SIRE Program
The Scholarly Inquiry and Research Experience (SIRE) Program is a hands-on research opportunity for first-time undergraduate researchers. This program is intended for students who have little to no experience in research but are interested in starting the journey.
Gain skills to connect with faculty mentors in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences and begin your journey in research, scholarship, and creativity!
SIRE Program Benefits include:
- A firsthand look at research in a field that interests you.
- Collaborate as a research assistant scholar on a faculty-led research project.
- Compensation for weekly research with course credit or federal work-study.
- Professional research skills development training a vibrant community of undergraduate researchers from multiple disciplines.
Application opens february 19, 2025
Eligibility
Applicants must be rising sophomores or juniors at Emory University. Students from all majors & disciplines (arts and creative expression, humanities, social sciences, STEM, and more) are eligible. Applicants must be in good academic standing and not on probation.
Accepted students must be enrolled in Emory throughout the duration of the program.
Compensation
Students participating in the program have two compensation options:
- Pay as an eligible federal work-study student
- Course credit.
If you opt for pay, you'll receive compensation every two weeks through the University, utilizing a combination of federal work-study and URP program funds. If your federal work-study funds run out, you can switch to earning course credit instead.
For those unsure about work-study eligibility, reach out to Emory's financial aid office.
If you prefer earning course credits, additional SIRE research credits may be awarded based on your research hours. Just ensure your faculty mentor supports and documents your research hours worked.
Your selection will be confirmed upon acceptance into the program.
Requirements
- Students must find a Faculty Mentor by end of Fall semester.
- Mentor status does not affect acceptance into the program.
- Faculty mentorrs can be found on Forager One.
- Starting in the Fall, students will attend a weekly class (on Fridays) and other program activities for a full academic year.
- Continue to work closely with your SIRE graduate fellow to seek and match with a faculty mentor.
- Once matched, work up to 15 hours per week with a faculty mentor for a full academic year in their research space.
- Give a research presentation (example: poster, oral talk, demonstration, artistic work, or performance) about your project at the Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium, held on campus, in April.
- Complete a research portfolio for the rest of your research journey!
Matching with Mentors
In the SIRE Program, students aim to match with a faculty mentor at Emory University.
Students who apply may do so under the following statuses:
- Unmatched – a student who hasn't yet agreed to work with a faculty mentor.
- Pre-matched – students who already have a designated faculty mentor and project.
If you are a pre-matched student, please include your project title and faculty mentor in your application.
If you are unmatched, Faculty mentors can be found on Forager One.
For additional assistance, schedule an appointment with a Research Ambassador or attend an information session to create your profile.