Timeline for CFANS Research Apprenticeship Program

The CFANS Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) is a 2-year program. It provides an early opportunity for students to develop their interests in formal research through faculty mentorship. This is supported by an action-oriented programmatic model encompassing the research experience from beginning to end. This Research Apprenticeship experience is meant to stimulate minds, broaden perspectives, expand intellectual and social networking, and strengthen connections in the University and global community.

First-Year Research Apprentices will have the opportunity to learn about the research process, meet professors who have similar research interests to their own, and develop a research proposal. Monthly meetings are held with the RAP Coordinator and faculty who serve on the CFANS Undergraduate Research Program Committee (URPC). During their second year, Apprentices will conduct their research and summarize their findings in a formal research paper. They will end their program by presenting their research at the annual University-wide Undergraduate Symposium.

First Year (fall semester) in the program

September

  • Monthly Meeting topic: Introductory Meeting

October

  • Meet with URPC faculty liaison in early October
  • Monthly Meeting topic: What is Research? Students will learn about research methods and explore the meaning of research.

November

  • Meet with prospective faculty research mentors
  • Monthly Meeting topic: Communicating with faculty. Advice from previous year’s cohort.

December

  • Finalize faculty research mentor selection process.
  • Submit confirmation of mentor to RAP Coordinator by last day of fall semester
  • Monthly Meeting topic: Overview of spring semester expectations First Year (spring semester) in the program

January

  • Begin literature review and begin working on research proposal
  • Monthly Meeting topics: Exploring library resources for research. Discuss literature review and proposal writing tips

February - March

  • Monthly Meeting topics: Group check-ins on writing progress

April

  • Meet with URPC faculty liaison to review/critique first draft of research proposal
  • Attend UM Undergraduate Symposium
  • Monthly Meeting topics: Reviewing Undergraduate Symposium experience

May

  • Submit final draft of research proposal, application form, and mentor recommendation form to CFANS Undergraduate Research Program Committee for review and approval.
  • Monthly Meeting topic: Overview of spring semester expectations

Second Year in the program

September – March

• Work on research project, write research paper and develop research poster

April

  • Submit final draft of research paper to RAP Coordinator.
  • Present research poster at UM Undergraduate Symposium.