About Our Research Program

In Fall 2013 the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Forest Resources, in cooperation with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center launched an innovative Undergraduate Research Scholars Program designed to provide students with the opportunity to enhance scholarly activity by participating in research and creative activities beyond the traditional undergraduate experience.

In this year-long experience, undergraduates work as a junior colleague within a faculty scholar/mentor's research program to discover new knowledge, enhance their discipline-specific expertise and gain critical thinking skills. During this first year of the program, 21 students (16 CALS, 5 CFR) were selected to receive a $5000 stipend and collaborate with a faculty mentor on a specific research project. Students will present their research at professional meetings and a campus-wide undergraduate research symposium.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Forest Resources Undergraduate Research Scholars program is an immersive experience designed to engage undergraduate scholars in research and creative activities beyond the traditional undergraduate curriculum. In this 12-month experience undergraduate students will work as a junior colleague within a faculty scholar/mentor's research program to discover new knowledge, enhance their discipline-specific expertise and gain critical thinking skills.

Acceptance into the program is competitive, but minimally students must meet the following criteria: enrolled as a full-time students with a declared major in the College of Forest Resources; sophomore standing upon initiation of the fellowship; overall GPA of 3.00 or higher; evidence of research/scholarly activity; complete an application describing their educational and career aspirations and goals.

Students completing the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program are expected to be able to: write a research or creative activities proposal relevant to their discipline; conduct a research project or creative activities relevant to their discipline; prepare and present results of a research project or creative activities at a professional conference in their discipline.

The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program will support a stipend of up to $5,000 annually and is to be used predominantly to pay student wages up to 10 hours/week during the school year and 40 hours/week during the summer. Students selected to participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program may work with their faculty mentor to develop a Directed Individual Study (DIS) for 3 hours academic credit to be applied as a professional elective within the academic program in which they are enrolled.