• A researcher works with equipment

        • About Us

          URA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) academic consortium composed of over 94 premier research universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan headquartered in Washington, D.C. supporting government lab management and operation in the national interest.

        • A grassy area is located next to a column-lined outdoor walkway at a college campus

        • Member Universities

          URA fosters valuable university research partnerships through membership. URA presents members with research opportunities at national engineering and physics labs, engagement with laboratory leadership and management, and recognition of academic achievements.

        • Lab Management

          Since 1965 URA has been an integral part of the management of Fermilab, overseeing the management and operations of the lab and bringing the expertise of our 94 member universities to bear on the challenges facing the Fermilab.  URA supports scholars and interns doing research at Fermilab and recognizes outstanding contributions.  In 2007 URA became part of the organization that manages and operates Sandia National Laboratories and since then has worked to support the scientific and technical demands of Sandia by supporting external calibration of science, technology and engineering (ST&E) programs; aid in ST&E programs’ strategic planning; and assist in development of university partnerships and diverse workforce talent.

        • Science & Research Policy

          URA strives to engender an awareness of the current national science policy issues among its members and early career scientists. This is achieved through a variety of platforms at URA, including science policy and communication training, connecting scientists and policymakers, and policy town halls and workshops. URA’s goal is to facilitate effective science communication to promote the public’s understanding of scientific discoveries, foster trust in scientific institutions, and facilitate informed decision-making by policymakers and the public.

        • Two researchers in hard hats examine computer equipment

        • High Energy Physics User Community

          URA has been a supporter, convener, and integral part of the high energy physics User Community since Fermilab’s creation. Currently approximately seventy-five percent of the university-based users at Fermilab come from URA members. URA members represent the best scientific expertise the nation has to offer. Through our leadership, oversight, and programs URA is committed to ensuring that the full range of expertise from around the Nation and the world contributes to Fermilab’s scientific challenges and the user and affiliate community remains the vital part of the lab’s research base that it has always been.

  • Events
  • News
  • Contact Us

2024 SPARC Participants

Home | 2024 SPARC Participants

URA is pleased to announce the outstanding graduate students who participated in the 2024 SPARC: Science Policy & Advocacy Research Competition. 

Chanelle Hunter, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Recent graduate with a doctorate in Cancer Biology, her research focused on the development of novel imaging tools to assist in guiding predictive diagnostics. As a scientist from a marginalized background with an interest in Artificial Intelligence and its application in healthcare, she is interested in policies around AI application and regulation.
Satwik Dutta, University of Texas, Dallas
Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering, working on developing speech technology for early childhood language intervention with a goal to assist parents, teachers, caregivers, and practitioners to help mitigate challenges in language development in children.
Rosa Rossi-Goldthorpe , Yale University
PhD candidate in Neuroscience, focused on computational modeling of decision-making and how psychopathology impacts these processes.
Becca Blyn, University of Washington
Second-year Ph.D. student in Pathobiology, studying the immune response in the liver to the parasite that causes malaria, with the eventual goal of developing effective malaria vaccines. Outside of the lab, Becca also has strong interests in science communication and science policy.
Lidia Komondy, Cornell University
PS Nandini, UC Berkeley
Laura Belmont, University of Washington
Daniela Cala, Indiana University
Elizabeth DiLoreto, Worchester Polytechnic Institute
Kassandra Fernandez, University of Florida
Kaushal Kalfe, University of Texas, Dallas
Anvita Komarla, UC Sand Diego
Monique Noel Image, Michigan State University
Monserrat Orozco, University of New Mexico
Marcela Strane, University of Houston
Jillian Walton, University of Tennessee
Martha Christiano, University of Michigan
Marcela Strane, University of Houston
Mayson Whipple, Michigan State University