PROGRAM OVERVIEW
UNITE is a six week, pre-collegiate summer experience for talented high school students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Hosted virtually by the University of Arkansas, UNITE encourages students to pursue college majors and careers in engineering and other STEM-related fields through a program of focused hands-on rigorous academics, enrichment, and career exploration.
Operating on a two-year cycle, UNITE targets rising 9th through 12th grade students from all backgrounds. Student applications for summer programs will be accepted April through May. Students accepted into the program receive support and enrichment designed to best help them achieve their goals of higher education and careers in STEM.
UNITE at the University of Arkansas
UNITE at U of A is a 6-week STEM enrichment program which focuses on computer programing and research oriented studies. During the 6-week program, each faculty/graduate student mentor at U of A will work with one to four students on a carefully designed research project. In the first four weeks, students will focus on developing projects. A series of tutorials and workshops will be provided to help students gain the necessary background knowledge and learn about how to conduct scientific research in Data Science and Engineering (DSE). Students will also work with their individual mentors, read literature, and design their projects. From week 5 through week 6, students will carry out their projects under the supervision of their mentors. They will also attend weekly seminars and workshops by faculty and advisers on various career-related and advanced topics. In the 6th week, students will prepare a written scientific paper and an oral lecture for presentation in the U of A Big Data Hub meeting. During the 4th week, Programming Assessment will be conducted.
Through these experiences, students will improve their ability to formulate and solve research problems, increase their communication proficiency in both scientific and public contexts, and establish a close working relationship with their faculty/graduate student mentors. This AEOP program is expected to motivate these high school and/or middle school students to enter college programs in STEM.
As UNITE-2020/2021 is going to be focused on programming, students with interests in coding are preferred. Even those who have no previous programming experience are encouraged to apply as UNITE at the U of A’s Summer Program is all about teaching and learning.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Students studying in 9th to 12th grades, preferred. Students from middle school can also apply, provided that they are greatly interested and have the zeal to tackle advanced topics.
- A Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Students who demonstrate a strong research motivation coupled with a relatively lower GPA will be given careful consideration.
- Strong interests in research related to STEM fields, primarily, Computer Science.
- Students with a strong technical background and logical mind.
- Students who are innovative and are able to develop new ideas.
Based on the above mentioned criteria, all the applicants will have to go through our evaluation process which consists of three steps: screening, ranking and selection. Candidates who pass the screening will then be ranked by the participating faculty mentors. The primary ranking criterion is the match of background and interest between the students and the faculty mentors. The final selection will be based on this ranking, together with other factors, including minority participation, institutional distribution, and availability of research opportunities at the home institutions.
Objectives:
- Recruit a diverse pool of motivated students from high schools with limited research programs to participate in the AEOP program;
- Help students develop a broadly applicable skill set including oral and written communication, research methods, critical thinking, and problem solving;
- Encourage students to pursue STEM college studies; and
- Motivate students to develop a career interest in data science and engineering, a field of national priority.
Program Details:
- Program Dates: May 31 – July 9, 2021
- Program Duration: 6 weeks
- Program Location: hosted virtually by the University of Arkansas
- Number of Intake: 20 students
Deadlines:
- Applications submitted by April 30, 2021 will be given full consideration for scholarship.
*No application fee required.
Scholarships:
All selected participants will be supported with Department of Defense scholarships that include the full cost of the program and a $100/week stipend.
Applications received after the April 30 deadline will only be considered if there are spots remaining.
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