UB has become an enhanced institutional member of the prestigious Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), which provides UB faculty, staff and students the opportunity to obtain a free individual membership in the organization.

CUR and its affiliated colleges, universities and individuals share a focus on providing undergraduate research opportunities for faculty and students. CUR believes that faculty members enhance their teaching and contribution to society by remaining active in research and by involving undergraduates in research.

CUR’s leadership works with agencies and foundations to enhance research opportunities for faculty and students, providing support for faculty development as well as promoting undergraduate research interests to state legislatures, private foundations, government agencies and Congress.

“While UB has been affiliated with CUR in the past, our move to an enhanced institutional membership allows our students, faculty and staff members to reap the benefits of CUR membership individually throughout the year,” says Timothy A. Tryjankowski, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA).

“I was looking for a way to bring the benefits and programs associated with CUR membership to everyone on our campus. With a huge assist from Dean Stott (Andrew Stott, dean for undergraduate education), UB’s Center for Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities was able to obtain the enhanced membership for the entire UB community.”

Tryjankowski notes that through his own professional affiliation with CUR, he has been able to host the SUNY Faculty Senate’s systemwide student research symposium in Albany each year. “CUR has increased the ability of UB CURCA to mentor UB students toward presenting at national and international research fairs,” he says. “I am excited to be able to welcome all our UB faculty, students and staff into this wonderful organization as individual members. It will be as if we expanded the UB CURCA office and made everyone here at UB stewards of meaningful and successful student and faculty research-based relationships.”

For more information and to sign up for individual membership, visit the CURCA website.