Faculty-student research collaboration
A. Purpose and Overview:
Faculty/Student Research Collaboration Grants are designed to facilitate the initiation and development of collaborative research or creative activity projects between students and faculty or academic staff or in-depth faculty/staff-mentored student research or creative activity projects. Projects under this program are intended to provide students in-depth “hands-on” experience in the research and/or creative process. These awards are limited to the fiscal year in which they are awarded; funds must typically be spent by mid-June. As a condition of the grant, students are expected to present their results at the Annual UWEC Student Research Day, or the UW System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. Students are also encouraged to present findings at professional conferences or meetings in their disciplines or at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR); travel funds for this purpose are available through the Student Travel for Presentation of Research Results program.
Awards for the academic year will not exceed $2,800 per student project, and funds may be requested for student stipends, supplies, and research-related travel. (Travel for faculty/staff or students to present results at conferences is available through other programs from the Travel Support for Scholarly Presentations program and Student Travel for Research Results Presentations.) It is expected that approximately three-quarters of the award or more will be used for student stipends. Deviation from this formula is allowed, but must be clearly justified in the budget explanation. Because of the high demand for these funds, faculty or staff applying for more than one project should indicate a best-case scenario for project funding (rank the proposals, or suggest reduced budgets) if funds are not available for all requests. Total stipend for any individual student may be limited to $2,800 in one funding cycle, depending on availability of funds.
Through the Diversity Mentoring Program, special consideration will be given to funding projects that include low-income students and students of color. The purpose of this program is to help decrease the achievement gap between minority and majority students by enhancing engagement in campus life, particularly in programs related to the University’s marks of excellence, such as faculty/student undergraduate research collaboration.
Faculty and academic staff interested in mentoring students who qualify in a faculty/student research collaboration should check the Diversity Mentoring Program box on CEX Form II, Budget Form. If a Diversity Mentoring Program student is added to your project, additional student stipends and supply dollars will be added to the project. Faculty and academic staff should check with ORSP at 836-3405 to determine whether a student qualifies for this program. See Diversity Mentoring Program for more details.
Likewise, freshman and sophomore students designated Blugold Fellows may be available to participate in a Faculty/Student Collaboration. If you would consider adding one of these students to your proposed project, check the Blugold Fellow box on the Budget Form (CEX Form II). Click here for more information about the Blugold Fellowship program.
B. Eligibility:
Faculty and academic staff with .5 FTE or greater appointments, and UW-Eau Claire students seeking to engage in a research and creative activity collaboration may apply. The proposal may be submitted by any member of the collaborating team. The names of all research collaborators should be included in the proposal, and the proposal should be signed by the faculty or academic staff mentor.
Faculty, academic staff, and undergraduate students engaged in research or other scholarly activities in all disciplines are encouraged to apply.
C. Writing Guide:
Please see General Guidelines for All Proposals.
The proposal consists of:
- The Cover Page (CEX Form I)
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- This form includes faculty and student data, a project abstract, and signatures of the department chair and college dean (or equivalents). The abstract should summarize the project and student participation.
- This form includes faculty and student data, a project abstract, and signatures of the department chair and college dean (or equivalents). The abstract should summarize the project and student participation.
- The Budget Form (CEX Form II)
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- Please include an explanation for all costs indicated in the budget; funds will not be awarded for items not clearly tied to the project. Student Job Classifications are determined by the Office of Financial Aid (Frequently Requested Information). Undergraduate students are typically eligible for ‘entry level’ and ‘advanced skill level’ wage rates, and graduate students are eligible for ‘paraprofessional level’ wage rates. Student wage rates that do not conform to this must be justified.
- Please include an explanation for all costs indicated in the budget; funds will not be awarded for items not clearly tied to the project. Student Job Classifications are determined by the Office of Financial Aid (Frequently Requested Information). Undergraduate students are typically eligible for ‘entry level’ and ‘advanced skill level’ wage rates, and graduate students are eligible for ‘paraprofessional level’ wage rates. Student wage rates that do not conform to this must be justified.
- A Narrative (no longer than 4 double-spaced pages in a word-processed document with page numbers) addressing:
- Project objectives, significance, and plan (~3 pages)
- Nature and extent of student and faculty/staff mentor activities and involvement
- Plan for dissemination of the results
- History of prior funding from ORSP for this project
- References cited
Projects will be evaluated primarily based on the quality of the student research experience proposed. Be sure to clearly specify the role of the student(s) in the project, and the nature of the work to be done. Click here to see criteria used by project reviewers.
D. Deadlines for Application:
The original and four copies of the proposal will be due in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs by September 15 or on the next working day if this date falls on a weekend or holiday. Avoid the fall crunch by submitting early; the early-bird deadline is July 15. Proposals not funded in the early-bird round will be automatically considered in the Fall review. An additional call for proposals may be made in the Spring semester if funds are available. Those seeking summer research support should apply under the Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program. Applicants should obtain signatures of endorsement from their department chair and dean (or equivalents) prior to submitting the proposal to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
