Celebrating Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry at UNE
At the intersection of passion and academics — a place where theory meets practice and students become authors of new knowledge — the University of New England’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program becomes the crux of fostering the next generation of researchers, thinkers, and change makers.
With an eye toward increasing meaningful student involvement in research, scholarship, and creative inquiry, this competitive stipend program, commonly referred to as SURE, funds summer research projects across a wide range of disciplines, including humanities, health, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, business, education, and marine sciences.
SURE encourages students in the College of Arts and Sciences and Westbrook College of Health Professions to expand their coursework knowledge into advanced realms of understanding, preparing them for further study in their fields.
Students benefit from close collaboration between faculty mentors, a key aspect of UNE’s approach to undergraduate research. Each year, the program culminates in an annual fall symposium showcasing the research and highlighting the diverse array of scholarly inquiry by students in various disciplines.
The program is part of UNE’s broader commitment to undergraduate research, which sees 46% of undergraduates engage in research activities outside of the classroom. This high level of participation reflects the university’s emphasis on creating new knowledge, promoting interdisciplinary collaborations, and providing students with opportunities to present their work at conferences and even publish scholarly articles.
By offering these research experiences, UNE provides opportunities for students to confront pressing societal challenges through foundational, translational, and interdisciplinary approaches, making research and scholarship essential components of students’ educational experiences.
This hands-on creation and application of knowledge not only prepares UNE students for successful careers and graduate study, but it also cultivates the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential in our rapidly evolving global economy.
