The Undergraduate Special Opportunities in Artistry in Research program will send another 20 or so students to various regions of the world this year to perform research in a variety of fields.

This is the fourth year the USOAR program has provided undergraduate students with funding to support independent projects of artistry and research in their chosen fields.

In the past, USOAR has funded overseas trips that allowed undergraduate students to carry out their own research projects to a variety of places, including Thailand, Kenya, Sicily, Peru and China.

USOAR requires individuals to do independent work and submit their own polished proposals for the university’s approval. It is not to be confused with the Study Abroad program, which allows students to take classes in foreign countries.

A student interested in submitting a proposal first must get the idea approved by his or her college. The proposal then is submitted to USOAR, where the Committee on the Undergraduate Academics Environment decides which proposals will become realities, based upon certain criteria. The committee will meet on Feb. 11 to approve the proposals.

Proposals were due to the student’s appropriate college office by Jan. 13, and the approved projects will be announced Feb. 14. This year’s approved plans must be used between March 1, 2003, and February 29, 2004.

The main criterion for an approval is the student’s ability to develop a project that will require independent work, said Robert Wheeler, interim vice provost. An honors capstone or a senior design project also are major advantages to getting a proposal approved, said Wheeler, who oversees the USOAR program and chairs the CUAE.

Each year, USOAR allows for up to $50,000 in funding for these projects. The money comes from the university’s deal with Pepsi, said Vice Provost Business Manager Sue Saari. Each approved proposal may receive up to $2,500, she said. That amounts to at least 20 approvals each year.

This year’s submitted proposals encompassed a wide variety of research topics, including those in the fields of theater, business and engineering.

USOAR has received about 35 proposals this year from 44 students, some of whom are requesting funding for group projects. Wheeler estimated that about 25 to 30 proposals will be granted funding this year.