The primary mission of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is to maintain a supportive environment for research, scholarly, and creative endeavors of the faculty, academic staff, and students. ORSP coordinates and administers a variety of internally funded research and professional development programs, directs the activities of the Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration, and facilitates proposal preparation and submission to external agencies in order to serve the needs of the institution.
ORSP is home to the Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration, established at UW-Eau Claire in 1988 by action of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents. UW-Eau Claire has a long tradition of successfully engaging undergraduate students at all levels in collaborative research with faculty/staff scholars.
The goals of the Center include:
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Enhancing the quality of undergraduate education by providing students with an opportunity to participate with faculty in research projects
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Keeping the undergraduate curriculum vital and updated by incorporating the results of current research into the curriculum
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Facilitating collaborative research among faculty and students representing diverse undergraduate programs in order to identify and address problems requiring multidisciplinary solutions
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Encouraging undergraduate students by way of their successful research to consider advanced studies in their disciplines
The Center provides support for students engaging in research, scholarly and creative activity and presenting their work through a number of grant programs.