Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC) - The University of Tulsa
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Research Opportunities

Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC)

TU TURC student presenting research to an audience in an auditorium

Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC) is an innovative program that enables undergraduates to conduct advanced research with the guidance of top UTulsa professors.

TURC was founded in 1992 to encourage and support undergraduate students who engage in exciting research projects while also devoting substantial time toward serving the community. Its aim is to create leaders in scholarship, research, and public life through an emphasis on undergraduate research and community involvement.

For questions about the TURC program, please contact gabriel-leblanc@utulsa.edu.

Find a TURC project

Explore the directory below to find a project you are interested in and contact the mentor about getting involved. If they are accepting students and it's a good match, you will work with the project mentor to complete an initial application, followed by an official application in February. See the 2025 calendar for a more detailed timeline.

Project Directory 2025 TURC Calendar

  • What is TURC?
  • Why is TURC important?
  • How to support TURC scholars
  • TURC Director

    • Intensive, mentored research, and creative endeavor are at the heart of the TURC experience.

      Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge offers talented undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct significant scholarly research while working side-by-side with faculty mentors; challenging coursework; and engagement in fulfilling service to the community.

      The TURC experience

    • TURC incorporates research, publication, and community service — essential elements to create future leaders.

      TURC also advances TU's academic mission and enhances its national reputation. In addition to winning national scholarships, TURC students present papers at conferences, write articles that are published in academic journals, and initiate service projects with a broad and meaningful impact on the community.

      Community Involvement

    • Your support can help TU students gain hands-on research experience.

      Over the quarter-century of this program’s existence, many TURC scholars have moved on from the program to be offered prestigious internships, win nationally competitive fellowships, earn advanced degrees in elite graduate programs, or pursue exciting, successful careers in academia, government, and industry. Learn how your gift can support the next generation of leaders.

      Support TURC scholars

    • Gabriel LeBlanc, Ph.D.

      Gabriel LeBlanc is a husband, father, teacher, and scientist currently serving as an associate professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department as well as the director for the TURC program. “As an undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to participate in research under the mentorship of amazing professors, which inspired me to pursue a career in chemistry. Now as the director of the TURC program, I hope to enable the talented student at The University of Tulsa to experience the wonder of undergraduate research under the direction of our incredible faculty mentors!”

      Contact

    Who can participate in TURC?

    Research at UTulsa comes in all fields of study. Some projects require having a particular set of skills, while others enable anyone willing to learn to provide a meaningful contribution - many TURC projects are open to incoming freshman and even high school students. To find a project you might be interested in, look through the project directory.

    Project Directory Learn more about applying for TURC

    TURC Giving

    Help UTulsa undergraduates gain hands-on research experience.

    Make a gift