UROP Newsletter: February 2025

Don’t miss out! Become a UROP Supervisor and train the next generation of biomedical scientists!

Is your research team after more innovative thinking? Are you interested in training and mentoring the next generation of biomedical scientist? The undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is your platform.

UROP provides a great platform for you and your team to secure good honours/postgraduate students and train the next generation of scientist and bridge the gap between university learning and real-world research application.

UROP has facilitated almost 800 undergraduate student placements across Victoria since 2004 and is highly valued by both the supervisors and the students. Supervisors report major contributions by UROP students to their team research goals. For 82% of UROP students, UROP had a significant impact on their education and career decisions and 81% were studying or had completed a postgraduate degree.

We are calling out to our industry professionals directly and through their networks to become UROP sponsors or supervisors and to assist UROP reach further in 2025.

Supervisor project applications are now open and if you are ready to host a UROP student, complete the online application.

If you would like your project to be considered for the upcoming winter break (June/July) placements do submit you project before COB 17 March 2025.

UROP is a paid internship to attract, inspire, train and retain promising future scientists.

More information about the program is available here.

For more information and Inquiries please contact urop@csiro.au

2024 UROP Cohort

In 2024, 17 of Victoria's most capable university students had the privilege of joining the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

We are delighted to announce that the 2024 UROP cohort consist of undergraduate students from Both Deakin University's Burwood and Geelong campuses, Monash University, RMIT, Swinburne and The University of Melbourne. Prominent research teams from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), CSIRO, CSL, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research (SVI), The Hudson Institute of Medical Research, The University of Melbourne and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) are to be congratulated for participating in the program in 2024 and investing their resources in mentoring and moulding the next generation of biomedical scientists.

Over 500 applications received in 2024 included students from medical science, engineering, mathematics, data science, IT, & computing science, pharmacy & pharmaceutical science, public health, health science, physiotherapy, psychology, science, biomedical science, and various combinations of double degrees.

Annual UROP Scientific Conference

The annual UROP conference was held on Thursday 21 November at CSIRO Clayton Ian Wark Theatre. This year the key speakers included

• Invited Speaker - Associate Professor Sam Forster, an UROP alumnus, a CSL centenary fellow and current research group leader at Hudson Institute of Medical Research
• CSL Representative - Dr Milica Ng, Senior director and head of data Science
• CSIRO Representative - Ms Ruth Carr, Director CSIRO Education and Outreach

Keynote Speaker – Ms Breana Galea, an UROP alumnus and current Master of biomedical science student at the University of Melbourne

Dr Doug Hilton, chief executive officer CSIRO and UROP initiator in Australia addressed the conference attendees through a pre-recording as he was unable to attend in person.

Eighteen UROP students (2023/2024 cohort students) presented their UROP work and received their certificates of participation.

Each session was chaired by UROP supervisors, Associate Professor Jennifer Zenker (ARMI), Associate Professor Davis McCarthy (SVI), Dr Amy Gelmi (RMIT) and Dr Tom Nebl (CSIRO). A panel of judges consisting of UROP supervisors, Dr Anna – Lena Hempfling (CSL), Dr Andrea North (CSIRO) and Dr Sri Ramarathinam (CSL) had the difficult task of selecting the best three student presentations. Our congratulations to the following students and their UROP supervisors.

• Winner – Zoe Suckling, hosted at ARMI and supervised by Dr Renee Chow
• First runner up - Dillon Wong, hosted at MCRI and supervised by Professor Mirana Ramialison and Denis Bienroth
• Second runner up – Bryce Hassett, hosted at MCRI and supervised by Dr Frankie Butera

UROP Rounds for 2025

• Supervisor project applications are open all year round and you can apply anytime. If you would like your student to start their placement during the upcoming winter break, please apply by COB Monday 17 March. If you would like your student to start their placement during the 2025/2026 summer break, please apply by COB Monday 11 August 2025.
• 2025 round 1:
  • student applications will open on Monday 03 March and will close COB Monday 17 March.
• 2025 round 2:
  • student applications will open on Monday 28 July and will close COB Monday 11 August.

Contact us

Can’t find what you;re looking for? For further information about UROP please visit our website Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program - CSIRO, email us at UROP@csiro.au or scan the QR code below.