UMBC is one of only 13 institutions nationwide to receive the prestigious Beckman Scholars Award given by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation to support undergraduate research in the sciences. Carnegie Mellon, Macalester College, New York University, the University of Arizona, the University of California-San Diego, and William and Mary are among the other award recipients.

The Beckman Scholars Program provides outstanding undergraduates with research stipends and opportunities for sustained, in-depth, faculty-mentored undergraduate laboratory research experiences in chemistry and biological sciences. A maximum of five UMBC students will be named Beckman Scholars over the next three years. As a capstone to their experiences, they will present their research at the Beckman Scholars Annual Research Symposium in Irvine, California.

Institutions considered for the Beckman Award were invited to apply based on extremely selective criteria, including a significant level of research support, grants, and awards from major federal and private organizations and evidence of students' active participation at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Support for undergraduate research at UMBC is extensive. Many undergraduates already work with faculty on their research; a number of undergraduates are co-authors of papers published in leading academic journals. UMBC young scientists are involved in a range of programs, including the BCURE (Breast Cancer Undergraduate Research Experience) Program, funded by the Department of Defense; the EMBARC (Experiences in Molecular Biology Academic Research Careers) Program, funded by the National Science Foundation; the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholars Program; and the Minority Access to Research Careers Program and Summer Biomedical Training Program, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

Additionally, UMBC's Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day showcases students' work in all disciplines. This year's event, which takes place on Wednesday, April 30, 2003, features a day of oral presentations, poster sessions, and artistic exhibits and performances. Read more about the 2003-03 Undergraduate Research Award Scholars here.