Interdisciplinary Science Program for Integrating Research into Education (INSPIRE)

Overview | The INSPIRE Experience | Eligibility and Application | Year-by-Year Objectives | Advisors | Interdisciplinary Programs | Getting Involved in Undergraduate Research

The INSPIRE Experience

Research Experiences

The INSPIRE program recognizes that students who are engaged in solving a real and compelling problem in a research lab acquire:

• knowledge of new and rapidly changing fields,
• deeper conceptual understanding,
• intellectual growth, and
• coherence of vision.

The student’s research projects therefore provide the theme and the structure of the INSPIRE experience.  We can suggest a few possible locations, themes and tracks (see Interdisciplinary Programs), but we are confident that our students will present us with many more.  Courses should be chosen to support and enhance the student’s research experience, productivity and creativity. The INSPIRE Research Award guarantees support for students at least once in their College career.  Students can choose the timing of this award as well as the setting as described below.

At Emory

Faculty will accept qualified students with the recommendation of an INSPIRE faculty advisor. While in the research labs, students will attend group meetings, make presentations and attend seminars. Summer research experiences can be provided by on campus programs such as Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, SIRE, SURE, faculty research grants or INSPIRE grants.  Academic year research experiences are supported by the INSPIRE fellowships or SIRE fellowships.

Academic Labs outside Emory

Students may choose to participate in research in a lab outside Emory, National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates centers, or with a colleague of an Emory faculty.  The INSPIRE Office will coordinate these efforts.

Industrial Labs and Internships

We have placement opportunities with industrial labs that will provide a very different research experience for our students. We can also place students in internships in relevant industries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other partners. Contact the INSPIRE Office for more information.

International labs

Several international research opportunities are available to INSPIRE students. The INSPIRE Research Award can be used to support an international research experience.  Research in an international lab can also be performed within the context of a semester study abroad.  More details are available in the descriptions of the tracks themselves and in the IRES program.

Special Features

Camaraderie

Offers a first-year cohort experience for INSPIRE students to learn and grow together as a celebrated group of young scholars. The groups take classes together, enjoy social events hosted by faculty at their houses, attend outside events such as baseball games together and work together.

Meet some INSPIRE students

We have 38 students in the INSPIRE program today.  We are proud of all of them but we asked a few to talk about themselves and to be available to talk to you.

Class of 2009
Wenjie Xiao
Scot Seitz
Gillian Locascio
Shazia Ali

Class of 2010
Timothy Soo
ShaheinTajmir
Sarah White
Miguel Rovira

Class of 2011
Arundhati Murthy
Emily Pinto

Challenge

Offers challenging and accelerated courses specifically geared to train students in research and use of the scientific method and critical thinking. Chemistry 171/172 and Physics 151/152, along with their labs, are special courses that offer independent projects and the opportunity to participate in Emory’s research labs. ORDER is a freshman seminar that all INSPIRE students take together. In this unique course, students learn about Emory science and research programs from a select group of teacher-scholars from all scientific disciplines at Emory.

Unique Programs of Study

Offers an opportunity to design innovative programs of study that combine interdisciplinary research projects (see Interdisciplinary Programs) and novel courses such as frontiers of pharmacology and biochemical genomics.

International Research Experience

Offers international research experiences through the International Research Experience for Science Students (IRES), SIRE programs or other science study abroad programs. See more about the Science Experience Abroad (SEA) program.

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