The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) held a webinar on “Funding Your Research & Creative Projects” on Thursday, Sept. 26.
The workshop dove into the types of programs OUR conducts and works with, along with various awards and grants students can use to fund their projects. Melissa Berkey, the assistant director of OUR and Jodi Eskin, the program administrator and advisor at OUR, described the three types of programs at OUR.
They were joined by peer research ambassadors Andrei Abarientos, Fariha Fardin and Annette St. Jacques who answered questions within the chat.
The first type of program includes those within the traditional application process. This includes the Health Research Program (HRP), Share Virtual Summer Apprenticeship and the Work-Study Research Assistant Program.
The first program discussed, the HRP, “offers a pathway into undergraduate research for students interested in health and in biomedical science,” Eskin said. Students work with a specific mentor, or multiple mentors, on specific research projects. The program starts in the summer and lasts for 10 weeks. Eskin said that students are expected to continue during the following academic year where they would earn academic credit for their research activities.
Students can also receive a $5,000 stipend and may be eligible for up to $500 in travel support if they are continuing into the academic year.
The next program is SHARE, which “provides early career students the chance to gain experience working with a faculty mentor on a research project for a creative project,” according to Berkey. “This program is focused on first, second and third-year students who are majoring in social sciences, humanities and art disciplines.”
What makes SHARE a bit different from other programs is the fact that it is remote. Students must commit to 90 hours of remote work on a faculty project over the summer, but can earn up to $1,425 through hourly wages.
The last of the traditional application process programs is the Work-Study Research Assistant Program. Eskin said that this program “provides undergraduate students the opportunity to earn their federal work study funding — part of their work-study package — by working as a research assistant under a faculty mentor.”
It is only available to students who have a federal work-study award as part of their financial aid package. The types of research students can participate in varies greatly, as positions are posted on JobX from mid-June through August. Eskin noted that a few positions will also be available in December or January for the spring semester.
The second type of programs OUR offers are the student driven project proposals, it encompasses the UConn IDEA Grant, SURF Awards, Change Grant, BOLD Women’s Leadership Network and the Caxide Scholars Program.
The UConn IDEA Grant is an award up to $6,000 for original student-designed projects. “These are projects that are personally engaging, it includes artistic and creative endeavors, entrepreneurial ventures and prototype development, original research and service initiatives,” Berkey said.
Students in all majors can apply for the UConn IDEA Grant, either if they’re working alone or in small groups of up to four.
The SURF Awards — or Summer Undergraduate Research Fund Awards — support undergraduate students engaged in summer research or creative projects under the supervision of a UConn faculty member. The maximum amount is $5,000 in stipend or travel expenses, along with $500 in project supplies. To be eligible, students cannot graduate any earlier than December 2025.
Change Grants are given by the Co-op Legacy Fellowship Program. The grants are up to $4,000, and support student-designed or student-led projects related to social impact, public engagement, and social innovation. The funding also supports community service, applied research and advocacy.
The BOLD Women’s Leadership is a cohort-based program for developing women’s leadership skills, engagement in service and leadership projects. The program is meant to last for a student’s last four semesters, so students should apply in the spring of their sophomore year. The amount of financial support is determined based on need, not a set amount like previous programs.
The last of the student-driven projects is the Caxide Scholars Program, OUR’s newest initiative. It awards up to $5,000 for student-designed and student-led projects over the summer. The funding is supposed to help creative endeavors, community service initiatives, entrepreneurial ventures and research projects. Berkey warned that the program is very new, so information is tentative and will likely change.
The last of the workshop dove into OUR’s supplemental awards: the Conference Presentation Award, Research Travel Award and the Supply Award. Each offering to $500 for expenses associated with presenting at a professional conference, traveling off-campus and supplies needed for research.
Berkey urges students to use the awards and funds OUR provides, as it makes their projects easier and keeps them on track. For more information on the awards and grants, Berkey can be reached at melissa.berkey@uconn.edu or room 409 in the Rowe Center for Undergraduate Research. Eskin can also be reached at jodi.eskin@uconn.edu or room 110 in the same building.