Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The Student Nurse Scientist Program (SNSP)

The College of Nursing Student Nurse Scientist Program (SNSP) provides mentored research experiences for pre-licensure nursing students, exposure to research seminars and presentations, as well as travel support for students presenting research. This program was established in 1999 with support from donations by Nancy Stence Creason and the Lazarra Family Foundation.

SNSP offers mentored research opportunities from 1-4 years and is open to all pre-licensure nursing students interested in research.

Start Your Research Journey

Sign Up	Get Matched	Discover
Complete a brief interest form Sign Up Form	Interested students are matched with a faculty mentor Application Deadline: end of the 3^rd week of each semester	Gain real-world research experience

Sign Up

Get Matched

Discover

Complete a brief interest form
Sign Up Form

Interested students are matched with a faculty mentor

Application Deadline: end of the 3^rd week of each semester

Gain real-world research experience

Discover Your Research Pathway

Year 1: Explore & Learn	Year 2+: Grow & Lead
Possible activities: Attend research team meetings and scholarly discussions Complete research ethics and responsible conduct of research training Assist with literature reviews and evidence searches Learn data collection and management procedures Build a mentoring relationship with a faculty researcher	Possible activities: Take on increasing responsibility within a research team Help coordinate research activities and serve as a mentor to newer SNSP scholars Present at regional or national conferences Serve as a co-author on posters, presentations, or publications

Year 1: Explore & Learn

Year 2+: Grow & Lead

Possible activities:

Attend research team meetings and scholarly discussions
Complete research ethics and responsible conduct of research training
Assist with literature reviews and evidence searches
Learn data collection and management procedures

Build a mentoring relationship with a faculty researcher

Possible activities:

Take on increasing responsibility within a research team
Help coordinate research activities and serve as a mentor to newer SNSP scholars
Present at regional or national conferences
Serve as a co-author on posters, presentations, or publications

Join a Research Team

Work Alongside faculty and graduate Students

Possible Activities

Literature reviews	Data collection	CITI research training	Data analysis
Design interview questions	Interviewing participants	Creating posters	Writing manuscripts

Explore Research Funding

The College of Nursing Creason Funds: The Creason Funds are intended to cultivate interest in nursing science among high achieving pre-licensure nursing students and to encourage future enrollment in a nursing PhD program. Students who receive these funds will be individually mentored by College of Nursing faculty to develop an independent research-based project over the course of two semesters. Preference is given to individuals who have been involved in the Student Nurse Scientist Program but is not required.

The Creason Funds will provide two semesters of financial support ($1,300 per semester, taxes deducted before payment), financial support to present research at an academic conference, and one-on-one mentorship from college faculty.

Creason Funds Application (Deadline: Applications are due on Friday of 5^th week of each semester)

Iowa Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)
The Iowa Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) promotes undergraduate involvement in mentored research and creative projects at the University of Iowa. Fellowships offer eligible students the opportunity to receive funding while gaining research experience with a faculty mentor. Learn more about available fellowships, eligibility requirements, and application deadlines https://our.research.uiowa.edu/

For more information about any of these undergraduate research opportunities, please contact Katherine Britt at katherine-britt@uiowa.edu or Anna Krupp PhD, RN at anna-krupp@uiowa.edu.

Recent Projects

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Testimonials

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The Student Nurse Scientist Program (SNSP) FAQs

What is the Student Nurse Scientist Program (SNSP)?

The purpose of the Student Nurse Scientist Program is to connect interested pre-licensure nursing students with faculty conducting research in the College of Nursing.

Through hands-on, mentored research experiences, SNSP students build research skills, explore areas of interest, contribute to meaningful nursing science, and discover how research advances patient care and nursing practice. Students also gain exposure to career opportunities in nursing research and educational pathways, including the BSN-to-PhD pathway.

Who can participate?

Any pre-licensure nursing student, at any time! While schedules may vary by research project, SNSP students should plan to dedicate approximately 5 hours per week during the semester to research and related activities to fully engage in the program.

What kinds of activities are available in the SNSP?

Students can attend lab meetings, help collect and enter data, and plan a small project of their own.

Can I get research credit on my transcript?

Yes, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has several independent study courses so that your transcript can reflect your research work. Please work with your mentor to prior to registering to agree on the number of credit hours (0-3 semester hours) and grading expectations. Details on each course are available here: https://our.research.uiowa.edu/news/2024/09/register-your-research

Can I get paid?

Yes! There are paid research assistant positions available, but you can’t also get research credits at the same time. We also have funding available to support students working on an independent project.

Who do I contact?

Please send an email to CON-Young-Scientist@uiowa.edu