The University of Connecticut IDEA Grant Program provided monetary assistance to 15 students to support their 2024-2025 academic year projects.
The UConn IDEA Grant, offered through the Office of Undergraduate Research, has provided students with opportunities to engage in self-designed creative, original projects since its inception in 2013, according to its website. Undergraduate students in all majors at all campuses can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to fund their work.
Melissa Berkey, assistant director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, explained the grant projects are valuable learning experiences that give recipients a chance to challenge themselves, while taking responsibility for their own project. Projects can range from original research on a topic, an artistic or creative endeavor, a service or educational initiative or prototyping.
“For many recipients, this is the first time they’ve taken the lead on their own project, which can be an exciting and empowering opportunity to develop an original scholarly product, clarify academic and career goals or build a portfolio of creative work,” Berkey said.
The spring 2024 recipients come from a range of majors and class years and include a dynamic mix of project types.
“We are excited to see this group develop their ideas and engage in project work,” Berkey said.
One of the grant recipients, Alana Wolfson, a second-semester animal science major, is researching the impact of poor maternal nutrition on factors impacting the energy metabolism of sheep. She said the grant will allow her to evaluate over 100 samples of sheep.
“I feel as if the IDEA grant caters to the importance of applying curiosity and inquiry in everyday life. I am extremely excited to work on my project this upcoming fall semester and to continue to learn about the research inquiry process,” Wolfson said.
To be eligible for the program, students must participate in a non-credit online project development course before starting project work and commit to a minimum of 140 hours of work on the grant project. Students must also arrange project mentorship with a UConn faculty or staff member, or someone with appropriate expertise, according to the office of undergraduate research website.
“The whole process of applying from start to finish has been nothing but smooth sailing. The IDEA grant is allowing me the ability to develop a Next-Gen AI entertainment system to be implement[ed] in a portable escape room for the entertainment industry,” Matthew Marczak, fourth-semester electrical engineering major and IDEA Grant recipient, said.
Two students, Maryam Shabazz and Zainab Kane, fourth-semester honors nursing majors, are combining research and applied clinical thesis trajectories, and exploring the communication in healthcare for marginalized populations. They said they hope to shed light on the challenges of healthcare communications for individuals with limited English proficiency or non-English speaking backgrounds.
“We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to nursing education and practice through this collaborative research endeavor,” Shabazz and Kane said in a joint statement.
Looking to take his research abroad, Benjamin Pitt, sixth-semester history and Latin American Studies major, is looking at the United States’ influence on the Peruvian mining industry. Pitts said the grant will allow him to travel to Peru during the summer and complete archival research.
“I feel as if the IDEA grant caters to the importance of applying curiosity and inquiry in everyday life. I am extremely excited to work on my project this upcoming fall semester and to continue to learn about the research inquiry process
Alana Wolfson, Second-Semester Animal Science Student, and Grant Recipient
“It grants me a lot of freedom in deciding where I can go, what I can study, and how I can go about analyzing my topic. Without it, the scope of my project would be significantly smaller,” Pitt said.
Another recipient, sixth semester psychological sciences and communication major Lourdes Mollica, said the grant will allow her to expand her initiative training ambassadors to facilitate workshops within the UConn First Year Experience courses.
“I hope to empower students to navigate challenges and foster a sense of direction and fulfillment. I am grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within the UConn community,” Mollica said.
There are four stages of the IDEA Grant: creative thinking (imagine), planning (develop), work (engage) and communication (apply), that take place over a two-semester period. To complete the project, students must present their grant-funded project findings at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research in April 2025.
“I am most grateful for the security and peace of mind that having additional funding has provided for myself as a researcher. I can now focus more on the important experiments that I must perform rather than worrying over saving disposable equipment,” Neo Lin, sixth-semester chemistry major and IDEA Grant recipient, said.
The application process consists of a project proposal, background research, other supplemental essays, including a budget, timeline and two letters of recommendation. More information about application requirements can be found on their website.
Any questions about the application process or program can be directed to melissa.berkey@uconn.edu.