1988 - UROP begins with 15 students and 15 faculty members
1989 - First UROP Student Research Symposium is held
1992 - UROP expands to 150 students and 130 research sponsors responding to a national focus to integrate undergraduate education and research at research universities
1992 - University of Michigan receives a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to fund a Summer Biomedical and Life Sciences Summer Research Fellowship Program, a grant from the State of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Education to study the impact of undergraduate research on diverse student retention and pursuit of graduate education.
1993 - UROP adds seminars and peer advisors to the program to create a community of student researchers and a mechanism to ensure good research partnerships
1996 - UROP receives the Theodore Hesburgh Award for Model Undergraduate Programs
1996 - UROP receives a grant in collaboration with the Detroit Initiative and Ginsburg Center to launch a community based research program placing students in non-profit community based organizations. UROP initiates UROP in Residence, an on-campus residential community of undergraduate researchers.
1997 - University of Michigan receives 1 of 10 Recognition Awards for the Integration of Research Education from the National Science Foundation
1998 - Boyer Commission Report, Reinventing Undergraduate Education is published recommending the creation of undergraduate research programs at research universities to improve undergraduate education.
1998 - Article on the impact of undergraduate research on student retention is published in the Review of Higher Education. UROP expands to include juniors and seniors.
1999 - UROP receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring
2002 - Article on the impact of undergraduate research on the pursuit of graduate and professional School education is published in the Journal of College Student Development
2005 - Michigan Undergraduate Research Day is celebrated at the State Capitol
2006 - UROP starts Research Scholars Program for students participating in UROP for a second year
2006 - UROP receives a grant from Intel to create the Summer Engineering Research Fellowship Program
2007 - UROP expands to 850 students
2010 - UROP’s enrollment reaches over 1000 students. UROP replaces the Junior/Senior program with Changing Gears, a program designed for community college transfer students.
2012 - 1300 students participate in UROP
2013 - UROP celebrates its 25th anniversary.
2013 - UROP revamps the community based research program to focus on Detroit, allowing students the opportunity to live and work in the City.
