Hosted by The University of Glasgow
15 – 21 October 2009

The NUS International Relations Office invites applications from NUS undergraduates to participate in the upcoming Universitas 21 Undergraduate Research Conference 2009.

Up to three outstanding NUS Year 2, 3 or honours students will be selected to attend the conference, which will be held at University of Glasgow, Scotland, from 15 – 21 October 2009. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in and present their research to an international audience of fellow students, faculty and mentors from the U21 universities; as well as a chance to submit their research for publication in The Oculus, published by the University of Virginia.

The NUS International Relations office will provide financial support consisting of a lump sum of S$ 2,400, which students can use to offset the cost of airfare, accommodation and local transportation.

Interested students are invited to apply through their respective faculties’ Dean’s Office.  Please check with the respective Dean’s Office for the application closing date.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The U21 Undergraduate Research Conference is open to ALL full-time NUS undergraduates. Students from any faculty/school and of any nationality may apply. However, students must keep in mind that they will be responsible for meeting all immigration requirements.

Students who have previously participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) or who have carried out research at honours level are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants should have a CAP score of at least 3.0, an excellent command of English and be able to act as effective ambassadors of NUS.

HOW TO APPLY?

Each faculty has been invited to nominate 1 or 2 students for consideration.  Please check with your respective Dean’s Office for the closing date and application procedure.

The application form should reach IRO by 5 August 2009.

NUS representatives will be selected on the basis of their abstract submission.  Shortlisted candidates may be called for an interview with a Selection Committee during the second week of August.

MORE QUESTIONS? 

For further queries, please contact Ms Susan Tan at irottts@nus.edu.sg.

ABOUT UNIVERSITAS 21

Universitas 21 (U21) is an international network of leading research-intensive universities. Its purpose is to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between member universities and create entrepreneurial opportunities for them on a scale that none would individually, or through traditional bilateral alliances, be able to achieve.

For more information about U21, please log on www.universitas21.com

ABOUT U21 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

The first U21 Undergraduate Research Conference was hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, from 6 – 9 April 2005. The conference showcased the work of thirty-two student researchers from twelve U21 universities in eight countries. Please log on http://www.universitas21.com/URC.html for more details.
 
The hosts since had been University of Queensland, McGill University and NUS in 2008.

ABOUT U21 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE 2009

Purpose

The purpose of the U21 Undergraduate Research Conference is “to allow students from around the globe to present their research to a diverse audience of peers, faculty, and mentors, as well as the larger community”.

The 2009 Conference, hosted by University of Glasgow, has opted for an open theme to allow for greater scope in the research papers and poster sessions that will presented. This will provide undergraduates with the opportunity to showcase their research to an international audience. Papers presented by students at the Conference will be printed subsequently in a special issue of the journal The Oculus, published by the University of Virginia. Additionally, the university aims to introduce the opportunity for staff (faculty) to engage with U21 colleagues on topical undergraduate learning, teaching and research issues, and to establish professional networks.

For details of the programme, please visit the conference website.

Costs

Glasgow does not charge registration fee, however, participants are responsible for the costs of air travel to and from Glasgow, local transportation, accommodation and costs of any optional tours taken outside the formal conference activities.  Some meals are also not included in the programme. 

The financial support of $2,400 provided by IRO should help to offset these costs.  Any difference will have to be borne by the participants.

All participants will be staying at IBIS Hotel in Glasgow City Centre.  The charges are approximately S$70.00 per person per night for a twin sharing room or S$110.00 per night for a single room.

ABOUT THE HOST UNIVERSITY: THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the United Kingdom and has nearly 20000 undergraduates, 4000 postgraduates and 4000 adults in continuing education. The students are from over 124 countries .

The University is a major research powerhouse, with annual research contract income in the top ten of UK universities. An exceptional 96% of its research-active staff are in areas which have been independently assessed as producing research of international importance.

A breadth of undergraduate student choice across the physical and life sciences, the social sciences and the humanities, together with a rapidly-expanding range of postgraduate courses, are offered at the University. Their teaching quality has been independently rated as among the top ten in the UK and our medical and veterinary schools are consistently rated amongst the very best in the UK.

Nine Faculties administer teaching and research activities: they are the Faculties of Arts; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Education; Engineering; Information & Mathematical Sciences; Law, Business & Social Sciences; Medicine; Physical Sciences; Veterinary Medicine.

“Glasgow is an exciting place, rich in culture, groaning with history, but most of all I found it to be welcoming.”  -  Laura Sayers, BBC Radio 1 producer

The University has three main campuses. Gilmorehill, the main campus with its distinctive outline silhouetted on the city's skyline, is in the cosmopolitan West End of Glasgow, just three miles away from the vibrant city centre and connected by subway and frequent buses. The second campus, Garscube, houses the Vet School and outdoor sports facilities and is just four miles further out of the city. The University's Dumfries campus is located on the outskirts of Dumfries, in South West Scotland.

See the University of Glasgow’s website (link: http://www.gla.ac.uk/) for more information on the university.