U-RISE@WPI
Welcome to the U-RISE@Wπ
The goal of the program is to guide our undergraduate students — especially from underrepresented (UR) populations — towards successful biomedical research careers with a cohesive structure and supportive research ecosystem. We will improve the retention and graduation rate of students from these UR groups by creating small teams of undergraduate researchers, each with a faculty Coach dedicated to each student’s success. Research, like sports, requires dedication, perseverance, and conditioning to improve skills and feelings of self-efficacy. The best way to retain players is to promote a fun, supportive culture and invest in player skill development, regardless of their incoming skill level or prior experience
U-RISE Coaches
Would you like to have a dedicated professor that coaches you about undergraduate research and who cares about your overall success at WPI?
Our biomedical-related professors have developed a personalized Coaching Model to support you and a cohort of students in your research interests as you begin your WPI educational journey through:
- Group Meetings with Coach & 5-student Cohort (monthly)
- Individual meetings with Coach to develop your Game Plan
- Scouting Lunches to meet with potential research
- Advisors (monthly)
- ”How Research Works” Seminars (once a term)
- Lab Crawl for hands-on learning
The time commitment is ~1hr per week. Fun food will be provided at most meetings.
Coaches will help foster your well-being, retention, and success and are specifically trained to advocate for you. Coaches will build relationships with you over the first two terms of your first year as you participate in program activities, self-reflections, and individual game plans (IGP). They will also help you develop your application for the funded U-RISE@WPI program.
As Draftees (first-year students), you will have the opportunity to view videos of Draft Year Coaches and list your top three match preferences. Draftees will be matched to Draft Year Coach and the U-RISE Coach will set up Coaching meetings to set goals for the year, help advise on introductory chemistry sequence, guide you in completing your individual game plan, and connect you with wellness and academic supports as needed.
U-RISE Events
Scouting Lunch
To build community and enhance networking skills, accepted Draftees will have informal lunches two times per term with participating faculty members. At each lunch, faculty will talk about their research in an approachable way. The goal is to introduce Draftees to research options on campus and to meet faculty to broaden their feelings of community with other participants and faculty on campus.
How Research Works
How Research Works talks focus on speakers sharing their lived experience in research, the hurdles they experienced, and how they overcame them. The talks are about both the research and the researcher.
Summer Research Opportunities
Applications Closed for the 2023/2024 Academic Year
Path of a U-RISE Trainee
Example
Eligibility
You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident AND majoring in a STEM field. Students from underrepresented populations in the Biomedical Research Workforce are especially encouraged to apply. You can learn more about how the NIH views underrepresentation in the Biomedical Research Workforce here.