Council on Undergraduate Research

St. Catherine University is pleased to be a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).

St. Kate's joins nearly 492 colleges and universities who support CUR's committment to undergraduate research.

CUR advocates the benefits of undergraduate research before state legislatures, private foundations, government agencies, and the U.S. Congress, arguing that undergraduate research

• Enhances student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty
• Increases retention in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pipeline
• Increases enrollment in graduate education and provides effective career preparation
• Develops critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and intellectual independence
• Develops an understanding of research methodology
• Promotes an innovation-oriented culture

CUR offers a number of workshops for faculty and staff on issues that pertain to faculty-student research and grant-seeking.

In February, 2008, a team of St. Kate's faculty and staff attended the CUR Institute, "Initiating and Sustaining an Undergraduate Program" at Biosphere II in Tucson, Arizona to discuss strategies for promoting undergraduate research at St. Kate's.


Another team attended the National CUR Conference at the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota in June of 2008 and is continuing strategic planning around Undergraduate Research. If you are interested in becoming involved in shaping the future of Undergraduate Research at St. Kate's, please contact Alan Silva, Dean of Arts and Sciences.