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Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

CAS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Grant (CASUGR)

The College of Arts and Sciences, in the 2004-2005 academic year, initiated an undergraduate research grant competition to foster faculty-mentored research by undergraduate students. These grants help support undergraduate students in conducting research and scholarly activities.

Funds are made available each semester to support the research/scholarly activity itself, as well as to help defray travel costs for students presenting research. If the product of that research is accepted for presentation, a second grant application for travel funds may also be submitted. Each student must have a faculty mentor helping that student with the application process as well as providing guidance during the research process itself.

The grant program is administered by Associate Dean Susan Martinelli-Fernandez and the College’s committee on Undergraduate Research.

The College of Arts and Sciences is offering grants for undergraduate students engaged in research under the direction of CAS faculty.

The purpose of these grants is to support and promote the research efforts of our undergraduate students.

Spring 2010 Undergraduate Research and
Scholarly Activity Grants
&
Norman and Carmelita Teeter Undergraduate Research Awards
Submission Deadline: February 22, 2010

The College of Arts and Sciences is offering grants for undergraduate students engaged in research under the direction of CAS faculty. The purpose of these grants is to support and promote the research efforts of our undergraduate students. The UGR Research Grants are intended to fund undergraduate research that may be difficult or impossible to conduct without financial support. Students use the grant funds to purchase equipment and supplies, travel to professional conferences, pay participants, etc. -- whatever is necessary to conduct their study. Students can apply for up to $300 (plus 25% matching funds from their department) to fund their research. Mathematics Student presenting a seminar.

In addition, students may apply for the Norman and Carmelita Teeter Undergraduate Research Award, regardless of whether they seek grant funds through the CAS Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity Grant Competition. These awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding student projects for the academic year. One set of awards will be made each spring semester. However, students may apply for the awards in either fall or spring semester, and all will be entered into one pool. Each project that receives recognition will receive a monetary award, amount yet to be determined.

Amount
Grants may be requested in amounts up to, but not exceeding, $300. Departments are encouraged to provide additional support of 25% of the grant value.

Both competitions have the same eligibility requirements, obligations, and all students must complete the application form below.

Eligibility
To be eligible, students must:
•      be majoring in a CAS discipline
•      must be in good academic standing at time of application (i.e., minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0)
•      be currently enrolled for at least 12 s.h (semester hours)
•      provide a letter of support from a faculty mentor/research supervisor
•      provide an official transcript from WIU
•      engage in a research or scholarly project not primarily part of a regular course (projects conducted for “individual research” courses are acceptable)

Use of funds (CAS UGR Grant only)
Funds may be used to purchase equipment, books, materials or computer software or to fund travel and other associated costs in collecting data, such as mailing costs, library use fees, etc. that are required to complete this particular student research project.  Funds may also be used to support travel to professional conferences at which the student’s research has been accepted. (Rules governing travel funds are identical to those for faculty travel.) Student may apply for one grant to support the research project and a second grant for travel funds for accepted papers/presentations. Travel funds may be requested for papers submitted for presentation that have not yet been accepted; funds will not be released until proof of acceptance is provided.

Obligations
•      Students are required to file a final report at the end of the academic year in which the award was received
•      Students are required to present their research, if completed, at the Thomas E. Helm Undergraduate Research Day in April and encouraged to present their research in other venues, including external conferences

Completed application
A completed application must be submitted by a full-time faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences along with the student researcher. A completed application will include all of the following, received in the College Office, Morgan 118, no later than noon on February 22, 2010:
•       a completed typed or word-processed application form (see attached)
•       a letter of support from a full time faculty member
•       an official transcript from WIU
•       evidence of IRB/IACUC approval, if appropriate
•       evidence of paper acceptance for conference travel funding

The deadline for receipt of completed applications in the Dean’s Office, Morgan 114, is noon, February 22, 2010.

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION
Please send an electronic copy of the application only to Dr. Susan Martinelli-Fernandez at martinelli-fernandez@wiu.edu .

Click here to download application form (This document is provided in MS-Word format. If you need accomodation to access, read, or complete the form, please call Dr. Susan Martinelli-Fernandez at 309/298-1828).