Dear friends,

We are thrilled to share an exciting update on the CARE Fellows program in the Undergraduate Research Centers at UCLA. The CARE Fellows program aims to increase diversity in research by providing students with little or no previous research experience the opportunity to receive financial support while participating in research with a faculty mentor. This year, we had 29 CARE Fellows – more than double last year’s cohort and the most students ever since the program’s establishment in 1998. The growth of this program is made possible thanks to your unwavering support and belief in our mission.

This year's cohort brings a diverse array of talents, perspectives, and aspirations. Students are exploring the limits of our world across disciplines, with projects ranging from engineering research on the behavior of woven domes to study of the mechanisms behind sleep regulation and circadian rhythms.

Lindsay L, a second-year Computational and Systems Biology major, works in the Forest Ecosystems and Global Change Lab to study ecological systems in Cameroon by designing survey tools, computer programs, and topographical maps of regional forests.

“I can merge my passion for climate change and ecosystem studies with my love of the African continent,” Lindsay said. “I am incredibly grateful for the events in my life that have led me to this point: being accepted into UCLA, finding a major that I love, joining a research lab, and receiving a donation that allows me to truly invest in my lab.”

Emely G, a second-year Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology major, is an undergraduate researcher at the Biochemistry and Clinical Disease Modeling Laboratory in UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute. She plans to use her research experience to pursue a career in ophthalmology.

“Each day in this esteemed lab enriches my understanding of the complexities of the retina and its underlying biochemical processes, Emely said. “As a first-generation student, the opportunity to engage in such groundbreaking research as an undergraduate is beyond my wildest dreams.”

Once again, these impactful research experiences are only possible thanks to your support.

Renew your gift to the Undergraduate Research Centers today to ensure even more students can make discoveries happen.

Dear friends of the URCs at UCLA,

As we enter the new year, we are taking the time to reflect all we’ve accomplished last year that wouldn’t be possible without your support. This summer was the second year of the Summer Research Incubator, an entry-level program for students pursuing research or creative inquiry of issues of social justice or diversity in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Nineteen undergraduate students were given scholarships and paired with graduate mentors to develop their research projects. We would not be able to fund these mentorships or the student projects without your support – thank you! We want to highlight one such pair as an example of the creativity of our students and the exciting research they are undertaking.

One mentor, Jason Araujo, worked with four students to develop individual research projects about translation and social justice. One of his undergraduate mentees, Kelly Kieu, is investigating user engagement and gender-neutral language in ChatGPT. She is examining how accurately ChatGPT utilizes gender-neutral language regarding translation to another non-gendered language and through selected intended prompts. Through her research, she aspires to utilize her research findings to cultivate sensitivity towards the use of our language and awareness of the choice of words we use, as they can harm others and leave a negative impact. 

Kelly has recently been accepted into the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program, where she will be continuing her work on ChatGPT with Professor Tiffany Brannon. You can learn more about Kelly's and others' summer research projects here. To continue supporting undergraduate researchers like Kelly, please visit here. 

As we prepare for Undergraduate Research Week 2024 starting May 20th, we are continually inspired by our students and their innovative explorations of our world. Thank you again for your support!

Thanks to you, we surpassed our goal! The generosity of all 202 alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends helped us raise over $26,000 for undergraduate researchers. Your giving inspired others and helped us unlock multiple matching gifts, leading to incredibly impactful funding for our Bruins. 

As we reflect on research week and approach commencement, we celebrate all of you for supporting the next generation of young researchers. 

During Undergraduate Research Week, students demonstrated how they are helping to create new knowledge at UCLA. We know that this will continue after graduation. Our undergraduates will take the skills, experiences and knowledge gained from research to become our future scientists, leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers. All of this is possible thanks to you.  

With the outpouring of support these past few days, we are so close to reaching our goal of 200 giving participants! Thank you for participating and getting us this far. You have made life-changing research opportunities available to hundreds of students that wouldn’t have been able to afford the experience.

When we all come together, every gift, no matter the size, goes a long way for our students. In our final days of giving, a generous supporter has provided an exciting challenge. If we reach 200 supporters, a $15,000 scholarship gift will be unlocked to help more students access paid research positions. 

We are only 50 donors away from our goal, so that means you can make an even bigger impact when you share spark.ucla.edu/URW23 or make an additional gift of any size by tonight. Thank you!  

Thank you for your generous support of our students! Because of you, more undergraduates will have access to paid research opportunities, giving them the skills and confidence to become tomorrow's scientists, innovators and leaders. 

We are excited to announce that because of the tremendous support and influx of gifts these past couple of days, we are extending our campaign until next Wednesday, June 7th. Students and parents have been participating in some great giving challenges and have created incredible momentum. Our seniors have been showing their undergraduate research pride as they approach graduation and pay it forward to the next generation of students. 

Keep an eye out for more opportunities and challenges as we get closer to our goal in the coming days. Together we can make a difference for undergraduate researchers. spark.ucla.edu/URW23 

Thank you for your continued support! 

Thank you! So far, together we have raised nearly $6,000 from 70 donors to support undergraduate researchers. We are incredibly thankful for your generosity and research week spirit. Because of you, more undergraduates have access to rich and engaging learning opportunities. 

Undergraduate Research Week was an amazing success. Over 1,600 students presented their research to more than 5,000 friends, family and community members. During our speaker series, we heard alumni and faculty provide unique insights into their career paths and academic work, while our student panel highlighted what it means to create new knowledge. 

Even though Undergraduate Research Week has wrapped, our work is not done yet! 

You can continue to help us by spreading the word to your network. Just share: spark.ucla.edu/URW23 with anyone who may be interested in supporting research opportunities for Bruins. With a goal of 200 participants, every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference for our deserving students.