Office of Undergraduate Research

Welcome back!

The Office of Undergraduate Research has a lot going on as we prep to start the academic year strong.

I am thrilled to announce that we are going to be continuing our newest funding program, the GCRU (Group Creative Research by Undergraduates), again this year. 2024-2025 was its pilot year and it was a success. It's a great complement to the ICRU, as the GCRU focuses on mentors working with 2-4 students on a project. I highly encourage you to read more about this program below, apps open August 15th!

This summer was an incredible time of research and discovery on campus. Over 135 students were awarded ICRU or GCRU fellowships to research over the summer and we had 15 summer programs happening on campus.

Also, over the summer, our ambassadors were busy either participating in summer programs around the country or right here on campus where they were also invaluable in helping us at Becoming a Hawkeye days. We talked with so many incoming students who are excited to start their research journeys. We have several new ambassadors joining us this fall, so be sure to check out their bios on our ambassador page.

There's always something going on in OUR, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay in the know.

Best,
Tawny Tibbits, Director

Apply for a GCRU Fellowship right arrow

Research News and Updates

Register Your Research

Involved in research? Meet with your research mentor and register your research for the Fall 2025 semester.

OUR offers research courses each semester, available for registration through MyUI. We have a variety of options available, be sure to check what works for you.

New Research Opportunities

Looking to get involved in research? There are numerous opportunities available for different types of research. Whatever your field is, if you're exploring and creating something unique, there's a way to get involved!

Not sure how to start reaching out? Click here!

Upcoming Events

Fall Undergraduate Research Festival (FURF)

The Fall Undergraduate Research Festival is Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 and get registered.

All undergraduate students involved in research or creative work can register and present their research using a visual aid, usually a research poster, though other mediums are acceptable. Participants stand with their visual aids for one session, giving brief explanations of their work and answering questions from passing faculty, staff, students, and community members. Students may be evaluated or receive feedback on their posters, depending on their preference.

Undergraduate Research Conference (URC)

The Undergraduate Research Conference will be Saturday, October 11th, 2025.

The Undergraduate Research Conference was created by OUR Research Ambassadors to give UI's undergraduates a space to learn all about undergraduate research. Students gather for a 3-hour conference to hear from a speaker, learn about what undergraduate research is, and find out how to get involved. This conference is geared toward students who are interested in learning more about research involvement.

Find Funding

OUR offers multiple different ways to find funding for your research. Click the links below to learn more about the different types of funding opportunities.

Alumni

The OUR has new alumni and we would love to recognize all of the new members. Alumni can benefit undergraduate research in a variety of ways, some of which include being a judge or working with current ambassadors.

Click this link to see all of the alumni opportunities

Contact us:

Tawny Tibbits, OUR Director, tawny-tibbits@uiowa.edu
Liz Saathoff, OUR Associate Director, elizabeth-saathoff@uiowa.edu
Laura Kowalski-Bliss, OUR Coordinator, laura-kowalski-bliss@uiowa.edu

Office of Undergraduate Research
undergraduate-research@uiowa.edu
https://our.research.uiowa.edu
6 Gilmore Hall
319-335-8336