Mission
Our mission in the PROPEL (Promoting Research Opportunities and Experiential Learning) program is to ensure equitable access to academic, research, and experiential learning opportunities for all undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. We plan to achieve this by:
- Engaging UMass faculty, postgraduate, and graduate students as mentors who are eager to guide motivated students.
- Providing resources to mentors on effective recruitment and mentorship strategies.
- Connecting students with mentors who appreciate enthusiasm, curiosity, and potential from diverse backgrounds.
- Guiding students to resources for developing successful applications and career goals.
- Providing a software platform for mentors to share project opportunities and a designated application period for students.
History
PROPEL joins OURS (2025–present)
The Learning Resource Center (LRC) assumed responsibility for PROPEL in August 2025 to expand undergraduate research access at UMass Amherst. PROPEL (Promoting Research Opportunities and Experiential Learning) is now led by the LRC’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies (OURS), which oversees program content and operations. This transition aligns PROPEL with campus-wide research support and pathways, with centralized coordination, broader institutional resources, and a consistent approach to mentoring and opportunity promotion across disciplines.
Through PROPEL, mentors can share project opportunities with students across campus, fosteringinterdisciplinary collaboration and expanding pathways to research, innovation, and knowledge exchange. Informed by program evaluations and feedback from students and mentors, we continue to strengthen the experience through improvements to usability, site structure, navigation, and content clarity.
OURS aims to connect a broader and more diverse community of students with meaningful experiences that enhance learning, build transferable skills, and strengthen connections between teaching and research. We look forward to growing opportunities and supporting students, faculty, and departments in building successful project partnerships across the University.
Before OURS (2009–2025)
Founded in 2009 by Biology Professor Sheila Patek, the Biology Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship (BURA) was inspired by UC Berkeley’s model and created to broaden access to undergraduate research. After Patek moved to Duke in 2013, Michele Markstein and Brewer maintained and streamlined the site through 2020.
In 2021, the program migrated to the open-source MUSER Drupal framework (developed by Patek) with support from Jay Beaton Consulting, adding features to improve the platform and strengthen equity-focused assessment with guidance from campus partners and Biology Department leadership.
In 2024, the program expanded beyond Biology to serve all STEM disciplines through a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence Award and was renamed PROPEL (Promoting Research Opportunities for Equity in Learning). A 2024–2025 Office of Faculty Development grant further supports cross-department work to develop transparent, equitable policies and mentoring practices for STEM undergraduate research.
Special Thanks
We extend our sincere thanks to the following individuals and groups for their guidance and support:
- Biology Racial Justice Committee: Andrew Spracklen, Elena Vazey, and Madelaine Bartlett
- Linda Zeigenbein, Director of Student Success and Diversity
- Scott Auerbach, iCONS Executive Director
- Institute for Diversity Sciences, for helpful suggestions
- Elsbeth Walker, Biology Department Head
- Rolf Karlstrom, Biology Department Head
- Jeffrey Blanchard, Associate Professor of Biology
- Lin Tang, Senior Assistant Provost for Learning Resources and Undergraduate Education
