Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

CAS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Grants (CASUGR)

Dr. Brice and history students demonstrate trebuchet.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.

Call for proposals: CAS Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Activity Summer Institute

To support and expand undergraduate research activities and faculty/student mentoring at Western Illinois University, the College of Arts and Sciences has organized the Second Annual Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Activity Summer Institute (Western SCAI), which supports undergraduate students. Western SCAI participation provides more critical faculty-student mentoring opportunities for research and creative activities, adding additional value to students’ learning experience and giving them a competitive edge in career and post-baccalaureate educational opportunities.

Awardees will receive tuition and fees for one semester hour tutored study during summer 2008. The Institute will involve students and faculty in departments and programs in Humanities, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Social Sciences. Participating faculty members will serve on the SCAI advisory board and receive a $100 stipend. There will be several weekly meetings of the whole group, and additional meetings of individual students with their faculty mentors. At the completion of SCAI, the students will produce a portfolio of their research, including a project (individual or group) that will be submitted for the following Spring Undergraduate Research Day. We will also host a mini-conference presenting students work.

CLICK HERE for the Summer 2008 grant application and instructions in the attached file (please note that the application and instructions are provided in MS-Word format. If you need accommodation to access this document, please call Sue Martinelli-Fernandez at x1828). The deadline for submission of Summer 2008 Western SCAI applications is April 22, 2008. The College’s Undergraduate Research Committee will award these grants. Acceptance notifications are scheduled for April 29, 2008.

Each student must have a faculty mentor helping that student with the application process as well as providing guidance of the research process itself during the summer. Abstracts/summaries must be crafted such that any non-specialist will understand the purpose and goals of the research project. Please remember that all application materials must be typed or computer-printed. It is assumed that while students write their own summaries, faculty mentors review this and other documents to be submitted. Please feel free to contact Sue Martinelli-Fernandez via email (martinelli-fernandez@wiu.edu) or telephone (x1828) if you have any questions regarding the application process.

2008 Undergraduate Research Day announced (updated 02/21/2008)

The Sixth Annual Undergraduate Research Day will be held April 16, 2008, at the University Union sponsored by the Centennial Honors College. Students engaged in undergraduate research are encouraged to present their projects.

Students are invited present posters and make podium presentations of research and give performances of creative works. Guidelines, Abstract Submission Forms, and additional information can be found at http://www.wiu.edu/honors/researchday. Abstract submissions may be made between March 3 and 22, 2008.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

11:00-11:30 Opening Session - Distinguished Alumni Presentation
"Undergraduate Research: A Retrospective"
Steve Catania, MA in History--University of Chicago and First Year Ph.D. student--Loyola University
Fox Room

12:00-12:15 Welcome and Remarks
Al Goldfarb, President
Jack Thomas, Provost and Academic Vice President
William Knox, Director, Centennial Honors College
Steve Catania, Distinguished WIU Alumnus and Graduate Student
Grand Ballroom

12:15-3:30 Poster Presentations - Grand Ballroom
Podium Presentations - Capitol Rooms and the Fox Room
Performance Presentations - Prairie Lounge

For more information, please call the Centennial Honors College at 309/298-2228.