Growing research through innovation
It is time again to nominate a clever student researcher for the Undergraduate Research Excellence (URE) awards.
The $1,000 awards are to recognize excellence in research done by individual undergraduate students as part of their degree programs for a challenging research project as part of a course, a self-directed research project, or as a research assistant working with a faculty researcher. The Research and Graduate Studies Office administers the awards and will host a celebratory dinner May 28 to honour our excellent student researchers and their supervisors.
URE Process and Criteria This document will assist your department in selecting a nominee.
About the URE awards
Each year, the UFV Research Office presents Undergraduate Research Excellence (URE) Awards to students who have conducted high-calibre research as part of the UFV Work Study program, as research assistants, or for an outstanding project as part of a course.
Departments/Schools are invited to submit nominations for their best research student for projects done in the past year.
Additional awards are available for the best:
- Community Service Research project completed by a student with a community service agency
- Indigenous Research project completed by a student on an Indigenous related topic, or research done by an Indigenous student
- Industry Engagement Research project completed by a student with a UFV industry partner
A celebration event is held in Spring to acknowledge the students and their research supervisors. The event is traditionally an in-person dinner (see photos). Recipients of the 2021 awards are celebrated in a special video!
History
The URE awards started as a one-time opportunity back in 2004 to disperse funds raised through a VW Beetle raffle. The event was so well received, UFV decided to make it an annual event! It has become the highlight event for the Research Office, which has dispersed over $270,000 to students through these awards over the last 15 years.
The Globe and Mail recognizes UFV's commitment to undergraduate research in their 2017 Canadian University Report:
"UFV students are encouraged to pursue their own research, even at the undergraduate level, to increase their chances of obtaining scholarships, awards and graduate-school positions. The university's Research, Engagement, and Graduate Studies office hosts an annual dinner to celebrate the research conducted by undergraduates; this year, UFV awarded more than $22,000 to 37 promising students."
