Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Since 1946, students and faculty of The University of Alabama have benefited from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). ORAU is a consortium of 96 colleges and universities and a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.
Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) that the DOE facility ORAU operates, undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, and faculty enjoy access to a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering a wide variety of disciplines, including business, earth sciences, epidemiology, engineering, physics, geological sciences, pharmacology, ocean sciences, biomedical sciences, nuclear chemistry, and mathematics. Appointment and program length range from one month to four years. Many of these programs are specially designed to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority students pursuing degrees in science- and engineering-related disciplines. A comprehensive listing of these programs and other opportunities, their disciplines, and details on locations and benefits can be found in the ORISE Catalog of Education and Training Programs. ORAU's Office of Partnership Development seeks opportunities for partnerships and alliances among ORAU's members, private industry, and major federal facilities. Activities include faculty development programs, such as the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, the Visiting Industrial Scientist Program, and various services to chief research officers. For more information about ORAU and its programs, visit the ORAU home page.
The University of Alabama’s rich environment for research involves an array of Centers and Institutes, many of which offer opportunities for graduate student engagement. For a full list, please see http://ovpred.ua.edu/research-institutes/.