Provides opportunities for UMD undergraduates to work closely with faculty mentors on summer research projects while actively engaging with the broader community of SPIRE researchers.
ABOUT SPIRE
OUR's Student-Proposed Innovation & Research Experience (SPIRE) provides opportunities for University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) undergraduates to work closely with UMD faculty mentors on summer research projects while actively engaging with the broader community of SPIRE researchers.
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SPIRE is designed for students who have already secured the agreement of a UMD faculty member to serve as their undergraduate research mentor.
OUR welcomes SPIRE Proposals from students in all academic and artistic fields and provides an award of $3,000.
Students will be expected to spend approximately 20 hours per week on their projects and program activities and may conduct their research during any eight-week period between June 1 and August
14, 2026.
During the summer, students will be able to participate in workshops and other events with other SPIRE students. SPIRE students will also be required to present their work at the Summer Undergraduate Research Conference.
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In light of SPIRE's emphasis on building community among student researchers on campus, the program will generally prioritize funding projects that will be conducted in or near College Park, MD. However, we do accept applications from students who wish to work on projects that will take place elsewhere in the US and will be supervised by UMD faculty members.
Who should apply to SPIRE?
SPIRE is designed for students who:
Have a plan for a self-designed summer research project.
Have secured the agreement of a UMD faculty member to advise them on their project.
Engage in research or creative endeavors in any and all academic and artistic fields.
Eligibility:
Must be an undergraduate student who will graduate from their undergraduate program no earlier than December 2026.
Must have completed at least 12 or more UMD course credits (not including AP or IB credits) by the application deadline.
SUBMITTING A SPIRE PROPOSAL
PROPOSAL PROCESS & TIMELINE
Applying to SPIRE is a four-step process, with each step triggering the next upon completion. If you have any questions related to the process after reviewing this timeline, please email OUR.
Student Pre-Proposal
Due February 12, 2026 at 11:59 pm
STEP 1
By February 12, 2026 at 11:59 pm, applicants should complete a Student Pre-Proposal to provide us with their name, email address, and UID number, as well as their mentor's name, mentor's email address, and a brief description of their proposed project. The primary purpose of the Student Pre-Proposal is to confirm that the student has found a mentor for their project, and the project description provided in this section of the form will not be used for admission decisions.
After the student has completed the Student Pre-Proposal, the mentor will receive an invitation via email to complete the Mentor Agreement. The Mentor Agreement will ask the mentor to confirm their willingness to serve as the student’s mentor if the student is accepted to SPIRE. We request that mentors submit their Mentor Agreements by February 19, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
Mentor Agreement
Due February 19, 2026 at 11:59 pm
STEP 2
Students whose mentors have confirmed their willingness to supervise their projects in the Mentor Agreement will receive an email inviting them to complete the Student Proposal, which should be submitted no later than March 12, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
Student Proposal
Due March 12, 2026 at 11:59pm
STEP 3
After students have completed the Student Proposal, mentors will be invited to complete the Mentor Review via email. We ask mentors to submit their evaluations by March 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
Mentor Review
Due March 30, 2026 at 11:59pm
STEP 4
Notification of Decision
After the mentor has submitted the Mentor Review, the student's application will be considered complete and will be reviewed by OUR. Students and mentors will be notified by the end of the day on April 9, 2026 regarding the status of the student's application.
Sent April 9, 2026
NOTIFICATION
Confirmation of Participation
Accepted students will be asked to confirm their participation in SPIRE by April 16, 2026 at 11:59pm.
Due April 16, 2026 at 11:59pm
CONFIRMATION
ELEMENTS OF A SPIRE PROPOSAL
We have developed detailed guides to help students and mentors navigate the SPIRE application process. Please select Student Proposal Information below for our guidance for students preparing SPIRE proposals, and select Mentor Review Information for information for mentors submitting references for their students. The FAQs section below addresses common questions related to SPIRE.
Questions About SPIRE?
Read our FAQs for more detailed information about SPIRE. If you still have questions after reviewing our FAQs, send us an email at our-office@umd.edu.