|
|
|
|
AY08-09 URECA Student Guidelines
Frequently Asked Questions
for Students
Answers
- What is URECA and who is
eligible?
URECA is the acronym for Undergraduate
Research Experience on CAmpus and the objective
is to cultivate a research culture amongst able undergraduates in
NTU.
URECA is available only to undergraduates (2nd
Year and 3rd Year undergraduates in a 4-year Bachelor's degree programme
and to 2nd Year undergraduates in a 3-year Bachelor's degree programme)
who have excelled in their academic examinations. These undergraduates
will be eligible for a stipend (refer to item 3 below) and if they
choose to undertake URECA, they will be known as NTU President Research
Scholars (NTU PRS) or DSO-URECA Research Scholar. A NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar is required to offer the Undergraduate
Research (a general elective) module where he/she will work on a research
project under supervision of a professor from any school
in NTU for an average of 10 hours/week of research work for a minimum
duration of 10 months (September to June) in an academic year.
If you are eligible to be a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar, you will
receive an invitation to participate in URECA.
Your first step in becoming a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar is to contact a supervisor of a project of your choice. The supervisor will then register you for the project and once you have been successfully registered, you may start to work on your URECA project.
Top of Page
- What are the objectives
of URECA?
URECA provides able undergraduates an opportunity
to pursue appropriate independent research under supervision for an
average of 10 hours/week and a minimum duration of 10 months in an
academic year. The objective is to cultivate a research culture
amongst able undergraduates.
By the end of the URECA programme, NTU PRSs or DSO-URECA Research Scholars should have a good appreciation of research, including the need for rigour and independence, appreciation of the open-endedness of research and the formulation of and approach to research problems. It is desired that NTU PRSs or DSO-URECA Research Scholars, upon graduation, would seriously consider pursuing a higher degree by research and thereafter, research as a career.
Top of Page
- It is good that I can participate
in URECA but how does it benefit me?
If you are eligible to be a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar, the rewards for becoming a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar are very attractive.
First, the stipend that a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar will receive is up to $400/month for 10 hours/week of research work and more if he/she chooses to spend more time in research (see item 6 later).
Second, the Undergraduate Research general elective is worth 3 AUs (for all schools with the exception of 4 AUs for NBS and WKWSCI) and will be counted towards the number of credits required of your degree programme.
Third and most attractive is the opportunity for a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar to experience research first-hand and be immersed in a given research problem for a reasonable duration. A NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar will have the opportunity to work closely with a professor and learn the 'makings' of a brilliant researcher.
Fourth, if you and your URECA professor develop a good research relationship, he/she may take you under his/her wing (become a mentor) and nurture you into a brilliant researcher. Furthermore, your URECA professor can be a great referee and mentor for your future endeavours, possibly even become your partner in a new start-up venture(s).
Top of Page
- I already have a scholarship.
Will this be a problem and is there a bond?
If you are already a scholar, the stipend (for a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar) will be in addition to the stipend that you are already receiving. Becoming a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar does not incur a bond.
Put simply, there is no problem and no strings attached.
Top of Page
- I am a foreigner in Singapore,
am I still eligible?
URECA is open to all eligible NTU undergraduates, independent of nationality. The eligibility criteria are simply:
(a) be a full-time NTU undergraduate;
(b) have excellent academic results - that is, you have had aced your examinations in NTU to date, and
(c) be a 2nd or 3rd Year undergraduate (in a 4-year programme) or 2nd Year undergraduate (in a 3-year programme).
DSO-URECA is only applicable to Singapore Citizens with Pink IC with the above eligibility criteria.
Top of Page
- I like the $$$, can I make
more $$?
The minimum requirement of the Undergraduate
Research general elective is research work for an average
of 10 hours/week of research work for a minimum duration of 10 months
in an academic year. For 10 hours/week for one month, the stipend
that you will receive is up to $400, and this works out to be up to $10/hour
- wow!
If you choose to work more hours, you can claim for the added hours
- also, refer to item 7. For example, if you work 40 hours
in a month, you can claim up to $400 stipend for that month; for the current
academic year, the maximum hours allowed is 400 hours, equivalent
up to $4,000. Then again, most researchers work for 'love' and
financial reward is often a secondary consideration.
Top of Page
- How do I go about claiming
for the usual stipend or more $$$ when I have actually worked these
hours?
In URECA, you will be working on a research
problem under the supervision of a professor - your URECA professor.
You are expected to work closely with him/her.
To claim your stipend on a monthly basis, you will need to key into
the on-line Studentlink system the details of your claim. The
details required are simple - just a simple short record of the work
and hours claimed for each day work is done. As your URECA
professor is well versed with your work and works closely with you,
he/she will approve your claim if he deems that your claim is valid.
At the end of the month, the system will remind your URECA
professor to give his/her approval on-line and you will receive the
stipend in your bank account accordingly. If in the unlikely
case your URECA professor disapproves your claims, the system will
automatically generate an email informing you to provide more details
or justify your claims and you can do that using the same on-line
Studentlink system. The system will thereafter again remind
your URECA professor to give his/her approval on-line, and the process,
in the unlikely event, reiterated if necessary.
For the current academic year, you may commence your claims from
the first week of you start your research.
For each claim month, you are required to create ONE (1) claim form only.
Claims can be submitted to your supervisors from the 1st of the month onwards. Claims, which are approved by supervisors on or before the 10th of the month, will be paid out by end of the month. Otherwise, it will be paid out at end of the next following month. Hence, it is more advisable for you to submit your monthly claim to your supervisor as early as possible to allow more time for your supervisor to verify and approve your claim on or before 10th of every month. The maximum claim that you can back-date is to the previous ONE (1) month only. Claims created and not submitted by the above deadline will be automatically elapse. Details on the claims procedures and guidelines can be read via studentlink by the registered NTU PRSs and DSO-URECA Research Scholars.
URECA Student Claim Guidelines |
- Maximum claimable: 40 hours per month.
URECA scholars may claim for hours spent on the following:
- Reading relevant research material
- Experimentation
- Lab work, field work, creating software/ hardware or conducting simulation
- Briefing by the supervisor
- Writing paper/report/poster - Typical hours for paper, report, or poster should be in the range of no more than 5-15 hours each
The following items are not claimable: Transport time, Taxi fares, Time spent in URECA exhibitions, Time spent in attending conferences, Time spent in attending seminars, Learning software and Studying software/hardware manuals.
Students are expected to strictly follow the above guidelines to avoid rejection of the claims. (Certain claims have been rejected in the past year.)
|
Top of Page
- What are my deliverables
as a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar?
The basic requirement is an average of 10 hours/week for a minimum of 10 months. As you would probably need more study time closer to exams, you would likely spend less time in research then. However, you can make up for 'lost' time during the vacations.
Note that most researchers will tell you that in order to make good contributions to science, engineering and other disciplines, virtually all researchers need an immersion period of substantial duration to have a profound appreciation of the research problem. Short term research is usually simply insufficient an immersion period. As a case in point, you already probably know that your professors typically take over 6 months of research before they are able to make contributions in their field of research and take between 3 - 5 years (and sometimes longer) to obtain their PhDs. In many sciences, a fresh PhD recipient is even often expected to undertake a post-doctoral research programme for a further 2 - 3 years before they assume a research scientist position.
Put simply, a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar is expected to put in 10 hours/week of research for most months (~10 months) in an academic year save the few months before and during examinations, and make up during the vacation. In most cases, NTU PRSs or DSO-URECA Research Scholars will likely reduce the number of hours of research work as the examination approaches and increase the number of hours on the same during the vacation.
URECA Student Research Guidelines |
• Meet Professor at a reasonable frequency as agreed with the professor.
• Team work with professor’s other students in the team with good initiative.
• Time management and early communication with professors on major concerns.
• Submit your claims monthly; follow Claim Guidelines
• Submit reports, poster and research paper as per assessment guidelines, strictly by the dead line
• Request professors to de-register you if you are not interested in continuing with URECA. |
Top of Page
- I am going on Industrial
Attachment (IA) and/or an Exchange Programme, can I still participate
in URECA?
The IA project and URECA project can not be exactly the same as you can not get units and Stipend for both IA and URECA for the same project. However URECA does not exclude IA and URECA in a related project at the same time as long as the student does the URECA project outside the IA hours.
In most NTU degree programmes, the duration of the IA programme is 24 weeks (~6 months) where the working hours are the usual business hours. A NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar may continue to work on his/her URECA research project during the evenings and/or during the weekends. The stipend that you receive as a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar will be in addition to salary that you receive from your IA employer.
In most exchange programmes, undergraduates pursue a similar academic programme for one or two semesters but at a different tertiary institution or corporation, either locally or overseas. NTU PRSs or DSO-URECA Research Scholars, on exchange programmes, can still continue on his/her URECA. If the exchange programme is local, the NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholars concerned can work as usual and meet his/her URECA professor in NTU or elsewhere in Singapore if the URECA professor agrees.
If the exchange programme is overseas, the NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholars concerned and his/her URECA professor can work out an appropriate research project and a mutually convenient means of communication. The NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar may be able to use the facilities in the foreign intuition for his/her research if the foreign institution allows him/her to do so.
Note: DSO-URECA Research Scholars subject to approval from DSO.
Top of Page
- I like what I read so
far but I am unsure of what research I like - Is there a list of URECA
projects?
A list of URECA and DSO-URECA projects proposed by professors
from all schools in NTU will be made available to eligible
NTU PRSs or DSO-URECA Research Scholars during the registration period. The same projects will be listed
on the web under the URECA
homepage. In this project list, the details of projects
are described with hyperlinks to the respective professors' details.
Note that as a NTU PRS, you may choose any project
from any school as long as you can convince the professor
(who proposed that project) to supervise you. For example,
if you are a NTU PRS from the School of Computer Engineering and
see an interesting URECA project in Nanyang Business School, you can
approach that professor concerned and meet him/her. If he/she
is willing to supervise you and you are also willing, a done deal!
For DSO-URECA Research Scholars, you may choose any project from any of the 6 Engineering schools within the DSO-URECA project listing only as long as you can convince the professor (who proposed that project) to supervise you. For example, if you are a DSO-URECA Research Scholar from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and is interested in another DSO-URECA project from School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, you can approach that professor concerned and meet him/her. If he/she is willing to supervise you and you are also willing, a done deal!
The professor will enter into the on-line system that you have
accepted his/her project and the on-line system will automatically
send you and the professor an email to confirm the selection of the
project. If there is an error, the professor concerned and you
should sort it out.
Top of Page
- I have a great idea for
my URECA research - Can I propose my own research project?
If none of the projects in the list of URECA
projects look attractive to you or if you have different ideas, you
can propose your own research project on any topic you like. The
caveat here is that you would need to find a professor from any
school in NTU to agree to supervise you. Put simply, a NTU
PRS has the option to choose to work with any professor
(assuming that he/she agrees to supervise) from any
school in NTU on any research topic that a NTU PRS
fancies (subject to the agreement of a professor) or on a project
from the compiled list of research projects.
When you find a willing professor to supervise your pet project, he/she
will be able to create your project in the on-line system. Thereafter,
the procedure is the same as when a project is chosen from the compiled
list of projects (refer to item 10).
Note: For DSO-URECA Research Scholars, all proposed projects are subject to DSO’s approval.
Top of Page
- I like a particular project
in the list of projects but alas, it has been taken by someone else.
Can I still choose the same project?
Go and speak to the professor who offered that
project. If you can convince him/her to supervise you,
he/she simply creates another project of the same and can simply detail
the project the same but as Part B or Part II, or something to that
effect. The on-line system allows this.
Alternatively, you can even speak to another professor and convince
him/her of the same. Professionally, this other professor
will, however, likely amend the description of the project somewhat.
Note: For DSO-URECA Research Scholars, choosing taken DSO-URECA projects are subject to DSO’s approval.
Top of Page
- I would like to try to
undertake my URECA in a different school in NTU - Can I really do this?
Refer to item 10. NTU PRSs are encouraged
to cross their usual familiar territories or comfort zones into less
familiar territories. As a matter of fact, many great
'new' discoveries in science, engineering and other disciplines are
a rehash of established theories/concepts/phenomena applied to new
applications and/or new fields.
Note that you would only need to convince a professor from a school
different from your own, to accept you for his/her URECA research
project.
Note: For DSO-URECA Research Scholars, you may choose any project from any of the 6 Engineering schools within the DSO-URECA project listing.
Top of Page
- Why is URECA so flexible?
It is well known that the researchers do best
and make most contributions in topics/areas that they enjoy most and/or
have greatest passion for. NTU recognises this and in URECA,
the opportunity is yours to exploit. Put simply, under the URECA programme in NTU, a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar has now the opportunity to bring out his/her best not just academically, but also as a researcher in virtually any research field he/she fancies.
Top of Page
- I have worked on a project
and would like to try another - can I do this?
The award given to a NTU PRS is akin to a Europass
train ticket. He/she is allowed to catch any train when available
to anywhere within the participating countries in the European Union
whilst the ticket is valid - he/she can change his/her URECA research
project and accept another project anytime during the same academic
year. The caveat is that the NTU PRS concerned must be
able to find another willing professor to be his/her new URECA professor
and satisfy the average of 10 hours/week of research work for a minimum
of 10 months in an academic year. Obviously, if a NTU
PRS catches too many trains, he/she will likely miss to appreciate
the best views of Europe - if a NTU PRS changes too often, he/she
will unlikely to appreciate the intricacies of a good research problem
and is unlikely to make any worthy contribution.
If a NTU PRS does choose to change his/her project and does find
another willing professor, his/her new URECA professor will enter
this into the URECA on-line system (either from the compiled list
of projects (items 10 and 12) or create a new project (item 11)) and
the on-line system will automatically send emails to all concerned
- the on-line system is open throughout the academic year. Naturally,
the NTU PRS concerned should be courteous and speak to his/her present
(former) URECA professor prior to making any changes.
Note: For DSO-URECA Research Scholars, switching of DSO-URECA projects are subject to DSO’s approval.
Top of Page
- Will I be graded for the
Undergraduate Research general elective?
Yes, like most general electives, there will
be grade 'A' to 'F' awarded for the Undergraduate Research general
elective.
Top of Page
- Who would give the final
grade if I have more than one URECA professor in a given academic year?
If you have more than one URECA professor in
a given academic year, the URECA committee (comprising one or more
professors) from your school will moderate your grades from your different
URECA professors.
Top of Page
- Is there any special event
as an introduction to URECA?
An orientation will be held. If you are eligible to be a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar, you will receive an invitation to attend the URECA orientation.
Top of Page
- Can I undertake URECA
again in the following academic year?
URECA is available only to undergraduates (2nd
Year and 3rd Year undergraduates in a 4-year Bachelor's degree programme
and to 2nd Year undergraduates in a 3-year Bachelor's degree programme)
who have excelled in their academic examinations. If you
are eligible, you may undertake URECA (offer the Undergraduate Research
general elective) two times in a 4-year Bachelor's degree programme
but only once in a 3-year Bachelor's degree programme.
Top of Page
- I need to purchase some
consumables to facilitate my URECA project - Is there any funds for
this?
Yes, each URECA or DSO-URECA project is allocated $600 towards
the purchase of consumables. You are advised to consult your
URECA professor before you make any purchases and the usual proper
documentation for any claims, as required by the respective schools,
applies. (URECA Consumable Claims Procedure & Guidelines)
Top of Page
- Despite all the wonderful
'goodies', I am still undecided if I should undertake URECA - When is
the latest date for me to undertake URECA?
In item 8, one of the primary deliverables of
URECA is research work for an average of 10 hours/week for a minimum
period of 10 months. In view of the 10 month period, the earlier you approach the relevant URECA professor after you have selected his/her project, the earlier he/she can register you for the project, the more time you have for your research. Undertaking URECA at such a late date may require you to do some research work during the examination period and you having less time to prepare for examinations.
Put simply, you are encouraged to commence your URECA project as soon as possible after the URECA orientation, thereby enabling you to undertake your examinations without having to work on your research project and more time to prepare for examinations.
Top of Page
- Can I drop out of URECA
and withdraw the Undergraduate Research general elective?
The Undergraduate Research general elective (GE)
is similar to any other GE in terms of examination rigour. In
the case of the latter, after an undergraduate offers a GE in Week 1
and does not drop it after the 2-week Add/Drop period, the undergraduate
is not allowed to de-register the GE unless there are compelling reasons
such as for medical reasons.
The Undergraduate Research GE is, however, more
flexible. You can trial/experience research (work on your URECA
project) for one month and if you find that research is not your cup
of tea, you will be allowed to drop/deregister the Undergraduate Research
GE without any penalty - thereafter you would be deemed to have offered
this GE (and are not allowed to deregister). Moreover, you may
claim for the stipend for the (one month) research work done!
To deregister, please email URECA office (ureca5@ntu.edu.sg) and cc to your URECA school coordinator. (refer to http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ureca/committee.htm).
Note that if you find your present URECA project
unsuitable, you have the option of choosing another - see item 15.
Top of Page
- Do you have any advice
for me as an NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar?
Note that the eligibility criteria in item 5 and refer to item 20. If you are in 2nd Year (of a 4-year degree programme) and are eligible to be a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar, the same eligibility criteria apply when you are promoted to your 3rd Year in the following year. In other words, you would need to perform just as well academically (in examinations) in 2nd Year to be eligible to be a NTU PRS or DSO-URECA Research Scholar in the 3rd Year; the URECA programme is not available to 3rd Year students in a 3-year degree programme.
Put simply, manage your time well and most importantly, enjoy your URECA
experience. If you have experienced research and find it enjoyable,
welcome to the club (!) - you are advised to seriously consider pursuing
a higher degree and/or a research career.
A research career is indeed very rewarding and stimulating - just ask
your professors!
Top of Page
- I am under Accelerated Bachelor's Programme (ABP) and I will be promoted to final year in the second semester. Am I allowed to take URECA?
Under the current guidelines, an ABP(Accelerated Bachelor's Programme) student who will be starting his/her FYP in Semester 1 or 2 will have to DROP ABP in order to take up URECA.
This is because a student cannot simultaneously be registered for URECA and FYP. If you are currently under ABP, please make a choice between the two immediately. No exception is given.
- If you would like to take up URECA, you need to inform the NTU undergraduate office to be dropped from ABP.
- If you decided to continue with ABP, please inform your supervisor to deregister you.
Top of Page
- What are the new assessment criteria for URECA student?
% of final marks |
Date |
Length |
Suggested Content |
Submission |
20% |
Mid-Dec
|
1page |
This may include Research planning, Problem definition and Initial Literature Review. |
To professor only |
- |
31st Dec |
- |
40 hours minimum research |
Admin check & recommend |
20% |
30th Jan |
1 poster |
Poster competition L.I.F.E@NTU (Template will be provided)
· Poster soft copy
· A4 hard copy (B&W) |
· Poster submission through professor via studentlink
· Hard copy submission to the office of URECA |
60% |
30th Jun |
6 pages |
· URECA Research Paper (Template will be provided)
· Report etc as requested by the professor |
· Soft submission through professor via studentlink
· Other submission to professors as requested |
Top of Page
- What is the difference between URECA and DSO-URECA?
URECA is open to all eligible NTU undergraduates, independent of nationality, while DSO-URECA is only applicable to Singapore Citizens with Pink IC.
Top of Page
- How do I register for the URECA or DSO-URECA project?
You have to be invited to participate in URECA or DSO-URECA. After the URECA orientation, when the viewing list of available URECA and DSO-URECA projects are made available (click here to view list of URECA projects), contact the relevant professor of the project of your choice. When the professor has agreed to take you for his/her project, he/she will register you online.
Please note: Studentlink can only accessible after you are registered to a URECA project by the Professor.
Top of Page
- How do apply for an overload of subject before I can take URECA or DSO-URECA projects?
You have to seek your School’s approval to overload subjects if you have met the max load allowed for the semester.
Top of Page
- When do I opt for satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) option for URECA?
Schools may allow their students to opt for satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) option for URECA. If your school chooses and informs you on this option you may select S/U for URECA in the recess of the second semester when the declaration system is open.
Top of Page
- I am under CN Yang Scholar programme. Am I allowed to take URECA?
CN Yang scholars are not allowed to take URECA as CN Yang scholars are already scholars, participating in research.
Top of Page
|
|
