sciences, advised by Dr. Robin Verble, associate professor of biological sciences

Megan Percy, a senior in chemistry, advised by Dr. Manashi Nath, associate professor of chemistry

Proposals that are not awarded for the OURE Fellows Program will automatically qualify for consideration of the traditional OURE Program
Please note that all OURE Fellow proposals and final reports are ineligible for the competitive Undergraduate Research Conference cash prizes