• First Directory on Undergraduate Research in Chemistry at Undergraduate Institutions (Private Liberal Arts Colleges).

1979:

• First Meeting of the Council on Undergraduate Research. Michael Doyle elected president, Jerry Mohrig elected secretary, Brian Andreen elected Executive Secretary.

1980:

• First CUR Newsletter.
• CUR adopts first Constitution and By-Laws.

1981:

• Council on Undergraduate Research is incorporated.
• Council on Undergraduate Research receives tax exemption status.
• NSF Undergraduate Research Program (URP) terminated.

1982:

• CUR submits proposal for RUI to the National Science Board.

1983:

• First Councilors admitted from public institutions.
• Spring Hill Conference
• NSF-RUI Program introduced.

1984:

• Physics/Astronomy and Biology (CRAB) Councils are added to CUR.

1985:

• CUR's First National Conference on Undergraduate Research (Colgate University).
• NIH's AREA Program introduced.
• NSF-College Science Instrumentation Program (CSIP) introduced (precursor to NSF-ILI Program).
• American Chemical Society Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution instituted with funding from Research Corporation.

1986:

• Geology Council is added to CUR.
• American Physical Society Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution instituted with funding from Research Corporation.

1987:

• First National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) for students at Asheville, NC, cosponsored by CUR.
• NSF-Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program introduced.
• NSF-Instrumentation for Laboratory Improvement (ILI) Program introduced.

1988:

• CUR Consulting Service introduced with support from Research Corporation.

1989:

• Mathematical and Computer Sciences Council is added to CUR.
• CUR opens itself up to individual membership.
• First colleges and universities respond to the invitations to be CUR Sponsors to facilitate the establishment of CUR's National Office.
• CUR Newsletter expands to four issues per year.

1990:

• First summer fellowships awarded through CUR (AIURP) from grants from corporations and corporate foundations.
• At-Large Council is added to CUR
• CUR Individual Membership reaches 1,000.
• Major Grants received from Pew Charitable Trusts and Research Corporation to establish CUR's National Office.

1991:

• CUR National Office is opened at University of North Carolina at Asheville.
• CURLS (CUR's Listserv) is introduced.
• John Stevens is appointed first National Executive Officer.

1992:

• CUR Notes is introduced.
• National Information Center on Undergraduate Research (NICUR) is formed as a branch of CUR for data acquisition and production of directories with major sponsorship of the Merck Foundation and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation.
• First CURSOR Summer Undergraduate Fellowships awarded with private foundation sponsorship.

1993:

• First April Dialogue (held at the National Institutes of Health).
• Institutional membership for colleges and universities is introduced.
• Psychology Division is added to CUR.
• CUR Newsletter becomes the CUR Quarterly.
• Speaker's Bureau introduced.
• CUR Individual Membership reaches 2,000.

1994:

• Institutional Liaisons established.
• First SURE summer fellowships awarded in biology with NSF-REU funds awarded to CUR.

1995:

• Initial Group of CUR Representatives (representatives at graduate institutions) established.
• CUR website is initiated.
• CUR Individual Membership reaches 3,000.
• CUR Institutional Memberships reaches 100.

1996:

• First CUR Institute on How to Institutionalize Research.
• CUR Institutional Membership reaches 200.
• Formation of Science Policy Grassroots Network.
• CUR publishes "How to Get Started in Research" with support of Research Corporation.

1997:

• First CUR Undergraduate Research Capitol Hill Poster Session.
• Engineering Division is added to CUR.
• Receipt of NSF Course and Curriculum Development Grant in the Biological Sciences "Research Link 2000".
• Receipt of NSF grant from Materials Sciences Division to promote linkages between PUI faculty members and PI's of NSF grants in Materials Sciences.
• K. Elaine Hoagland appointed CUR's second National Executive Officer.
• CUR Archives established at UNCA.
• CUR National Office moves to Washington, DC.
• Comprehensive external review of CUR funded by a grant from Research Corporation.

1998:

• NSF Undergraduate Education Division (DUE) Division modifies its ILI, CCD, and UFEP programs into CCLI.
• First Vital Faculty Institute.
• CUR celebrates its twentieth anniversary and honors its founder Brian Andreen.
• CUR establishes a permanent endowment for undergraduate research fellowships (Brian Andreen Undergraduate Research Scholars) in honor of its founder Brian Andreen.

1999:

• Council votes to explore expansion of CUR to all fields covered by NSF.

2000:

• CUR Proposes an NSF AIRE program for Comprehensive Universities.
• First CUR Fellow Awards bestowed on Mary Allen and Julio Ramirez.
• First CUR Institute on Proposal Writing.
• New "How to" booklet published, entitled How to Develop and Administer Institutional Undergraduate Research Programs.

2001:

• CUR Social Sciences Division formed.
• CUR Affinity Groups initiated.
• New Mission Statement approved, widening CUR’s purview to include all academic institutions and all academic fields.
• Online Peer Reviewers' Registry begun.
• Undergraduate Researchers' Grad Schools Registry begun.
• "How to" booklet published: How to Get a Tenure-Track Position at a Predominantly Undergraduate Institution.

2002:

• Undergraduate Researchers' Registry fully operational, yielding income for summer fellowships program.
• New Values Statement approved, re-emphasizing core focus on PUIs.
• First CUR-led faculty retreat on a PUI campus.
• New feature developed for CUR Quarterly: "Undergraduate Research Highlights".
• First CUR symposium and new web page on Research Ethics.
• "How To" Booklet published: "How to Mentor Undergraduates".

2003:

• Strategic Plan adopted
• Institutional membership reaches 387
• CUR reaches out to Canada

• CUR establishes a task force on diversity
• Presidents Emeritus added to Council
• 25th Anniversary celebrated
• Reinvigorating Undergraduate Research: Successful Models Supported by NSF’s AIRE/RAIRE Programs is published
• Dr. K. Elaine Hoagland retires as National Executive Officer
• Dr. Nancy H. Hensel becomes third Executive Officer

• CUR holds first Mentorship, Collaboration and Undergraduate Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities Institute at Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Massachusetts
• CUR Undergraduate Research Program Director's Division formed.
• New Website and Quarterly design.

2006:

• CUR holds first Initiating Undergraduate Research Institute at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia
• Institutional Membership reaches 435.
• CUR receives NSF-ATE Grant
• CUR receives NSF-CCLI Grant

Revised: August 31, 2006