FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) for UO SPUR

Applying to SPUR
Selection for SPUR
SPUR Program details
Outside the lab









-- Applying to SPUR

What is the Application Deadline?
    There is not a hard deadline. We will begin making offers on Monday of the last full week in February, and we will continue to review applications until all slots are filled. Please note that space is very limited.


-- Statements A, B and C :
How in depth should the Statements be? Is there a word minimum, maximum, or suggested length?
    We don't want you to feel burdened with a long complicated application, but we do want to know about you, your goals, studies, talents, motivation, and what you hope to gain from the program.  You should clarify your research interests and perhaps list some labs in which you would like to work. Statement C is entirely optional.
    There is no word limit for any of the statements.  Just be as concise as you can without omitting any ideas that might help us in evaluating your application.  From among those accepted into the SPUR2006 program, the longest statement was 853 words, and the average was about 350 words per statement.
    Admission requires more than positive qualities and well written statements, it requires an available host laboratory for each participant; therefore it is suggested that, somewhere in your statements, you expand on your research choices and possibly suggest some professors with whom you might want to work.

-- Letters of Recommendation:
     A) Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?
    The letters of recommendation should come from professional people who are qualified to advise us candidly on your abilities, motivation, integrity, intellectual vitality, and enthusiasm for science.  They could be from professors, instructors, or other researchers in non-science fields. They should be sent by email, from a professional (.edu) address to spur@uoneuro.uoregon.edu.
    B) Can recommendation letters be sent by email?
    Yes! In fact, we greatly prefer that they be sent by email.  Recommenders should use their professional (.edu) address, and email to spur@uoneuro.uoregon.edu. Letters can also be sent by US Mail, if necessary.  Please do not waste money sending applications by FedEx.  We do not have a hard deadline, and a few days either way will not make a difference. 
    C) Should the recommendation letters be emailed at the same time that the online application is submitted?
    Doesn't matter.


-- Grades
    Is there a cutoff GPA for selection to SPUR?
    No.  Although we seriously consider applicants' grades, we feel that grades very often do not reflect the creative abilities of prospective scholars; and so, we place heavy emphasis on candid evaluations within recommendation letters that accompany the applications.

    Why do you want unofficial transcripts?
    We don't want you to waste time or money arranging for transcripts when you first apply.  If your application goes beyond the short list, we will ask for official transcripts, and by then you will have updated grades.

    If it's really difficult to upload my transcripts into the application form, can I mail them or email a scan?
    We want ultimately to have a spreadsheet that includes all applicants' information, including courses & grades, so we prefer to have you upload your grades into the online application form.  Our second choice would be for you to send them by email.  But if it is much easier for you to mail them, that would be fine.

Can I call to find out if my application is complete, whether I made the short list, or what faculty are reviewing my application?
    Email would be better, but feel free to contact us with any questions.

Can seniors/post-bacs apply and participate in the SPUR program?
    We do occasionally accept Fellows who will have graduated before the summer. 

Can international students (non-US citizens) apply and participate in the SPUR program?
    Most of our funding sources require that SPUR Fellows they sponsor be US citizens or resident aliens.  However, occasionally we sponsor international students.  For example, in SPUR 2006, two international students participated, but supplied much of their own funding.

Problems with online submission.
    Some applicants have had problems with the online submission, receiving error messages or not being able to load the page. If you encounter problems, please
a) contact us, so we can correct it if it's on our end; AND
b) send us your application information via email to spur@uoneuro.uoregon.edu and we will enter it into the database.  To make it easier, we've posted an application form in MS Word format HERE. Fill it out, save it, and then email it to spur@uoneuro.uoregon.edu as an attachment.
    Most often, we have found that the problem has been on the applicant's side, generally with the internet browser.  If you're so inclined, you might try to clear your cache, discard temporary internet files and temp files, and clear browser history. Then try again to submit.










-- Selection for SPUR
What are you looking for in a SPUR applicant? Is it beneficial for me to have Prior Research Experience? If I need prior experience to get in, how do I get experience in the first place?
    In the selection process, we look for people who exhibit creativity, motivation, diligence, native intelligence, integrity, broad interests, and an upbeat outlook, among other things.  We try to choose candidates who would benefit most from this intensive program.  We don't require prior experience to apply:  Some of our labs prefer prior experience, others don't, and some prefer no experience.  So, yes, prior experience is desireable for some labs but not others.

How does the selection process work?
    The application materials, including basic information, areas of research interest, statements, transcripts, and letters of recommendation are compiled as a packet for each applicant.  These are read and evaluated by the SPUR administrators, and a short list is made.  Each participating faculty member evaluates packets from applicants having similar research interests; each faculty member then generates a ranked list of preferred candidate applicants.  The SPUR Director then makes offers of admission to the top candidate(s) on each faculty member's list.  Because it often happens that a candidate applicant will be selected by more than one professor, it is helpful for us if you list professors with whom you might want to work. Thus, before each offer of admission to SPUR is made, a professor and the candidate SPUR scholar commit to working together in the summer program. 
    Following acceptance, the potential host professor and the candidate SPUR scholar then communicate with one another by email/phone, discussing the summer research possibilities, responsibilities, expectations, etc.

When will applicants be notified if they are accepted into the program? 
    We begin reviewing application files on the Monday of the last week in February.  During that week, we generate a short list of SPUR candidates, and we plan to notify all applicants of their status.  From the short list, we begin making offers to SPUR candidates.  The process of filling available spots generally takes a few weeks.  We maintain a waiting list and ask for your patience.  The last few slots are very fluid, because labs often find new funding or new openings.  Thus, each year there are late applicants who are admitted to the program as late as April or May. 








-- The SPUR Program
What are the SPUR Progam dates?  Can I go to my sister's wedding in the middle? My university has a weird schedule, can I arrive/leave early?late?
    We keep the participation dates flexible, to accommodate the variety of schedules of schools across the country.  Most SPUR Fellows are here from the 2nd or 3rd week in June through the 2nd or 3rd week in August.  Some people arrive earlier and leave earlier, others participate on a later schedule.  Some Fellows take a week off in the middle of the Summer.  The minimum duration is 8 weeks; the maximum so far has been about 14 weeks.  Despite these differences, SPUR participants have always developed close bonds.

-- What are the specifics of the SPUR offer?
    Round trip from your home to the University of Oregon and Housing in the UO residence halls are arranged by our staff and paid by SPUR.  Housing includes room and board, and SPUR Fellows are housed together.  Most SPUR Fellows arrive about 2 or 3 weeks before the UO dorms empty for our summer break.  For this period, they are housed in doubles; but as the dorms become available during UO final exam week, they would move to a single, in an area with the other SPUR fellows.  Our SPUR summer stipend is $300/week, paid at the end of each month, with the 1st pro-rated paycheck at end of June. 

-- What is the weekly schedule for the summer?
    The SPUR experience is very intensive in research work, and in social, cultural, and recreational activities.  SPUR Fellows research 40+ hrs/wk, on a generally flexible schedule determined by the host lab and mentors.  Each Monday afternoon, SPUR Fellows attend a Faculty Research Seminar Series presentation on a specific area of life sciences research given by a different UO Professor.  Each Thursday morning, SPUR Fellows attend a Professional Development Workshop Series presentation or a facilities tour. These events are listed on links from the SPUR home page, and previous schedules are available.  At least once each week, the SPUR Director meets for lunch in the cafeteria with all the SPUR students to hear comments, complaints, problems, ideas for improving the program, gossip, etc.  One or more evenings per week, the SPUR group gathers with the SPUR facilitator (a UO undergraduate researcher who participates in SPUR, living in the dorms with the SPUR group) to plan weekend activities/excursions.  Throughout the summer, SPUR professional workshops and individual mentors work to train SPUR fellows in reading and preparing scientific papers and scientific presentations, using online tools in life sciences research, keeping lab notebooks, responsible research conduct, accessing career opportunites, and other issues related to careers in life sciences research.  At summer's end, the SPUR Undergraduate Research Symposium is held in 3 sessions; here, all SPUR Fellows present the results of their summer work in formal oral scientific presentations.  Some students additionally prepare research posters for presentation at national meetings.  Several students each year will travel to national scientific meetings to present their work from the SPUR program.







-- Outside the lab
-- What is available outside of the Research program?  Why is Oregon a good place to spend the Summer?
    Every year, the SPUR fellows form a very close knit group (you can check out the SPUR alumni group on facebook.com and also our SPUR scrapbooks), and on weekends they travel all around Oregon, for recreation, sightseeing, shopping, concerts etc.  In the past, activities have included hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, the Cascade Mountains, Crater Lake, concerts/shopping in Portland & Seattle, various places along the Oregon coast, Silver Falls State Park, Fall Creek, the California Redwoods, one year a group climbed South Sister (of the Three Sisters, dormant (so far) volcanoes in the Cascade Mountain Range, visible from some of the labs), rafted on the McKenzie River, the Rogue River, canoed on the Willamette River, and many more activities.  In some years, a small group of SPUR Fellows and friends have climbed Spencer's Butte (a 2000+ ft peak in South Eugene) a couple times/wk. Eugene has many miles of bike trails and running trails around the town. 
    Also check out what SPUR alumni have said about the past years' programs.

-- What recreational facilities are available on campus?
    We have a terrific Student Recreation Center (SRC) close to the dorms, with exercise machines, weight machines & free weights, swimming pool, climbing wall, squash courts, racquetball courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, aerobics dance and yoga classes, an indoor track and our world famous outdoor track, Hayward field.  We have miles and miles of maintained running paths through the city.  Miles of bicycle paths also wind through the city and into the countryside.  The Willamette River is immediately adjacent to campus, and you can rent canoes, inner tubes, swim or just jump in on hot summer days.  We have a great Outdoor Pursuits Program that offers courses in wilderness survival, rock climbing, sailing, and more; they organize trips around the pacific northwest (rafting, hiking, biking, canoeing, etc); and it has an extensive collection of guides, maps and videos.  Here's a UO campus map and directions.

-- What is Eugene like?
    The Eugene metropolitan area has a population of over 200,000. Yet the city of Eugene maintains a colorful, small town feel. Our links to Eugene and Local Area and PlanetEugene offer information about arts, culture & entertainment, shopping, outdoor recreation, news, lodging, transportation & maps.  You can also check it out on Wikipedia.
    Eugene is one of the most bicycle-friendly places in the country, with many miles of bike routes and bike paths through and around town, the parks and gardens, and the wetlands.  The summer weather is dry, very low humidity, and very pleasant  (July weather summary for Eugene).  Throughout the summer, we have a Saturday Market, with a growers market, local food and crafts vendors, and local entertainment on the Market Stage.  The Willamette River runs through the University and is joined by the McKenzie River just north of town.  From Eugene, it is just over an hour’s drive to either the Cascade mountains to the East, the Coastal Mountains and the Oregon coast to the West, and Portland and the Columbia River Gorge to the North. 
    Eugene is often referred to as Track Town USA.  You see people running constantly -- there are many 10K 5K and fun run races around town, all-comers track meets several weeks in the summer, running groups, and a new Eugene Marathon.  At Hayward Field, each year is the Prefontaine Classic Track Meet that brings world class runners.  In the past, Eugene and UO have hosted the national championships, the world championships, and the olympic trials (coming again in 2008).
    There is great music in town of many types.  Oregon Bach Festival, Oregon Mozart Players, Jazz, Swing dances, Zimbabwean marimba groups, drumming circles, Oregon Country Fair, and many more events and groups.  Check out links from the SPUR home page.