UCLA McNair Research Scholars Program

UCLA McNairResearchScholars Program

AAP Graduate Mentoring andResearch Programs

Transfrom the Academy

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAApplicants must meet one of the following criteria:

Low-income and first-generation college student(i.e., neither parent has a Bachelor’s degree); or Be a member of an underrepresented group ingraduate education.

Applicants must also: Be UCLA students majoring in the Humanities,Arts, Social Sciences, Life Sciences or PhysicalSciences;Be third-year or transfer students who havecompleted between 90 and 175 units by Fall ofthe application year; andDemonstrate academic potential for graduatestudy.

Please Note: This program is not open to studentsintending to pursue professional degrees such aslaw, business, management, medicine, dentistry,veterinary medicine, etc.

HOW DO I APPLY? Applications for the UCLA McNair Research ScholarsProgram are available every year at the start of theFall quarter. You can find the application online orin 1202 Campbell Hall.

The application components include: McNair Application FormPersonal StatementResearch ProposalTwo letters of recommendationUCLA transcript (transfer students also submittheir Community College transcripts)

Program StaffAlice Ho, Ph.D. | Director Liliana Islas, Ph.D. | Assistant Director Antonio Shallowhorn, M.P.H. | Office Coordinator Araceli Centanino, C.Phil | McNair Mentor Feliz Quiñones, M.A. | McNair Mentor Rosario I. Majano | McNair Mentor

Contact UsUniversity of California, Los Angeles 1202 Campbell Hall Box 951541 Los Angeles, CA 90095

Ph.: 310.794.4186 Fax: 310.206.3189 mcnair@college.ucla.edu

aap.ucla.edu/programs/mcnair-research-scholars/

WHAT IS MCNAIR? The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureateAchievement Program prepares low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students fordoctoral study. McNair is a federally funded programthat was named in honor of Dr. Ronald E. McNair.

WHO WAS DR. RONALD E. MCNAIR? Dr. Ronald E. McNair was the second AfricanAmerican astronaut to join NASA. Born in raciallysegregated South Carolina, he graduated magnacum laude from North Carolina A&T State University,Greensboro and received his Ph.D. in Physics fromthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. McNair was nationally recognized for his work inthe field of laser physics. He flew his first mission asan astronaut in 1984 and died tragically at the ageof 35 when the Challenger space shuttle explodedon lift off in January 1986.

Dr. Ronald E. McNair

UCLA McNair Research Scholars Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEWEstablished in 2003, the UCLA McNair ResearchScholars Program is an intensive research programthat prepares undergraduate students who areinterested in pursuing a Ph.D. and careers inacademia. The two-year program is designed toprepare scholars to apply to, and excel in, the bestgraduate school programs in the country.

Each year, the program maintains a cohort of 28juniors and seniors from a variety of majors in theHumanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Life Sciences,Physical Sciences. The program applies CriticalRace Theory to prepare participants to becomechange agents within academia and beyond, thusfulfilling the program’s motto, to transform theacademy.

PROGRAM CURRICULUMUCLA McNair Research Scholars complete acomprehensive and rigorous two-year academicprogram with the support of Graduate Student andFaculty Mentors, Program Staff, and a stipend.

YEAR 1 FALL Apply to become a McNair Scholar!

WINTER AND SPRINGParticipate in the UCLA Student ResearchProgram (SRP) under the guidance of afaculty mentor; Attend weekly seminars designed specificallyto guide students through the process ofdeveloping their research projects; and Present their research at UCLAUndergraduate Research Week.

SUMMER RESEARCH INSTITUTEParticipate in the intensive six-week residentialInstitute:

attend writing and research skills seminars; attend workshops, events, and scholarlyactivities; receive GRE tutoring and fee reductions;prepare for the graduate school applicationprocess; and present their research at McNair ResearchConferences.

YEAR 2 Apply to graduate school; receive application assistance and feewaivers;Complete, present, and have opportunities topublish their research thesis.

Transform the Academy