Frequently Asked Questions

There are 4 requirements, all of which must be met to be eligible for LSAMP:

• You must be Miami University students who belong to ethnic groups who are underrepresented in the sciences.
• You must have declared a major in an approved STEM major.
• You must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its possessions.
• To remain eligible, you must maintain at least a 2.8 GPA.

First-year students who meet eligibility requirements are invited to join and enroll in the Miami LSAMP Program and participate in the LSAMP Early Arrival Program (EAP) through their Miami email addresses during the spring and early summer before they enter Miami University.

Sophomores through seniors are invited to enroll in LSAMP when there are open seats in the program.

This is a competitive program, so seats will be limited.

• Early Arrival Program for entering first-year underrepresented students that focuses on academic enrichment, a research project submitted by local industry, and building community
• Faculty-mentored undergraduate research, usually starting during sophomore or junior year, some starting as early as first year
• Academic and retention advising
• Peer mentoring for first-year students
• Tutoring and supplemental instruction
• Information on study skills, undergraduate research and career and leadership development opportunities
• Ohio LSAMP Alliance Conference
• Stipends for participation in LSAMP programming (for students who maintain a 2.8 GPA and complete stated requirements for that term)
• Updates on scholarships, internships, and undergraduate research opportunities as they come up

A stipend is a fixed amount paid for the completion of activities and/or work performed. Enrolled LSAMP participants receive a stipend after completion of each semester for active participation in LSAMP meetings, activities, and workshops and maintaining a 2.8 overall GPA while actively working toward their STEM degree.

In addition to this stipend, enrolled LSAMP students receive fixed amounts for receiving tutoring or tutoring others, and/or working in an on-campus laboratory.

All stipends are paid into the student's bursar account.

LSAMP also assists with travel to professional conferences to present their research posters or travel to oversees study opportunities that further their STEM majors.

Undergraduate research is performed by college students who have not yet received their bachelor's degree. It can start as early as the first year in college. Undergraduate research takes place in all departments at Miami University. Most undergraduate STEM research takes place in on-campus laboratories under supervision. Research also takes place in the many centers, institutes, and museums housed at Miami University.

Undergraduate research is directed early on by graduate students as younger students learn specific laboratory requirements for using machines and documenting results. Junior- and senior-level students may get to devise their own research under the direction of a Ph.D.

Summer and Winter term field research and on-campus opportunities are also available (through an application process).

Participation in undergraduate research has been shown to benefit students in several ways:

• Learning the actual hands-on processes of science before reading about them in textbooks makes what the student reads about more concrete and understandable.
• Students learn to devise their own experiments. The results from these experiments may be used in their senior capstone projects.
• Students have the opportunity to write small grant proposals (funded by Miami University) to fund their own research projects.
• Students who do undergraduate research may get free trips to share their results at regional and national professional meetings where they can meet employers and graduate school recruiters in their chosen field.
• Undergraduate research is a "resume builder." It is something that employers and graduate schools look for on resumes because it shows expertise and independent work habits in the laboratory setting.