Dornsife is committed to supporting undergraduate research with USC faculty.
The SOAR program provides funding to Dornsife undergraduates for participation as a research assistant in a faculty member’s project during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year. The purpose of SOAR is to connect students with faculty members and their research. It allows all students to be mentored one-on-one by USC faculty, introduces students early in their academic careers to the process of serious scholarly inquiry, and fosters valuable relationships between students and faculty. Please note that we do not fund independent research projects, including those related to 490 courses or honors theses. Students interested in pursuing independent research should apply for PURF, the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund.
For students interested in summer undergraduate research funding, please visit the SURF/SHURE page.
To explore current faculty research projects, please visit the Dornsife Compass.
For Students
Click on the tabs below to learn more about SOAR.
For Faculty
Due to the large pool of applicants, we limit the number of SOAR recipients to (up to) two students per faculty member, per academic year. The expectation is that students will pursue other funding sources and faculty will support their research students.
SOAR supports faculty led projects. Please do not recommend independent student projects or research that is not affiliated with USC.
If your project has been approved to involve human subjects, you will be asked to provide us with a copy of your IRB approval or extension.
It is not required to participate in the SOAR and SURF programs, however, Dornsife faculty interested in posting their research should sign up as employers on Dornsife Compass. Please add the following sentence in the position description:
If you are a Dornsife undergraduate student, you may able to apply for SOAR, SURF, or SHURE funding from USC Dornsife if you work with an eligible Dornsife faculty mentor on their research project. Visit https://dornsife.usc.edu/exl/soar/ or https://dornsife.usc.edu/exl/surf-shure/ for more information.
FAQ
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Hours are based on an agreement between the faculty mentor and the student. Most students spend at least 10 hours per week for at least 10 weeks for fall and spring and 20 hours per week for at least 8 weeks during the summer to actually get a meaningful experience. SOAR and SURF are flat rate awards. We do not translate the funding into an hourly wage.
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Please visit Direct Deposit Stipend Instructions for guidance. This is highly recommended to avoid lost checks.
Be advised that your first installment may arrive as a check mailed to your local home address. Students should always keep all addresses current in OASIS.
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No. For a research project to be eligible for SOAR and SURF, you must have support from a Dornsife Faculty Mentor who meets one of the following criteria:
- Tenured or Tenure-Track
- Non-Tenure Track with a research profile
- Professional School faculty member with a joint appointment in Dornsife
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No. SOAR does not fund independent research projects, including those related to 490 courses or honors theses.
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You will be required to list the project and faculty mentor on your application. A letter of recommendation from that mentor is also required.
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If you are unable to acquire a signature on your report, please attach an email approval to your report and upload through the link that was provided in your agreement.
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The one page report doesn’t require explicit details. No figures, data or references are required. We want to get a general idea about the research project and what you got out of the experience.
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SOAR reports should be uploaded through the link provided in your agreement. If a thank you package is required, you will be contacted by the Dornsife Advancement Office with further instructions.
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Please try to limit the report to no more than three pages. You are only required to briefly describe the research. These reports often go to donors who are more interested in your contribution and your overall personal experience.
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No. Recipients of SOAR/SURF cannot be contemporaneously considered for an ExL award.
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No. SOAR and SURF do not support independent student research.
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There are no specific format requirements for the proposal or the one-page report.
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No. It is your responsibility to make sure the mentor follows through with your request.
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SOAR and SURF are only offered to Dornsife majors. If you are a Dornsife major, try clearing out your cookies or try a different browser.
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No. All projects require IRB approved first.
Contact
ExL Office
3601 Watt Way, GFS Suite 315, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1694