Support This Year's Undergraduate Research Forum.

We invite you or a representative from your company to participate in our annual Undergraduate Research Forum to be held on campus April 17, 2009. The Forum spotlights undergraduate research poster and oral presentations, and companies that have participated in past years have benefited from excellent interaction with our highest caliber students. Students benefit from this event because it prepares them to present their work professionally and provides them constructive feedback and recognition for their work.

Companies are invited to participate in several ways:

• By providing representatives as presentation evaluators
• By providing research excellence awards in one of two categories to recognize outstanding undergraduate research or superior research presentations
• By sponsoring fellowships for the continuation of research projects through the school year

We will be recognizing participating companies on all printed material associated with the event as well as on our program web site. In addition, the Forum will culminate with a reception Friday afternoon where we will recognize representatives, supporters and student winners.

In 2008, more than 150 students presented their work and were evaluated by over 70 faculty and representatives from over 30 companies. Many of our student presenters have already received grants or fellowships to pursue their research and they are some of our brightest young talent. We truly appreciate your time and commitment to undergraduate students in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.

Best wishes,
Sarah Simmons
Undergraduate Research Director

Ways your company can support undergraduate research

1) By providing representatives as presentation evaluators:

Representatives can select posters or oral presentations from fields of study they feel qualified to evaluate, but we only expect evaluators to be able to speak to the quality of the students thought process and presentation skills, not necessarily to evaluate the science of the specific project.

Students will present research in the following categories:

• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry/Biochemistry
• Child and Family Development
• Computer Science
• Geology
• Marine Science
• Mathematics
• Nutrition
• Physics
• Textiles and Apparel
• Engineering
• Pharmacy

2) Excellence Awards ($500 each):

Corporate sponsors are invited to provide excellence awards to recognize outstanding undergraduate research and superior research presentations. Top poster and oral presentations will be identified by faculty and industry evaluators in April and students will be presented with corporate awards at our reception that day. Multiple awards can be given in each category.

Sponsors may elect to choose from the above categories for their award. Furthermore if your company would like to create and award focused on a more specific research topic, please contact Sarah Simons to discuss this option. Sponsors of excellence awards will be recognized on all printed material for the event as well as on our program web site (see attached program from the event).

3) Undergraduate Research Fellowships and Scholarships ($2,500-$5,000):

Donors can elect to fund a research fellowship or scholarship that would support an undergraduate student doing research for the academic school year. A funding level of $2,500 will support a student for one long semester (15-20 hours per week), while $5,000 supports a student for the academic year (Fall and Spring) or to do full time research in the summer (35-40 hours per week).

Competition and criteria for these awards will be announced at the April reception. Recipients will be chosen and awards dispersed prior to September. These students will present their work at the Forum. Corporate donors of these awards will be recognized at both of the Forums. Research publication resulting from work sponsored by these awards will also acknowledge corporate funding.