What is a URCA Assistant?
URCA Assistants work with full time tenured or tenure-track faculty on research or creative activities. Assistants typically work approximately 9 hours per week under the direct guidance of a faculty member on projects directly related to research or creative activities (i.e., not teaching or service-related tasks). Assistant positions are for one semester and can be renewed. Up to 90 Assistants per semester will receive a $750 award for their participation; several other Assistants serve in a volunteer capacity each semester. Faculty submit their research or creative activity proposals to the URCA Program and if approved, then students apply directly to and are selected by that faculty member.
Responsibilities
- Work approximately 6 to 9 hours per week on faculty-led projects during Fall and/or Spring semesters.
- Maintain satisfactory progress on the URCA project as defined by the faculty mentor
- If not, the position will be pulled. If holding a paid position, the student will not receive the financial award. If pulled, assistant will be ineligible to reapply for future URCA Assistant positions in the future.
Benefits
- Possible opportunity to earn $750 award per semester of participation (up to 90 research assistant positions per semester will be funded)
- This will be deposited in the funded assistant’s Bursar’s office account towards the middle of the semester.
- Opportunity to work closely with faculty mentor
- Opportunity to explore different areas of research or creative activities
- Gain an introductory experience of research or creative activities in a specific field that will look good if applying to graduate schools
- Possible opportunity to earn course credit for research participation (this is up to the individual faculty mentors; some positions may be for credit, some may not) If the URCA activity is counted for course credit, the student must pay for those credit hours. There is no tuition waiver as a part of the URCA program!
For more information on the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Program, contact Dr. Ariel Belasen at (618) 650-2940 or abelase@siue.edu.
