all INFO listed BELOW REFLECT UPDATED DATES AND TIMES THAT RESULTED FROM THE WINTER STORM EVENTS IN FEBRUARY.

Details

Research support:

Are you currently involved with research at UT or are you interested in trying research? There are literally hundreds of research opportunities at UT that are waiting to be filled. The TEJAS program begins by providing you with support, training and resources to help you find and secure a research position that aligns with your interests at UT. Once you are in the program, TEJAS provides you with one or more semesters of financial support to carry out your research. The average TEJAS award pays $1500 per semester for a student who completes 8-10 hours weekly of research.

Professional development:

During your first semester in the TEJAS program, you will be introduced to a community of 30+ TEJAS research scholars who you will collaborate with to focus on your professional development as aspiring STEM professionals. This community meets once weekly for an hour as part of a mandatory seminar class, and uses a self-directed learning approach to grow your professionalism. For more details, here is the syllabus from last year's class.

Eligibility

There are three major requirements to be eligible for TEJAS.

1. You must be receiving financial aid:

To be eligible for TEJAS you must be receiving financial aid during the time when you hold the award. If you are currently receiving financial aid, there is a high probability that you will be eligible for TEJAS in fall 2021. If you are not currently receiving financial aid, but have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student AID (FAFSA) form, then you may become eligible in fall 2021. If you are unsure of your financial aid situation, do not worry, fill out the TEJAS Student Interest Survey.

All individuals in the student interest list are pre-screened by the Financial Aid office in May to ensure eligibility, and this has no affect on your financial aid status.

2. You must hold a research position:

You must hold a research position during the time when you hold the award. If you are already doing research with a professor at UT, and you anticipate continuing to work for them in the fall, then you are set.

If you do not have a position with a research group, do not worry! There are plenty of opportunities to join a research group and lots of time to find a research position. We suggest that you begin by joining us for a Finding Research Workshop (details below) for guidance on finding research that aligns with your interests. Our goal is to help you get into a research group before the fall 2021 semester begins!

3. You cannot receive credit and TEJAS for your research hours:

There are several credit options available in CNS for students who are doing research, which you should consider if it is best for your degree plan. However, in order to receive TEJAS, you cannot also be receiving course credit for that research. Please reach out to Brandon Campitelli (brandon.campitelli@utexas.edu) if you are unsure about your situation.

Apply

Step 1: Get on the mailing list [ASAP]

To receive information, updates and reminders about TEJAS, please fill out the TEJAS Student Interest Survey. We will contact you with all relevant information regarding TEJAS.

Step 2: Join an Info & Q&A Session and Finding Research Workshop [Feb - Mar]

We are providing a number of virtual information sessions and workshops to support finding research on campus. Be sure to use the TEJAS Student Interest Survey to signup to receive zoom information and reminders for these upcoming events.

Materials used at info sessions and workshops:

• TEJAS - RECORDED INFO SESSION (updated 3/09/2021)
• TEJAS - INFO SLIDES (updated 3/05/2021)
• TEJAS - FINDING A RESEARCH PLACEMENT SLIDES (updated 3/12/2021)
  • Finding research that interests you and taking steps to join a research group can be challenging and a barrier that you might not think you can get over. You totally can. Check out the slides above for ideas to get you started, and then reach out to Brandon (brandon.campitelli@utexas.edu) for support on this.

Step 3: Secure a research position [Feb - June]

To be eligible for TEJAS, you will need to secure a position doing research at UT, and have them fill out this TEJAS Supervisor-Student Agreement Form. It's important that you have this form for your official application.

Curious about what constitutes a "research position"? There are plenty of experiences/positions that can be counted as research:

• Carrying out your own independent research, or assisting research, under the supervision of a professor, FRI research educator (RE), postdoc, graduate student or researcher on campus.
• Mentoring other students on their research, such as being a mentor in FRI (or a similar program).
• Participating in a guided reading program such as in math.
• If you are unsure of your situation, please reach out to Brandon Campitelli (brandon.campitelli@utexas.edu).

Step 4: Financial Aid eligibility [May]

You do not need to complete anything for this step. However, by filling out the TEJAS Student Interest Survey, we will request the Financial Aid Office to determine if you are eligible. This screening will have no impact on you or your financial aid package.

Step 5: Fill out the TEJAS application [June - Aug]

Those who are eligible for financial aid will be given an opportunity to submit a formal TEJAS Student Application. This application will officially open in June 2021.

Faculty interested in hiring TEJAS students

TEJAS is an award that functions like a work-study program for research. Students receive a stipend of $1500 per semester for two semesters, with 70% of their wages covered by financial aid, and 30% (~$500 per semester) of their wages covered by their employer (eg, faculty research group they are working for). We will consider all faculty who are interested in hiring a TEJAS student, whether or not you have access to funds to support a student. In addition, TIDES will handle the appointment of TEJAS students including managing their Workday time sheets, as well as provide a professional development component.

Faculty reviews of their TEJAS students have been very positive, especially for students carrying out remote research during the pandemic. TEJAS provides an extra layer of community, support and academic mentorship for your research student. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Brandon Campitelli (brandon.campitelli@utexas.edu) if you would like to discuss recruiting a TEJAS student for your research group. You can also fill out the faculty interest survey (below) if you would like us to get you connected to a TEJAS student before next fall.

TEJAS - FACULTY INTEREST SURVEY

Still have questions?

Please contact Brandon Campitelli (brandon.campitelli@utexas.edu) with any questions you may have about TEJAS.