How Do You Explain Newly Learned Complex Ideas to Others?
  
  We are investigating the ways in which people with varying levels of 
  knowledge explain what they know to other people. We are seeking University of Washington Students to participate in our study.
  
  If you participate, we will first have you participate in one of two possible 
  arrangements. We may have you in a face-to-face conversation with an expert in a particular field of study at the University of Washington (professors and /or graduate students) as the expert explains a complex concept relevant to the particular field of study to you, the non-expert. Rather than a face-to-face conversation, we may instead have you watch a video recording of an expert explaining a complex concept to a non-expert. We will then ask you 
  to re-explain the concept to a non-expert research assistant.
  
  The conversations will be video-recorded and will last approximately 30 
  minutes.  The re-explanation of the concept will also be video-recorded and 
  will, again last approximately 30 minutes. To express our appreciation, we 
  will provide you with a $25 dollar University Bookstore gift certificate 
  after your last session.
  
  If you have questions or wish to participate in this study, please call 206 
  979 8347 or email Stephanie, scope@u.washington.edu. Please note that we 
  cannot ensure confidentiality of email communications.
  
  Reed Stevens, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor
  Principal Investigator
  
  Siri Mehus, Ph.D.
  Research Scientist
  Co-investigator
  
  Stephanie Scopelitis
  Research Assistant
  

Undergraduate Responsibilities
Democracy Now, Independent Media and Social Movement Communication
COM 499 Directed Research, Winter 2008

Project Summary:
As an undergraduate researcher, you will assist with a research team engaged in social science research in the field of communication. This research project is an analysis of the nationally syndicated radio, TV and web program, Democracy Now, and its role in tying social issues and news organizations together. News organizations will include community and micro- radio and public access TV stations in the Pacific Northwest as well as online news and blog sites. As a research intern, your primary role will be to help in developing the research database for the project by compiling online texts and transcribing recordings of interviews with journalists, editors, producers, station managers and news directors. 

Opportunities related to the undergraduate researcher experience:
•	Introduce you to aspects of conducting qualitative communication research 
•	Help you develop useful skills in the transcription of spoken word, online data collection, data management, organization
•	Provide you with mentorship and references for your academic goals

General duties of the undergraduate researcher:
•	Contribute as a team member (individually, other assistants, graduate researchers)
•	Search online databases for linguistic data related to poverty homelessness (websites, blogs and news pages)
•	Archive and organize digital data corpus (news texts, website texts, interview transcripts)
•	Transcribe interview audio into written text (using transcription software) 

Expectations of the undergraduate researcher:
•	Attention to detail: punctuality, organization, communication
•	Professionalism: ethical behavior, confidentiality, openness when facing difficulties
•	Attend one weekly meeting (time TBD)
•	Contribute a minimum 9 hours per week to the project and maintain a weekly time log
•	Write a final reflection paper (2–3 pages; due week 10 of Fall quarter) 

Your work will be acknowledged in official reports or research papers, but all data and information from the project remains with the research team. 

You will receive 3 credits (graded on a credit/no credit basis) for completed work done during the quarter. 

If you're interested in this opportunity, contact Amoshaun Toft - atoft@u.washington.edu.

Undergraduate Responsibilities
Anti-poverty and homelessness organizing in Seattle
COM 499 Directed Research, Winter 2008

Project Summary:
As an undergraduate researcher, you will assist with a research team engaged in social science research in the field of communication. This research project is working with local street paper, Real Change, and their coalition partners in documenting the organizing dynamics involved in homeless and antipoverty organizing in Seattle. This includes the Stop the Sweeps campaign, the No New Jail campaign and Nickelsville. As a research intern, your primary role will be to help in developing the research database for the project by collecting news texts and transcribing recordings of interviews with coalition members. 

Opportunities related to the undergraduate researcher experience:
•	Introduce you to aspects of conducting qualitative communication research 
•	Help you develop useful skills in the transcription of spoken word, online data collection, data management, organization
•	Provide you with mentorship and references for your academic goals

General duties of the undergraduate researcher:
•	Contribute as a team member (individually, other assistants, graduate researchers)
•	Search online databases for linguistic data related to poverty homelessness (websites, blogs and news pages)
•	Archive and organize digital data corpus (news texts, website texts, interview transcripts)
•	Transcribe interview audio into written text (using transcription software) 

Expectations of the undergraduate researcher:
•	Attention to detail: punctuality, organization, communication
•	Professionalism: ethical behavior, confidentiality, openness when facing difficulties
•	Attend one weekly meeting (time TBD)
•	Contribute a minimum 9 hours per week to the project and maintain a weekly time log
•	Write a final reflection paper (2–3 pages; due week 10 of Fall quarter) 

Your work will be acknowledged in official reports or research papers, but all data and information from the project remains with the research team. 

You will receive 3 credits (graded on a credit/no credit basis) for completed work done during the quarter. 

If you're interested in this opportunity, contact Amoshaun Toft - atoft@u.washington.edu.

Research Exposed! Approaches to Inquiry
An Introductory Course to Research

Research Exposed! (GEN ST 391) is a 1 credit course that offers an
opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about current, exciting
research in a wide variety of disciplines, including the process of
discovery, how faculty come up with an idea for research, how inquiry is
structured in the different disciplines, and how students can become
involved in the knowledge-making process. This course is also open to the
public.

SLN:13950 - General Studies 391 D
Wednesdays, 12:30 ~V 1:20, Room: EEB 125

For more information, please visit
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/index.html.
Autumn Quarter Schedule is now available at
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/courses/researchexposed/autumn08.html

The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) has scheduled the following
information sessions for Autumn Quarter. This is a great opportunity for
students to learn about the process of getting involved in research and
other services that the Undergraduate Research Program offers.Please share
with your students.

Undergraduate Research Information Sessions:
Wednesday, October 8th, 3:30-4:30pm
Monday, October 13th, 12:30-1:30pm
Thursday, October 23rd, 4:00-5:00pm
Thursday, November 6th, 3:30-4:30pm

URP Information Sessions address how the Undergraduate Research Program can
help the student pursue his/her research interests. The sessions provide
research resources, information on funding, and suggestions for approaching
faculty. Additionally, the sessions are highly student-driven, with an
emphasis on student questions and concerns. Students interested in attending
the UW, including community college transfer students, are welcome to the
sessions. Please register at:

http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/courses/infosessions.html.
For more information about the Undergraduate Research Program please visit
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/about/index.html.


----------------------------------
Jessica E. Salvador
Graduate Staff Assistant
Undergraduate Research Program
Center for Experiential Learning
120 Mary Gates Hall
VM: 206.543.4282/206.616.2168
FAX: 206.616.4389
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/

I am writing this to give you a unique chance this Fall to be a “judge” at
King County polling stations during the historic November 4th Presidential
Election.  This volunteer opportunity offers you significant benefits as a
citizen, student as well as in helping your career development and contributing
to your resume.

As Director of the Athens Study-Abroad Programs in the Department of
Communication, I am collaborating with the King County Elections Office to offer
this “Partnership in Democracy” opportunity to Comm majors to gain firsthand
knowledge of how elections actually work, yet also to insure that the election
is run fairy and honestly.  This is significant, given that some of our recent
elections in the U.S. have been fraught with problems.

By volunteering to help monitor and “judge” the Nov. 4th election, you are
providing an invaluable service to the community.  And as the “New York Times” reported on Monday, July 21st 2008 in a front-page article, new optical scanners will be used in polling stations that are more reliable than previous
vote-counting machines. However, many voters will be unfamiliar with how to use the new scanners. Your presence at the polls will help citizens do exactly that.

As a volunteer you will work in teams of three – so you and two other
classmates or friends may be at the same polling station.  There is a 3-hour
training to be completed prior to Nov. 4th, but no other preparation is
necessary.   On Election Day, your shift is from 7am to 8pm, with any possible
set-up or break-down time added.

I, as well as Assistant Program Director Stacey Engle, will personally be going
to all the polling stations to visit volunteers to distribute snacks and water.
Each volunteer will also receive a commemorative lapel pin, an individual
thank-you letter and perhaps the important of all – the priceless gift that
you give yourself for giving back to your community.

The website for the “Partnership in Democracy” can be accessed via:

http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/partnership/roles.asp

This may be the last opportunity for this volunteer effort of its kind;
beginning in February 2009, elections in King County will be all mail-in
ballots.  You do not have to be a King County resident to participate, nor a
registered voter.   Lastly, your volunteer effort contributes to building a
scholarship fund for disadvantaged students to participate in study-abroad
programs.

Please contact me for more information –taso@u.washington.edu


Taso G. Lagos

I need some people to work on digital storaging and archiving.

Prof. Tony Chan
chanant@

Graduate Fellowship Opportunities Workshops:

Science, Math, Engineering, Social Sciences & Related Fields

May 20-21, 2008

 

Program representatives and directors from the National Science
Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program, the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Training Programs, the Department of
Defense (DOD) SMART Program will be sharing valuable information about
their fellowships for graduate studies and research training. Workshops
will go beyond providing basic information about the awards to include
insights into the writing and interviewing process, how to plan ahead,
and what goes into a strong application. 

 

Undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, advisors and staff in the
following, and all related, fields are especially encouraged to attend:
Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science & Engineering, Engineering,
Environmental Sciences, Geosciences, Health Sciences, Information
Sciences, Life Sciences, Math, Physics, Psychology, Social Sciences.

 

Tuesday, May 20 - Student Workshops

Please RSVP at
https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/scholarq/52188

 

Morning Sessions: General Program Information and Complexities of the
Application Process: Essay writing, Interviewing, Q&A.

 *  NIH, 9:30-10:20, HUB 209AB
 *  NSF, 10:30-11:20, HUB 209AB
 *  DOD, 11:30-12:20, HUB 309
Panel Discussion with Current Fellows and National Selection Committee
Members: 12:30 – 2:00pm, HUB 209AB

A panel of current student fellows from various competitive programs
discuss their experiences with the application process and as fellows. UW
faculty and staff who have served on national selection committees
discuss what they look for in successful applications. Refreshments will
be provided.

 

Afternoon Sessions: General Program Information and Complexities of the
Application Process: Essay writing, Interviewing, Q&A.

 *  NSF, 2:30 – 3:20 pm, HUB 106B
 *  NIH, 2:30 – 3:20 pm, HUB 209AB
 *  DOD, 2:30 – 3:20 pm, HUB 309
Evening Sessions: General Program Information and Complexities of the
Application Process: Essay writing, Interviewing, Q&A.
 *  NSF, 5:30 – 6:20pm, HUB 106B
 *  NIH, 5:30 – 6:20pm, HUB 209A
 *  DOD, to be determined

Wednesday, May 21 - Faculty, Advisors, and Staff

Please RSVP at
https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/scholarq/52188

 

Lunch Colloquium for Faculty, Advisors and Staff: 11:30 am – 1:20 pm, HUB
106B

 *  11:30am – 12:30pm – General Information about the Program and
    Application Process
 *  12:30 – 1:20pm – Supporting Applicants through the Process

Refreshments will be provided.

 
Sponsored by: The Undergraduate Scholarship Office, Undergraduate
Research Program, Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Graduate Fellowship
Office, Graduate School Fund for Excellence & Innovation, and the School
of Medicine.

University of Washington Libraries Research Awards for Undergraduates 2008

Now in its fifth year, the University of Washington Libraries
Undergraduate Research Awards program enables students to submit research
papers to a faculty/librarian review panel for the opportunity to win over
$10,000 in prize money. Papers will be grouped into one of three
categories:  Senior Thesis/Honors Thesis, Senior Non-Thesis, and
Non-Senior. The due date for applications is 5pm on Monday, May 19, 2008.

Last year almost 80 papers were judged, a significant increase over 2006.
Entries to the UW Libraries Undergraduate Awards have grown each year
since its inception. Interest has also mounted among faculty. Basia Belza,
UW Professor of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems observed: "There
is a phenomenal amount of stellar work that is crafted by our students and
they each deserve recognition."

This innovative program has grown so much that other universities have
begun to take notice, making inquiries to the UW Libraries in order to
start their own undergraduate awards competitions.

The Friends of the UW Libraries and the Allen Foundation generously
furnished the funding for the 2008 University of Washington Libraries
Research Awards for Undergraduates.

For more information write: libaward@u.washington.edu
or see:  http://www.lib.washington.edu/researchAward/


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louise M. Richards, Head                Box 357952
Fisheries-Oceanography Library          Seattle, WA  98195-7952
University of Washington                (206) 543-4279
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thinking about getting started in research? The URP Information Sessions address
how the Undergraduate Research Program can help the student pursue her/his
research interests. Primarily for undergraduates who have yet to begin research,
the sessions provide research resources, information on funding, and suggestions
for approaching faculty. Additionally, the sessions are highly student-driven,
with an emphasis on student questions and concerns. Students interested in
attending the UW, including community college transfer students, are welcome to
the sessions.

Wednesday, April 30th, 3:30-4:30pm
Mary Gates Hall, 120 Conference Room

To register, please visit:
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/courses/infosessions.html

Best,

URP Staff

*******************************************
Undergraduate Research Program
Center for Experiential Learning
120 Mary Gates Hall, Box 352803
University of Washington
Seattle, WA  98195-2803
VM: 206.543.4282/206.616.2168
FAX: 206.616.4389
www.washington.edu/research/urp