Eligibility

The Pilot UWRF Summer Scholars Program is available to full-time undergraduate students in all disciplines.  Students must have completed their freshman year by May 2012, be in good academic standing, and plan to graduate no earlier than December 2012.  Faculty and students must be able to attend all of the mandatory program activities and submit required materials as outlined (see below).  

Because of the expected intensity of the research experience, students should expect to limit enrollment in courses and outside employment.  Those receiving other summer RSCA funding including McNair stipends are not eligible for the Pilot UWRF Summer Scholars Program.

The project must be collaborative.  While the project may relate to a faculty member’s creative, research, or scholarly agenda, the student must lead and execute the project independently in collaboration with a faculty mentor.

Group projects are allowed, but each student seeking funding must submit a separate and distinct proposal that explains his/her individual contribution in relation to the larger group project.  

Required Program Elements

• Orientation Meeting and Welcome – Students will share their projects and ideas.  There will be a brief discussion about the program’s process.  
• Mid-Program Luncheon – Students will briefly discuss the progress of their work as well as enjoy a lunch with other program members. 
  
• Wrap-up Meeting – Students will discuss their results and conclusions of their projects
  

Stipends

Students: $3,000; Faculty: $1,000

Student stipends will be paid in three installments of 1,000 on dates to be determined.

Faculty may mentor up to two students in the Pilot UWRF Summer Scholars Program, and they will receive a $1,000 stipend for each student, with a maximum of $2,000 for mentoring two students.  

Students may not divide the stipend among multiple members of a research team; each member must submit a separate application.

Supplies and Expenses

Students who are accepted into the 2012 Pilot UWRF Summer Scholars Program will be provided with up to $500 each for expenses necessary to support their projects.  This may include books, lab supplies, travel to research sites, software, etc., but may not be used for travel to conferences or for capital purchases.

Please fully complete the budget form, including all of your anticipated supplies and expenses.  The budget should be included as a part of the application.

Grants cannot be applied retroactively to cover expenses for research already completed.  

Selection Criteria

The Faculty and Academic Staff Development Board or a delegated subcommittee thereof will review applications for the Pilot UWRF Summer Scholars Program.  Students and mentors will be informed of the success of their application by mid-March 2012.  Applications will be ranked according to quality on each of the following criteria:

• Background (20%)
  
• • Overall quality of the project description, including background and how well the goals, rationale, and significance are articulated.
• Significance (20%)
  
• • The significance of the project to potentially provide educational value to the student and/or new insights into the discipline.
• Method (20%)
  
• • How well the methodology, anticipated outcomes, and procedure is described and addressed.
• Budget (10%)
  
• • Provision of fully developed budget
  • Overall quality and inclusiveness of the project budget
• Other Considerations (10%)
  
• • The suitability and preparation of the student for the project
  • The demonstrated ability and availability of the faculty mentor to successfully mentor undergraduate research/scholarship projects