URAP is a program unique to Roanoke College. Eight new freshman students are identified each year and are invited to join the program. They work as research assistants with a member of the Roanoke College faculty on an original research project of interest to both the URAP scholar and to the faculty mentor.

They are awarded a stipend of $2,000 per year, renewable for up to three additional years. In addition to the stipend the URAP scholar becomes a member of a research team working on a project which generally will lead to publication in a professional journal and/or presentation at a professional conference.

Examples of Biology URAP Student Projects:

Characterization of DNA Elements in the Coprinus cinerus Genome Project
Marilee Ramesh, Biology
This project will integrate traditional molecular biology techniques with modern computational approaches to address questions pertaining to genome organization in the mushroom Coprinus cinerus. Repetitive elements within the genome will be characterized in terms of their DNA sequence, location and frequency. The URAP scholar will have the opportunity to culture the organism, perform common molecular biology techniques, and use computational tools for the analysis and manipulation of DNA sequences.

Bacterial Source Tracking in Surface Water
Brooks Crozier - Biology
In this project the research assistant will work on developing ways to track the presence and movement of bacteria in surface waters using modern molecular biology techniques, such as DNA isolation, amplification, analysis and cloning. A variety of watersheds will be studied. Link to more about this project. And other work.

Learn more about the program.

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