In this report we provide updates on three of these previously discussed programs. Funded jointly by the Executive Vice Chancellor's Office and the College of Engineering, the program offers a limited number of stipends to participating undergraduates who assist in faculty research projects during the academic year. The selection of recipients is not based on financial need. Each student who applies for a President's Undergraduate Fellowship is required to take the initiative to identify and recruit his or her own faculty mentor, who in turn is required to evaluate and comment on the merit of the proposed project as a part of the application process. PUF received a total of 56 proposals for the 1997-98 season, out of which 44 projects were funded.
Faculty members design the projects, which are advertised each semester by the program office.
Each successful undergraduate applicant files a learning contract that spells out the nature of his or her commitment to the research project. The following table demonstrates a sharp upward trajectory in both student and faculty participation in the program over the last five years. The sudden rise in participating faculty and departments in 1996-97 was caused by an expansion of the program to include the professional schools and colleges in that year. Some of the undergraduate research programs are new for 1997-98. Among the new programs are the Haas Scholars Program, The Miller Scholars Program, the Chevron Undergraduate Research Program Awards, and the Berkeley Physics Undergraduate Research Scholars Program.