URSA Research Grant Application

URSA Research Grant Application

The purpose of the URSA Research Grant (URSA-RG) is to promote and expand meaningful research participation by undergraduate students, to engage students in faculty/student collaborative learning relationships, and to expose students to resources and facilities that may stimulate their interest in pursuing advanced degrees and research careers.

These grants are for students from all disciplines.  Please contact us with any questions at URSA@baylor.edu if your project does not fit the guidelines. 

This application should be completed by the student researcher and approved by a specific research mentor before submission. Please work with your faculty mentor to write a clear and concise proposal.  Proofread and edit your writing and follow the guidelines.   After submission, the research mentor will receive a request for further information that will be due by the first Friday in February.  

Below is the information you will need to complete the application.

1. Name
2. BUID/email
3. Phone number
4. A pdf copy of your unofficial Baylor transcript
5. Mentor: Name/e-mail (See note below)
6. Training or safety documents (if applicable)
7. Research proposal (See details below)

Note: Your faculty mentor will be contacted and asked to indicate their support by providing the following information:

1. Qualifications: Describe your previous experiences working with undergraduates on research projects.
2. Student approval: Have you met with this student? Have you worked with this student previously?  Do you approve of the proposal? Will you be available to supervise, mentor, and manage the budget for this proposal?
3. Compliance: If this student has applied for student wages, have you verified that they are eligible? For example, students may not work more than 20 hours per week.
4. Training: Please report on any training that the student is required to complete in order to comply with Environmental Health and Safety requirements. Has the student completed this training?  If not, please explain when it will be completed.

Details for writing your proposal

The proposal consists of the following 7 sections. Write your proposal in collaboration with your research mentor using the following guidelines and headings. Please write in a clear and concise style that someone outside of your field will understand. You may use figures to clarify, but this is not required.  The proposal should be 3-6 pages in length. 

I Title: Provide a specific and informative title

II Introduction: Provide a synopsis of the area of research and how your proposed project fits in to the bigger picture. (This is not expected to be a full literature review. )

a. Background: Introduce the broader topic to which your proposal relates, highlighting major findings and gaps in the current knowledge. Describe how your research will impact this field.  Provide citations to primary sources and include the references in the "Literature Cited" section. 

b. Specific objectives: Give a clear rationale for your proposal and how your project will complement the areas discussed in the Background.

III Materials and Methods: Summarize your experimental design and methods and explain your plan for completing the work. 

a. Experimental Design: Briefly describe how the project will be carried out.  What type of data will you collect and how you will analyze your results?

b. Timeline: Provide a timeline for completing the work.

c. Specific role of the undergraduate: Describe your specific role in completing this work. For example, will you be working with a team or responsible for the entire project.

d. Training: If your project requires IACUC, IRB, or other training or approval, please explain why. Include a screen shot of your certification or other documentation indicating your successful completion of the training or explain when you will complete the training.

IV Research Experience and Motivation: Please describe any previous research experiences or courses in research design or planning that you have been involved in and describe what motivates you to do research. 

V Impact: Describe the impact that receiving this research award will have on you in the short and long term. 

VI Literature Cited: Provide citations to any references included in your proposal. There is not a required minimum or limit for citations.  Use an accepted format in your discipline for citations.

VII Budget: You may request funds for supplies, small equipment, services, student wages, and travel for professional meetings or training. Please read the Budget Considerations in the URSA Grant Guidelines. Please describe any over-lapping funding that is already awarded for this project.
a. If you are requesting goods and services, provide a list of supplies or services. Include the vendor, the cost, and a brief justification for the use of funds. 
b. If you are requesting student wages, provide a timeline for the hours you plan to work and the salary that your mentor has agreed to pay. 
c. If you are requesting travel funds, provide the location and cost of lodging and travel  Give a brief justification for the travel proposed. 

Spring Proposals due: Friday before Thanksgiving break.

Proposals for the next academic year (June-May) are due: Last Friday of January

Submit Proposal