HomeNews TypesGeneral NewsExecutive Corner: September 2025

Executive Corner: September 2025

Dear CUR Community,

I hope the start of the academic year is bringing energy and inspiration to you and your students. As we step into this new season, I want to share some exciting updates from the CUR Board of Directors and invite you to be part of shaping what comes next.

This Fall marks the launch of CUR’s new strategic plan, a roadmap designed to guide us toward CUR Twenty30. Grounded in our mission and values, the plan reflects months of listening, learning, and envisioning how undergraduate research can rise to meet the challenges and opportunities of our time. You’ll see CUR continuing to amplify the transformative impact of undergraduate research, strengthen support for our members, and position our community as a driver of innovation and knowledge creation. I encourage you to check out CUR Twenty 30.

Our Board has already begun leaning into this future-focused work. This year, they are dedicating time to foresight, beginning with a deep dive into artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for CUR and undergraduate research (UR). At the same time, divisions are moving forward with action plans to engage the community in content, and the Council is kicking off its work for the year, diving deep into COEUR, AI, and UR in online education.

We’re also celebrating several important updates across CUR:

  • Elevating Advocacy: Advocacy is the core to advancing undergraduate research. Policies that shape research funding, education priorities, and campus resources are influenced by those willing to speak up. That is why it is so important that CUR members share their perspectives — whether through our new Advocacy Take Action Tool or directly with representatives at the local, state, and national level. Your voice carries weight in these conversations, and when added together, our collective impact is powerful. Recent campaigns have already engaged members in defending federal science and education funding, and more are ahead.
  • COEUR 2.0 Resource Pages: Now live, explore the many pages that offer practical tools for strengthening undergraduate research programs tied to each of the 11 characteristics.
  • Events and Learning: Planning is underway for NCUR 2026 @Richmond and ConnectUR 2026 at College Park. We’ve also launched our first two on-demand learning offerings, with more to come.

Finally, as CUR moves into this exciting chapter, we need strong leaders to help guide the work. The call for nominations for elected volunteer leadership positions is open. Serving as a CUR leader is an opportunity to shape the future of undergraduate research, strengthen our community, and ensure that our collective advocacy is heard. I encourage you to consider stepping forward or nominating a colleague.

Together, we are building the future, one that is resilient, innovative, and inclusive. Thank you for the work you do every day to mentor students, push the boundaries of discovery, and carry forward the mission of CUR.

With gratitude and excitement,
Lindsay Currie
Executive Officer

Founded in 1978, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) focuses on providing high-quality and collaborative undergraduate research, scholarly, and creative activity. Among the many activities and networking opportunities that CUR provides, the organization also offers support for the professional growth of faculty and administrators through expert-designed institutes, conferences, and a wide-range of volunteer positions. The CUR community, made up of nearly 700 institutions and 13,000 individuals, continues to provide a platform for discussion and other resources related to mentoring, connecting, and creating relationships centered around undergraduate research. CUR’s advocacy efforts are also a large portion of its work as they strive to strengthen support for undergraduate research. Its continued growth in connections with representatives, private foundations, government agencies, and campuses world-wide provides value to its members and gives voice to undergraduate research. CUR is committed to inclusivity and diversity in all of its activities and our community.

CUR focuses on giving a voice to undergraduate research with learning through doing. It provides connections to a multitude of campuses and government agencies, all while promoting networking and professional growth to its community.

By Todd Waggoner

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