Undergraduate Research Assistantships

Job Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA)

Duties: One-semester undergraduate research assistantships are intended, primarily, for students contemplating advanced study or for those students who already have considerable background (e.g., in a foreign language, statistics, or computer applications) and wish to expand this commitment. URAs will assist faculty members in developing their professional research and expertise. Students will hone their scholarly skills, acquire additional expertise, and gain new perspectives on the academic workplace. The URA program implements research-oriented learning opportunities as identified by the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP Action Project 1).

URAs assist faculty members in a wide range of research activities (e.g. library and literature searches, grants searches, conference preparation, etc.) Specific duties are arranged between the URA and the professor.

Requirements:

• Enrolled as a student at Kent State Stark (6 hour minimum)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Strong interest in academics
• Willingness to work under direct supervision of faculty member

Preferred skills may include:

• Bibliographic work/construction
• Library research
• ILL management (requests, pick-up, etc.)
• Data collection: field work, specimen collection and cataloging
• Statistical analysis
• Spread sheet preparation and management
• Proof reading/editorial assistance/translation
• Help with meeting presentation/poster preparation
• Monitor and update content-based web pages/lectures
• Supporting research through copying, emailing, scanning, etc.

Number of Hours Per Week: Variable (5-10)

Compensation: $8.15 per hour (upon approval)

Applications:  

• Applications are made to the Committee on Undergraduate Research Assistantships.
• Appointments are for one semester, but may be renewed contingent on funding.
• Both faculty and students must complete the application form.
• Faculty may apply either as a team with a specific undergraduate student of their choice, or individually to be matched with an available URA.
• URAs will be selected by the committee in consultation with the faculty applicant.
• The committee will decide on appointments in consultation with faculty members who have requested assistants, and based on level of need and fit with the URA pool.

Reports
After completion of the URA, recipients (both faculty and students) should provide the committee and the Kent State Stark administration with a thorough and detailed report of activities performed, skills attained and developed, and tangible products (published works, creative works and performances, presentations, and grants) resulting from the URA activity. To help with this, students are asked to keep a journal of their activities and skills gained and used throughout the assistantship.