Undergraduate Scholars Program

Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI) Undergraduate Scholars Program

The Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI) at Oregon State University offers an annual competitive program to fund undergraduate research internships in areas related to viticulture, enology, and economics. The goal is to provide highly-motivated undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn and actively participate in research related to grape and wine production. Scholars will have the opportunity to gain a broader learning experience outside of the classroom by working directly within the lab and/or research program of an OWRI faculty mentor.

The OWRI is a collaborative research and education program located within Oregon State University and it involves partnerships with multiple organizations and works with the Oregon wine grape industry to meet their research needs. Researchers include faculty in the Horticulture, Food Science & Technology, and Applied Economics Departments at Oregon State University as well as researchers in the Horticultural Crops Research Unit of the USDA in Corvallis, Oregon. Students select one mentor to work with during the scholars program.

The areas of research and education within the OWRI include viticulture, enology, plant biology, plant pathology, entomology, plant physiology, molecular biology, genetics, economics, food sensory, and chemistry. Many OWRI faculty have multi-faceted positions that include duties in research, teaching, and industry education/outreach. Several OWRI faculty work directly with industry, whether growers or winemakers, to conduct research in commercial vineyards/wineries in addition to lab-based research. Learn more about our researchers online at owri.oregonstate.edu. 

Funding for the experiential learning experience is for the stated period and is limited to students enrolled as undergraduates at the time of application. 

Eligibility

• Must be a current undergraduate student enrolled during the academic year of the program at an institution of higher education (post-secondary) within the US or internationally.
• Students graduating during the award year (July 1 to June 30) are not eligible for funding.
• Degree areas should be related to food science, horticulture, plant science, biochemistry, chemistry, biological data sciences, engineering, economics, environmental science, or an agricultural/environmental field of study.
• Interest working in a research environment (may be field- and/or lab- based).

Before applying, reach out to our researchers to express interest in the program to explore possible projects and who may serve as potential mentors. This is a necessary step toward determining who you’d like to work with.

Application Materials

• The Student Researcher Application becomes available the first day of winter term. The link to the application can be found at the top of this page during that time. 
• The application form will require you to upload a cover letter (address areas of interest in viticulture, enology, wine economics, or related fields and how it will help you develop your education and/or future career), resume (include both current and past post-secondary education (if applicable), and list all prior work experience, not just that which is relevant to research, unofficial transcript(s) from your post-secondary educational institution, and one professional reference contact. Do not include reference letters.

Questions? If you would like more information about this program, please contact owri@oregonstate.edu. 

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