Undergraduate Scholars Program
The HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars Program is a multidisciplinary program designed to support future generations of educators, education researchers, and outreach and communication specialists. Our program provides students with rigorous training in research synthesis, effective evidence translation, and/or fostering research-practice partnerships with the ultimate goal of increasing the use of evidence-based practices in K-12 education.
Program Details
Undergraduate students gain understanding and experience in three specialty areas:
- Research Synthesis: This specialty will include training in conducting systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other evidence reviews and synthesis products to meet the decision-making needs of K-12 leaders. Students will gain experience with prioritizing topics for evidence reviews, conducting systematic literature reviews, collecting data for systemic reviews, conducting statistical meta-analyses, writing up results for publication in journals and presentations at conferences, and other areas of research synthesis methodology.
- Knowledge Mobilization: This specialty will include training in translating evidence syntheses into digestible, easy-to-understand products that are meaningful to education stakeholders (e.g., infographics, videos, practice briefs, practice guides, toolkits). Students will gain experience with co-creating evidence translation strategies, designing translational research products, and developing dissemination plans for various K-12 education audiences (e.g., teachers, principals, superintendents, school district staff, policymakers, other stakeholders).
- Stakeholder Engagement: This specialty will include training in applying strategies to identify, engage, and inspire K-12 education stakeholders in using research to guide education practice and to engage with the HEDCO Institute. Students will gain experience with identifying relevant stakeholders, working with stakeholders to guide the work of HEDCO Institute, as well as developing tools and materials to support stakeholders’ efforts to communicate and share the work of the HEDCO Institute.
During the application process, students will describe their previous relevant experience (e.g., research, scholarship, or creative activities), research interests/specialty area(s) of interest, and their future goals. Scholars who are selected will then be matched with a primary mentor that best fits the student’s interests and goals. Scholars and mentors will work closely with one another for the duration of the program. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the program, students may also request to work with additional mentors, if desired.
If you are a UO graduate student interested in getting experience in research synthesis, knowledge mobilization, or stakeholder engagement, and you would like to volunteer with the HEDCO Institute, please email us at hedcoinstitute@uoregon.edu.
How to Apply
- Make sure you meet the eligibility criteria.
- You may preview a PDF version of the application, if desired.
- Complete the online application by November 27, 2023.
- Visit the UO Registrar Website to obtain an unofficial copy of your transcript and send to hedcoinstitute@uoregon.edu by November 27, 2023.
- Obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your academic background and/or relevant experience. Request that your letter writer complete this letter of recommendation form and send the completed form to hedcoinstitute@uoregon.edu by November 27, 2023.
- Under the federal law titled the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and according to the University of Oregon Student Record Policy, registered students are given the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation and teacher recommendations. If the student wants to waive their right of access to this recommendation, they may do so by completing a waiver form.
We strongly encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, first generation (“first to go”) students, and other individuals who are under-represented across color, creed, race, ethnic and national origin, physical ability, gender and sexual identity, or any other legally protected basis.
Support of the HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars Program comes from Amy and Ross Kari.
Student Benefits
- Receive a $12,000 stipend to be distributed over the course of the calendar year.
- Participate in professional development, scholarship, and research activities as a part of a prestigious cohort of top scholars.
- Gain applied research experience and evidence translation skills that are crucial to be an effective educational research-practice partner.
- IMPORTANT: If students are receiving federal financial aid, this award may affect financial aid eligibility. Students who receive federal aid have a responsibility to report all awards earned to the UO Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for more information.
Program Timeline
The following table shows the program timeline for the 2024 cohort:
*To sign up for the information session, please complete this registration form.
Eligibility Criteria
- Sophomore or junior currently enrolled at the University of Oregon.
- Seniors who will graduate in December 2024 or later are also eligible.
- Preferred minimum 3.2 GPA*.
- Interest in research synthesis, knowledge mobilization, and/or stakeholder engagement related broadly to K-12 education.
- Commitment to the program for four academic terms, including 10 hours a week during the academic year and 15 hours a week in the summer.
*We recognize there are many factors that influence GPAs and we invite you to apply even if your GPA does not meet this threshold.
Program Expectations
Selected scholars will be expected to:
- Commit to the following schedule during the year, which includes regular meetings with your mentor and participation in scheduled cohort and professional development activities, which will take place both in-person and online:
- Winter term: 10 hours per week.
- Spring term: 10 hours per week.
- Summer term: 15 hours per week.
- Fall term: 10 hours per week.
- Complete a final project determined by you and your mentor.
- Acknowledge the HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars Program in all work resulting from research during the program.
- Notify the program administrator immediately of other support or of any conflicts with the eligibility and/or restrictions of this program.
- Notify the program administrator of any publications or conference presentations that are associated with your work in the program.
How to Apply
- Make sure you meet the eligibility criteria above.
- You may preview a PDF version of the application, if desired.
- Complete the online application by November 27, 2023.
- Visit the UO Registrar Website to obtain an unofficial copy of your transcript and send to hedcoinstitute@uoregon.edu by November 27, 2023.
- Obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your academic background and/or relevant experience. Request that your letter writer complete this letter of recommendation form and send the completed form to hedcoinstitute@uoregon.edu by November 27, 2023.
- Under the federal law titled the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and according to the University of Oregon Student Record Policy, registered students are given the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation and teacher recommendations. If the student wants to waive their right of access to this recommendation, they may do so by completing a waiver form.
We strongly encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, first generation (“first to go”) students, and other individuals who are under-represented across color, creed, race, ethnic and national origin, physical ability, gender and sexual identity, or any other legally protected basis.
Support of the HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars Program comes from Amy and Ross Kari.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is research synthesis?
A. Research synthesis, or evidence synthesis, is a term used to describe a variety of ways that researchers can systematically summarize all of the research studies available to answer a specific question. Research synthesis is an important and exciting tool because it helps people working in a variety of fields (e.g., teachers, mental health clinicians, policymakers) make decisions based on the entire body of evidence on a given topic.
Q: What is knowledge mobilization?
A: Knowledge mobilization is a term that includes a wide range of activities used to make high-quality, research evidence about a particular topic or issue accessible to the individuals and agencies who can apply the information (e.g., school districts, teachers, decision-makers). This may involve co-producing knowledge or co-creating research products with stakeholders. Effective knowledge mobilization is crucial for reducing the research-to-practice gap by helping summarize research findings in a variety of ways and getting evidence into the hands of education stakeholders. Working collaboratively with stakeholders is a key piece to knowledge mobilization.
Q: Who are stakeholders?
A: A stakeholder is someone who has an interest in, or is affected by, a given issue or topic. For example, there are many education stakeholders. A teacher might be directly interested in how a program delivered in the classroom promotes better student mental health. A policymaker might be interested in that program because they wonder if it is worth funding. A parent might be interested because they want to know if that program will help their child. A student might be interested because they want to know if the program will help them and be enjoyable.
Q: What is stakeholder engagement?
A: Stakeholder engagement is a term used to describe the process of identifying, motivating, and involving stakeholders in all steps towards reaching a desired goal. This may include seeking input on which research questions are most pressing to answer, as well as determining how and who to tailor dissemination products to so they can have the largest impact. By collaborating with stakeholders, we can tailor our efforts and products to best meet the needs and desires of those most affected by certain topics.
Q: How is knowledge mobilization different from stakeholder engagement?
A: Both knowledge mobilization and stakeholder engagement are key components to evidence translation. Knowledge mobilization involves working with stakeholders to figure out how to effectively communicate scientific results to various audiences. Thus, stakeholder engagement is a critical element of effective knowledge mobilization. On the other hand, stakeholder engagement involves a wide range of strategies used to communicate directly with stakeholders and guide them towards an innovative solution to their problems. Depending on the goal of the stakeholders, this may not always include knowledge mobilization.
Q: What if I don’t have any prior research experience?
A: Success in research requires a broad range of skills that come from a variety of experiences, not just direct research experience. These skills include organization, time management, and attention to detail. We encourage you to think broadly about prior experiences that make you a strong candidate, and we welcome applicants who have no prior research experience.
Q: Who are the HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars Program mentors?
A. You can read about the HEDCO Institute staff here. Although we will match scholars with a mentor, we expect that scholars will have the opportunity to interact with many of the HEDCO Institute staff. If you are interested in working with a specific mentor(s), you can note that in your application.
Q: What if my undergraduate degree isn’t in education or an education-related field? Would this program still be a good fit for me?
A: We accept applications from students across the University of Oregon’s programs and colleges as long as you have an interest in research synthesis, knowledge mobilization, and/or stakeholder engagement related broadly to K-12 education. This may include interests in families (broadly defined), child or adolescent development, social emotional learning, evidence translation, or education policy.
Q: Can I get a letter of recommendation from an employer or an organization I volunteered for?
A: We are asking for one letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the University of Oregon. Ideally, we would like a recommendation from a faculty member who you have taken a class with or worked closely with in the past year. If you only recently started attending the University of Oregon (for example, you transferred here as a sophomore or junior), please be sure to note the reason you are requesting an outside recommender.
Q: What might HEDCO Institute Undergraduate Scholars go on to do with the training they receive through this program?
A: Great question! This program provides a unique opportunity to deepen research synthesis and evidence translation skills and put research into action. Since this is our inaugural cohort, we don’t have alumni yet, but in programs like ours at other institutions, scholars have found this experience valuable in a variety of careers. For example, knowledge synthesis skills are useful in any leadership role that involves digesting a large body of research to make decisions for clients or an organization. Knowledge mobilization skills are useful in any role that involves compiling information and presenting it in a format that’s easy to understand – for colleagues, for supervisors, and for the general public. Stakeholder engagement skills are desired across many different positions that involve community outreach and planning, partnership development, and effective communications.
Q: How will the stipend be distributed?
A: Students will be paid once per term near the beginning of the term.