Coming up in the Honors College

ANNOUNCEMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES    

Grand Challenges Forum
The New Grand Challenges Forum encourages students to think critically, discuss openly and learn unequivocally. The New Grand Challenges Forum offers students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the local community a time to hear a wide range of lectures dedicated to a compelling theme. Fridays from 1-2 p.m. in the Honors College Commons.

Friday, February 7, 2025
Fady Joudah 
Palestinian American Physician, Poet, and Translator

Friday, February 14, 2025
Diana Schaub, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of Political Science, Loyola University Maryland
"Lincoln’s Lyceum Address: Democratic Theory for Citizens"

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Artist Every Ocean Hughes Screening
Join us for a film screening of One Big Bag, followed by a roundtable discussion with artist Every Ocean Hughes in dialogue with Amanda Cachia, MaryScott Hage, and Woods Nash on February 6. This screening and and conversation for One Big Bag Held in conjunction with Makeshift Memorials, Small Revolutions at the Blaffer Museum. Reception starts at 5:30 pm with the film screening at 6 p.m. in the Honors College Comons. LEARN MORE HERE

Drafting a Research Proposal Webinar
Learn how to create a significant and clear proposal to secure the research opportunity you want. 
Join the Office of Undergraduate Researh and Major Awards and learn how to craft a research proposal to secure your desired opportunity! Receive expert advice from Dr. Nic Jacobsen and Dr. Lesli Vollrath on Wednesday, February 12 at 3 p.m. for this zoom webinar. Register HERE

Health Partnerships Between the U.S. and Angola
African American Studies presents Consul General of Angola in Houston, Ana Paula Nascimento, who will speak on Health Partnerships Between the U.S. and Angola on February 12 at 2:30 p.m at the A. D. Bruce University Chapel. CG Nascimento is the featured guest of Dr. Neema Langa's AAS/SOC course on health. Students, scholars and health practitioners are welcome. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and a reception with light bites. Learn more here.

Honors Theater Club Auditions
Auditions for Honors Theater Club will take place on February 11 and 12 from 4:30-7 p.m. in the Honors Commons. Students with and without experince are invited to auditon. No preperation needed.  Open to all students and all majors.  Follow honorsclubtheatre on IG and contact clubtheater@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

"Le Paris Noir: Unveiling Black Histories in the city of light"
Kévi Donat, podcaster, author, and licensed tour guide offers a critical examination of Black cultural and intellectual history in Paris. His talk "Le Paris Noir: Unveiling Black Histories in the city of light" will be held on February 18 in the  Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilionlight at 12 p.m. Combining historical analysis with contemporary reflection, Donat will provide a nuanced exploration of Black intellectual and cultural legacies in Paris. This talk encourages critical engagement with the ongoing issues of race, identity, and social justice in both historical and modern contexts. RSVP HERE

Apply to be an Honors Retreat Counselor!
Apply to be an Honors Retreat counselor! What does an Honors Retreat counselor do? They ensure a successful Honors Retreat by welcoming the incoming Honors students, heading up student groups, encouraging participation in activities, offering insight at workshops, and generally making the new students feel a part of The Honors College! Honors Retreat 2025 will be held August 21 & 22, 2025 at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. APPLY HERE Deadline to Apply is Friday, February 28, 2025  at 5 p.m.

The PATH (Providing Advanced Training in Health) Internship Program
The PATH (Providing Advanced Training in Health) internship for UH, UHD, and HCC students seeks to develop the next generation of community nutrition and health programming professionals. The internship will a) teach entry-level skills to develop, deliver and evaluate a healthy lifestyle program and b) provide professional development training for careers in community nutrition and health professions.

Students will receive a $4,000 stipend for completing 225 internship hours. If unable to complete 225 internship hours, students will receive a stipend calculated at $17.75 per hour times number of completed internship hours. Complete the application at: https://www.coe.uh.edu/wf/Path/checklist.cfm

2025 Undergraduate Research Day Call for Submissions
Undergraduate Research Day, hosted each spring by OURMA, brings together hundreds of visitors to celebrate the work of undergraduate researchers across all disciplines who showcase their work in poster presentations. Poster submissions are now open for the 20th annual Undergraduate Research Day, which will be held on April 10, 2025 in the M.D. Anderson Library.

Any currently enrolled UH student or fall 2024 graduate who conducted a mentored research project since spring 2024 is welcome to submit a faculty mentor-approved poster by March 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Please read all requirements HERE before submission.

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TRAVEL & SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Learning Abroad Trip to the Dominican Republic
Travel dates: June 11-23, 2025 
Trip Leads: Jonathan Williamson and Nicolas Jacobsen
We will travel to the beautiful beachside community of Las Terrenas in the Dominican Republic to better understand the opportunities and challenges that a developing country faces protecting their environmental resources, including beaches, wetlands and coral reefs while ensuring their people have access to good jobs, quality education, and good healthcare.  We will work with local partners on service-learning projects to better understand and address these and related issues. APPLY HERE.

Hertog Foundation Summer 2025 Fellowships
The Hertog Foundation offers several fellowships in summer 2025 for students who seek to influence the intellectual, civic, and political life of the United States to study politics and policy in Washington, DC. These programs include Political Studies, Constitutional Studies, War Studies, and Security Studies. Participants of all programs will receive stipends and housing. Program dates, eligibility, and application requirements vary between programs. APPLY HERE. Application Deadline: February 24, 2025

EF Global Challenge Honors Semester: Spain & Sweden and Information Session
Embark on a semester of culturally immersive study in Spain to address some of our world’s most pressing problems—head on. You’ll be challenged to question conventional wisdom, examine (and even disrupt) current systems, and develop innovative solutions for global challenges. Inspired by Alfred Nobel’s belief that “Ideas can change the world,” your studies will be rooted in an EF cornerstone course: Lessons from Nobel: Design Thinking & Leadership for Social Impact. The rest of your courses at the University of Granada and EF’s Study Center in Málaga will include interdisciplinary studies and hone your Spanish language skills. Your experience culminates at the Nobel Week Dialogues in Sweden. Travel Dates: Aug. 28, 2025 – Dec. 21, 2025. The application deadline for the Fall 2025 program is April 1. APPLY HERE

EF will be hosting two informational webinars, on the following dates, open to all students. Thursday, February 6 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time and Tuesday, February 25 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time
Contact Kendall W. Brostuen directly at kendall.brostuen@ef.edu for more info. 

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RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Sumners Scholarships
The Sumners Foundation is awarding a $20,000/year scholarship to current undergraduate sophomores who are interested in a career related to democracy and self-government. The scholarship will apply to the student's junior and senior years at a college or university within Texas or Oklahoma. Second-semester sophomores within the deadline are the ideal candidate. Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, be a U.S. citizen, and a permanent resident of certain U.S. states. Application Deadline: February 10, 2025 at 5 p.m. (CST)

Summer Research Opportunities Program at Michigan State University
The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at MSU provides undergraduate students from across the U.S. with an 11-week research collective to advance their future studies in STEM and Social Sciences disciplines. While the program provides many benefits, the main goal is to increase the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study and research careers. Applicants must have completed at least two semesters of undergraduate education, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be a U.S. citizen. APPLY HERE. Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025

Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Experience at Michigan State University
Participants in this training program will be selected and trained in areas of reproductive biology and developmental sciences and participate in career development workshops to prepare them for graduate school. The opportunity to attend the annual conference of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) may also be available. This is a 10-week training program to start on May 27, 2025. Travel, lodging and a monetary stipend will be provided to the selected students. Applicants: Preferentially, juniors or rising seniors are invited to apply. The students are encouraged to select a research program of interest. Applications should be sent as an email attachment to Laurie Felton (ljfelton@msu.edu) Submission Deadline: February 28, 2025 / Program Date: Summer 2025

Heart Defects Lab Research Assistant & Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Mingfu Wu from the Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences is recruiting a full-time research assistant and a postdoctoral researcher to work on new projects related to the etiology, pathology, and genetic basis of congenital heart defects and cardiomyopathy. The researchers will study the molecular and cellular mechanism involved in cardiac progenitor differentiation, cardiac morphogenesis, and regeneration. The work will be multidisciplinary, combining molecular and cellular biology, microscopy, and developmental biology. To apply, please attach a CV, cover letter, research statement, three letters of recommendation, and email addresses of references in an email to Dr. Mingfu Wu (mwu25@central.uh.edu).

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), offered by OURMA, provides funding for undergraduates to participate in a focused, full-time, 10-week research experience under the direction of UH faculty. Recipients will receive a $4,000 scholarship and three points toward the HCCE transcript designation. Applicants must be rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors graduating after spring/summer 2025. Students of all disciplines with at least a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to apply. Students may apply to both HERE and SURF in the same year. The deadline to apply is March 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Visit the SURF website to learn more and to apply.

Houston Early Research Experience
Offered by OURMA, the Houston Early Research Experience (HERE) is a two-week workshop in May intended to orient first- and second-year students to the fundamentals of conducting research. Guided by faculty mentors, students will discuss academic topics, broaden their professional network, and learn how to ask the right research questions. The 2025 HERE program topic is "Clutch City Sports", focusing on sports industries in Houston. HERE students receive a $1,000 scholarship and two points toward the HCCE transcript designation. Applicants must currently be in their first or second year at UH, or not graduating before spring 2027, and have a minimum 3.5 GPA. All majors can apply, and no prior research experience is required. Students may apply to both HERE and SURF in the same year. The deadline to apply is March 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Visit the HERE website to learn more and to apply.

HOUSTON Academy 2.0
HOUSTON Academy is a 12-month interprofessional training program for undergraduate students who are rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in nursing, dental, medicine, public health, psychology, or other health professions. The program provides nutrition education and applied research opportunities. Students are provided up to $1,000 for expenses towards a conference to present their research. Students must be enrolled in a university or community college with a minimum GPA of 2.8. For the year long training, students are provided a $10,000. The online application must be completed by Monday, March 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. Learn more and apply HERE.

Harris County Historical Society Award for Excellence
The Harris County Historical Society presents the annual award for excellence to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student for a public history project focused on Houston or Harris County history. The $1,500 scholarship will be awarded for the Fall 2025 semester. The award recipient will be expected to present their project or a summary thereof at the 2024 Harris County Historical Society Dinner. Submitted projects should be completed between June 1, 2024 and May 15, 2025. Questions about the award can be directed to Dr. Debbie Harwell (dzharwel@central.uh.edu).  Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025