Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (URISE) program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is a scholarship program funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the URISE program is to broaden participation in biomedical research by supporting undergraduate students who intend to matriculate into high caliber Ph.D. or combined M.D.-Ph.D. programs in biomedical fields and eventually go on to research careers.
Eligibility
Undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year degree program at UAF in anthropology, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, mathematics, physics, and psychology are eligible to apply for the URISE Alaska program in spring of their first year. Students must be in good academic standing, U.S. citizen, noncitizen national or permanent resident, and physically present in Fairbanks.
Selection Criteria
The URISE Program Steering Committee will select applicants to participate in the program based on the criteria below:
- Strong commitment to matriculation into either a PhD or MD/PhD program in biomedical sciences upon completion of the bachelor degree and strong commitment to a research career in biomedical sciences.
- U.S. citizen, noncitizen national or permanent resident.
- Full-time, degree seeking sophomore with selected major
- Overall GPA of at least 3.3
- Submission of two letters of recommendation upon request
For more information contact Lori Gildehaus, lagildehaus@alaska.edu, 907-474-5788.
Current URISE Scholars
Hi! My name is Aggy and I'm studying the fascinating field of chemistry at UAF! I'm focusing on biochemistry and neuroscience for my degree and am currently conducting research in these fields. I'm interested in drug discovery and the interactions between chemicals and the brain. Some of my hobbies include spending time outdoors whether it's camping, hiking, or anything in between. Aside from that, I love spending time with my dogs and going on adventures with them!
My research interests are in wildlife diseases, particularly prion diseases. I'm a Biological Sciences major and I plan on applying to veterinary school. I love to crochet and do pretty much anything outdoors
I am currently majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biomedical Science. My passion is to explore the unique nutritional needs of women's health. I hope to research nutritional aspects specific to women someday, as this field has research disparities that predominantly focus on male subjects. When I'm not in school, I love reading and exploring the outdoors through skiing, mountain running, outdoor rock climbing, and backpacking.
I’m an out-of-state, first generation, honors undergraduate majoring in Social Work and Japanese Studies. My research interests are how pre-designated social status affects the ability to access healthcare and quality of service provided. I hold several leadership student organization positions on campus including President of the Organization of Student Social Workers and President of the Japan Alaska Club. In my free time, I like to lay around, read, and play games.
My research interests include educational psychology with an emphasis on learning and development. My family is Sudanese, and I was raised in Fairbanks almost my entire life. During my time in the URISE program, I’ve done work related to communities in and out of Alaska, specifically Kotzebue and Chicago.
