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Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center

Introductory College Apprentice Research Experience

Thanks to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Improving Undergraduate STEM Education grant, CSUMB is proud to partner with Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) to offer the Introductory College Apprentice Research Experience (iCARE) program to MPC undergraduate students at the CSUMB campus. Students will participate in faculty-mentored undergraduate STEM research that is composed of rigorous, authentic, and calibrated scholarly activities by providing first-hand experiences through innovative and distinctive activities. The iCARE program will be a 10-week summer program geared towards students with no to very little research experience. 

Participating students will work in guided teams with a CSUMB faculty research mentor and senior CSUMB undergraduate researchers to learn how research is conducted by reading scientific literature, contributing to original scientific research, and learning how to present research findings. Participating students will also engage in a series of weekly workshops that focus on written and oral communication, community building, graduate school preparedness and career development as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) summer professional development program.

Program Contact: Dr. Jessica Bautista, UROC Research Associate

Program Benefits

  • 10-week hands-on research guided by CSUMB faculty 
  • Support from senior CSUMB undergraduate researchers
  • Advising and support for transfer to a 4-year institution
  • ~$2,800 scholarship for 10 week participation
  • Limited research supply funding
  • Participants are eligible to submit for a travel allowance is limited to only travel directly related to the summer research project.
Dr. Bergsma with 2018 CCARE students reviewing field research protocols.
Dr. Bergsma reviewing field research protocols.

Program Overview

  • Students will have the opportunity to participate in 10 week research projects during the summer.
  • Program date:
    • 10-week program: June 3 to August 9, 2024
  • Research projects are available in a variety of STEM disciplines (Agriculture Plant and Soil Science, Biology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Marine Science, Math, and/or Statistics)
  • Weekly professional development workshops
  • Research presentation at the UROC Summer Research Symposium on August 9, 2024

Applications are now open! Deadline to apply is April 25th, 2024. 

Apply Here

Past Research Areas and Mentors