The international research opportunities program (irop) experience
Application Deadlines
October 14 , 2009 for juniors who will perform research in summer 2010
Application and Preparation
Application cover sheet (fillable online)
Application proposal (fillable and narrative sections for students to write and faculty mentors to review)
Faculty mentor recommendation (for mentor to complete manually and submit to Hood House 209 in a sealed envelope)
Faculty recommendation (for other faculty to complete manually and submit to Hood House 209 in a sealed envelope)
Before doing anything else, read the information on this website and review the IROP policies and eligibility. Once you know IROP is the right program for you, identify a research topic that gets you excited, perhaps one that keeps you up at night or that your roommates are tired of hearing about. Then, identify a faculty mentor with expertise in that subject area and together discuss your ideas for a project. Consider whether your project will involve health and safety regulations and therefore require permission from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. (Consult this checklist.)
If you have an idea but need help identifying a mentor, program coordinator Georgeann Murphy can help—with this and any other startup questions you have. Plan to meet with her as soon as possible during the planning process: georgeann.murphy@unh.edu (603) 862-1933.
Once you have a solid research project idea, download all four sections of the application (above) and review what it asks you to do. When you are ready to apply, please fill out the cover sheet online, then print and attach it to your complete application. The non-narrative portions of the proposal (including the budget) may also be filled out online. You may begin work on these documents, save them to your comupter, and return to them later for completion. Regarding the faculty recommendations, it is your responsibility to deliver these pieces to the appropriate faculty members.
Consult our advice for writing an effective proposal and allow ample time to complete all application materials. Remember that faculty mentors often are quite busy, and give them adequate time to complete and submit letters of recommendation to the IROP office. Make sure your faculty mentor signs your final application and budget. Then, submit your original completed application plus 7 copies (8 total) to Hood House 209 by the application deadline.
During the time between your acceptance into the IROP program and actual departure for your chosen research location, you must ensure adequate language skill and cultural preparation. Assume responsibility for completing the research described in your proposal, and commit to 9 weeks of summer research.
Engaging in Research
While studying in your chosen country, you will aim to answer your particular research questions in the field, in a lab, a library, an archive, a gallery, a theater—wherever your project topic and intellectual curiosity lead you. The Hamel Center requires you to keep expense records and monitor your budget, and asks that you document everything you can both in writing and with images.
While studying in another country, you must remember to comply with the professional ethics of your field as well as host country laws. Join locals as a gracious UNH representative, and connect with other researchers and the IROP staff via the UNH Blackboard and personal blogs.
Returning to UNH
Upon returning to UNH, you will write a 5–10 page project summary and submit this to the Hamel Center by the end of October. With the help of your mentor, you will prepare your research for presentation in your discipline as, for example, a seminar paper, honors thesis, senior thesis, or capstone project.
In early October you will present an overview of your research to a general audience at the annual IROP Symposium, and work with your faculty mentor to find a forum for presenting your research within your discipline during the academic year. Although publication is not a requirement, we encourage you to share your research and cultural experience in various forums, such as writing an article for Inquiry, UNH’s undergraduate research journal, and perhaps presenting at the Conference for Undergraduate Research or a professional conference in your discipline. The Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research offers research presentation grants to support conference travel.
Your UNH transcript will note your completion of all IROP requirements and your project title.