Supporting team-based, mentored, multidisciplinary undergraduate student research experiences

Overview of MURI

MURI facilitates the creation and support of multidisciplinary research teams consisting of undergraduate students, graduate students, post-docs, senior staff, and faculty. The primary purpose of these teams is to provide undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to work with mentors on real-world problems to gain research skills that can be applied to their college coursework and future careers. 

In this program, students acquire research skills (e.g., literature review, research methodology, data collection and analysis), learn about ethics in research and scientific writing, and improve their oral communication skills by presenting their research at either the annual IUPUI Student Research and Creative Activities Day in the spring semester (usually at the end of April) or the CRL Summer Poster Symposium (usually at the end of July).

MURI projects should represent two or more disciplines and should offer undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in a substantive research experience focused on a significant research problem. Projects from all disciplines are most welcome, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); the social sciences; the arts and humanities; and social, environmental, and public policy. 

MURI student learning outcomes

• Investigate a research question and scholarly pursuit/activity in a collaborative, team-based mentored experience that encompasses multiple disciplines, fields and/or perspectives
• Identify and utilize appropriate methods, procedures, and ethical principles for the gathering of information or the generation of new knowledge through scholarly activity
• Analyze, assess, and evaluate findings and conclusion
• Disseminate the results of scholarly activity through appropriate dissemination outlets

MURI program structure

The MURI program offers a unique, high-impact, interdisciplinary, faculty-mentored research for a team of undergraduate students. In our commitment to increasing and ensuring access to high-impact practices (such as undergraduate research) for students of all backgrounds, especially Black students, Latinx students, American Indian/Alaska Native students, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students, first-generation students, and students from underrepresented groups, we encourage you to take a culturally inclusive approach to recruitment of students for this experience. 

Please share your opportunity broadly and intentionally encourage a diverse pool of students, especially those with limited or no prior research experience, to apply for MURI experiences. We encourage mentors to consider where and how they recruit, utilizing a variety of platforms and spaces across campus. If we can be of any help in this process, please contact us at iel@iupui.edu.

MURI facilitates the creation and support of multidisciplinary research teams consisting of undergraduate students, graduate students, post-docs, senior staff, and faculty.

MURI is a mentored undergraduate research experience. Two or more faculty members (referred to as mentors throughout this page and in the application) submit an application for MURI funding support once a year using the application link below. Financial support for the MURI program is provided by the Center for Research and Learning (in the Institute for Engaged Learning) and the School of Engineering and Technology.

MURI proposal guidelines

Mentors may submit a MURI proposal application through March 31, 2023. 

The application requires mentors to specify one of the following project durations:

• Summer only: project will run during the upcoming summer term.
• Academic year only: project will run during the next academic year.
• One-full year: project will run during the upcoming summer term and the next academic year.

Proposal applications must meet the following guidelines:

• At least two mentors representing different disciplines must be identified on the MURI proposal application.
• MURI research teams may comprise a minimum of three undergraduate students and a maximum of six undergraduate students. All students will be paid $11–13 per hour. The primary mentor will receive $2,000 in supply funds from the Center for Research and Learning to support the project.
• The Institute for Engaged Learning will provide administrative support in the posting of your research opportunities on the university’s student employment portal, Handshake. The institute will also assist in campuswide marketing and promotion of your opportunity. Mentors will screen applicants and select students for their research team. After students are hired by IEL, mentors will be responsible for approving student time sheets on a bi-weekly basis.
• Students may work up to 10 hours per week during the academic year (fall and spring semesters) and up to 25 hours per week in the summer (summer term).  Students may not work more than 29 hours per week across all positions at Indiana University.
• Mentors are responsible for ensuring that the project secures required approvals from the university related to research compliance, human subjects, and IRB (institutional review board).