The Summer Undergraduate Research Award provides students with the opportunity to engage in full-time research during the summer months. This program allows students to immerse themselves in a research topic for a ten-week period, with awardees earning up to $6,000.
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Eligibility
- The program is open to all Rensselaer undergraduates interested in conducting research on campus with a faculty advisor.
- Students must not be on academic probation and should plan to enroll at Rensselaer for the following term.
- Graduating seniors, students enrolled full-time in the Arch summer semester, and incoming first-year students are not eligible.
- Students from all fields of study are encouraged to apply.
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Award Funding
- Awardees are selected through a competitive review process based on proposals submitted by students.
- Awardees can earn up to $6,000 over ten weeks of full-time research (40 hours per week, $15.00/hour).
- Recipients are responsible for their housing expenses.
- The Office of Undergraduate Education provides 75% of the award amount with the faculty advisor contributing 25% of the funding.
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Review Process
- Proposals will be reviewed and rated by a selection committee comprising Rensselaer faculty members.
- Proposals will be evaluated by at least one faculty member within the student's school, as well as by faculty members not trained in the student's academic field.
- For the above reason, proposals should be written in a manner that can be understood by an educated reader outside the student's field of study.
- All students and their advisors will be notified of the evaluation results via email.
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Application Process
- Identify an Advisor and Project:
- Students should find a faculty advisor and develop a research project.
- Write a Proposal:
- Prepare a proposal, limited to no more than three pages, following the Guidelines to Writing a Successful Proposal (available in Documents & Resources, see below).
- It is recommended that students meet with their faculty researcher at least once before submitting the proposal to review a draft.
- Complete the Online Application:
- Fill out the online Full-Time Application available on the Summer Undergraduate Research Summer Award page.
- Include a brief abstract, final proposal, and a signed letter of recommendation from the faculty member willing to advise the project.
- NOTE: Advisors must commit to the items listed on the application form in the letter of recommendation.
For further inquiries about eligibility or the application process, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Education at oue@rpi.edu.
