Application Period: April 1 - June 15 Annually
Academic Year: September thru May
Overview
The MERITUS Program supports highly motivated faculty-student teams for 32 weeks of multidisciplinary, hands-on research. Each team prepares a project proposal packet that includes a project description and mentoring plan. MERITUS students will also receive professional development through workshops spaced throughout the academic year. The aim of the program is to encourage students to gain valuable professional skills through immersion in research projects enabling them to acquire a deeper understanding of their chosen discipline.
Funding Acknowledgement
The MERITUS program is funded jointly by the UTEP Vice President for Student Affairs and COURI.
Eligibility
All UTEP undergraduate students, regardless of citizenship status are eligible to apply.
To qualify, students must
- Be in good standing (Minimum 2.75 Cumulative GPA)
- Be enrolled full time and complete a minimum of 12 credit-hours per semester (fall/spring) during the award period
- Have identified a faculty research mentor to prepare a project proposal as a team (see Guidelines below)
- Enroll in your faculty mentor's RSRC 4033 course each semester
- Must not have another UTEP student employee job or stipend for the duration of the program
NOTE: Faculty mentors must have a full-time teaching and/or research appointment.
Award Benefits and Expectations
Students will receive an hourly rate of $13 per hour for 15 hours per week over the course of the program (480 hours total). All student awardees will have to commit to certain requirements including, but not limited to:
- Sign a letter of commitment in collaboration with the research mentor
- Attend the COURI Workshop Series
- Submit an abstract for the COURI Spring Symposium
- Present a poster at the COURI Spring Symposium
- Complete an end of program online survey