Undergraduate Research Opportunity
SURGE into a research career! The SURGE (Supporting Undergraduate Research for Greater Equity) research assistantship is a paid research opportunity for UOW undergraduate students majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering who are interested in applying computational skills to environmental questions. SURGE aims to improve diversity and equity in research by providing opportunities to students who come from demographic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in these fields. Apply here by 31 Oct.
Program Details
The SURGE program provides funding for 200 hours of paid work as a research assistant. The program can be conducted full-time over the summer break (Jan-Feb), part-time over the Autumn semester (Mar-Jun), or a combination of the two, based on the preferences of the successful applicant. The research assistant will be paid at professional services casual rate 3, equivalent to ~$39/hour (before tax, including a casual loading).
The SURGE scholar will join a vibrant group of researchers at the UOW Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry. The 2023 SURGE project will contribute to an international research collaboration that aims to understand how atmospheric processes, including meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, influence the health impacts of smoke from Australian bushfires. Specifically, the scholar will use statistical models and satellite data to understand the factors that determine the height of smoke plumes - a key factor in understanding their impacts.
Eligibility
Applicants must be UOW undergraduates and should meet the following criteria:
- Majoring in any science, mathematics, or engineering degree in the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health (SMAH) or the Faculty of Engineering & Information Sciences (EIS)
- Completed at least 1 year (48 credit points) of university subjects*
- Identify with one or more community that is underrepresented in STEM fields (including women and non-binary people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from racial or ethnic minority communities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and people with disability)**
- Have a strong desire to undertake an independent research project
- Have a keen interest in learning or further developing computational and statistical skills
*If you meet all other criteria but don’t quite meet this one, please go ahead and apply.
**If you identify as a member of another community that is underrepresented in STEM but not listed here, please go ahead and apply.
FAQ
Why isn’t this program open to everyone? Simply put, the diversity of professional academics and researchers in STEM fields still doesn’t come close to matching the diversity of the Australian or Illawarra population. The reasons for this are complex, and a number of programs exist to redress the imbalance and give more opportunities to pursue research careers to those who have traditionally been excluded from these careers. This is one of them.
How much programming experience do I need for this project? No programming experience is required; however, applicants who have had at least some exposure to programming and computing concepts will likely face a less steep learning curve at the start of the project (and this will be factored in to the overall decision-making). That exposure may be through subjects at the university (e.g., introductory Python or R embedded in another subject), online tutorials, self-taught, etc. If you have never had an opportunity to learn any programming but you are keen to develop skills in this area and are comfortable learning new things, go ahead and apply. If selected, you will be given some tutorials to work through before commencing the project.
How much statistics experience do I need for this project? No statistics experience is required; however, applicants who have had at least some exposure to introductory statistics concepts will likely face a less steep learning curve at the start of the project (and this will be factored in to the overall decision-making). That exposure may be through subjects at the university , online tutorials, self-taught, etc. If you have never had an opportunity to learn any statistics but you are keen to develop skills in this area and are comfortable learning new things, go ahead and apply.
Who is funding this project? In 2023, funding for this project comes from a grant from the Health Effects Institute.
I have a question that isn’t answered here. What should I do? Email your question to jennyf@uow.edu.au.