Undergraduate Research Grants for FCRH Students

• Abstract: ~250 word summary of the project
• Project Description: Maximum of 4 pages, double spaced, detailing the project's statement of research (i.e. the problem), and why this question is important (scholarly significance or application)
• Bibliography: Listing of sources that have been consulted and cited in the project description
• Budget and Budget Justification: Itemized expenses and rationale for each one
• Anticipated Outcomes: Statement of skills gained or professional development activities; specific anticipated conferences, journal publications, and national meetings (if relevant) should be included here as well

Because grant funding is limited, be mindful of the most common mistakes:

• Vague discussion of project's overall objective and importance
• If part of a faculty mentor's broader research project, vague explanation of your own personal role and objective
• If part of a lab-based project, failure to differentiate your role and accompanying outcomes
• Feasibility of project scope
• Failure to write to a broad audience outside your own area of expertise
• Application suggests limited communication between student and mentor

The grants committee is composed of faculty members and administrators from the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Each member takes the following items into consideration when scoring a project:

• Strength of student’s discussion regarding the significance of and justification for the project
• Clarity and feasibility of research question and methodology (including the bibliography)
• Quality of writing (uses proper grammar and citation format and writes clearly to a varied audience, including those far outside your field)
• Clarity of student contribution to the project (committee members will not base the project's score on amount of contribution, i.e., independent vs. collaborative research, but rather the student’s ability to discuss individual responsibilities and goals)
• Strength of faculty recommendation
• Strength of stated outcomes

Here are a few things to remember when writing your application for any of our research grants.

• Most of the time, the people reading your proposal will be outside your field, and often very far outside (e.g., sometimes Chemistry faculty read History proposals, Economics faculty read Math proposals, etc.). Be sure you have a clear introduction and motivation to why your research is interesting and/or important.
• Stick to the requirements: Four pages, double-spaced (not including the bibliography).
• Be sure to reference works in your bibliography throughout the proposal.
• Have a clear timeline in your proposal. Additionally, make sure the outcomes are clear and achievable.
• The outcomes can be confusing to many. In the proposal itself, be sure to include research outcomes, or those which are relevant to others in your field. In the prompt in the application, include your personal outcomes (publications, conferences, the Undergraduate Research Symposium, etc.).
• Work with your mentor! They are the best resource to help you here, and you should try to get a draft to them as soon as possible so they can help edit it.

Fall and Spring: Maximum funding is $1,600 per student project. Up to $1,100 may be used as a student stipend; the remaining $500, if requested, should be allocated towards any research costs. Alternatively, students may request the full $1,600 for materials and supplies expenses that are necessary to carry out the research project. Students do not need to conduct their research on-campus (e.g., the award could be used to travel to an archive).

Summer: For the Summer Research Program, the student is granted a $4,000 stipend plus housing (excluding food). Additionally, a maximum of $1,000 can be requested for supplies or other research costs. The student is also expected to be on campus for the majority of the summer to participate in the various programs planned.

Faculty members who supervise student research during the summer receive a $1,100 stipend per student project. The faculty stipend does not count toward the maximum grant funding. Faculty mentors are asked to also participate in some of the summer events.

If the student intends to present a poster at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, it is acceptable to include the poster printing charges in the budget (currently that is $72 for a 3' x 4' poster).

Only FCRH students are eligible for funding, and only one grant may be awarded at a time to any given student. If students are currently receiving financial compensation or academic credit for their research, they may still apply for a research grant, however, funding can only be requested for research materials and supplies (money cannot be requested for a stipend).

During the 8 weeks of the Summer Research Program (which coincide with the two summer sessions), students are not allowed to take any courses or take any full-time work.

Faculty mentors who plan to supervise FCRH grant-funded research must provide a letter of recommendation for their student of no more than 400 words by the day after the application due date. The faculty member will automatically be notified to submit a recommendation after the student submits his/her application, but letters can be submitted in advance of the student submission.

Note that only tenured or tenure-track faculty members are permitted to act as mentors.

All research involving human subjects is subject to review and approval by the Fordham Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB requires that both the student and faculty mentor have completed the human subject protection online training course called “CITI” (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative). CITI certificates of completion for both the student and faculty mentor must accompany submissions to the IRB in order to be reviewed. Grant recipients will be required to submit IRB approval documentation prior to initiating work. It is highly recommended that students get started on their IRB approval as soon as possible as it might take more than a month (or sometimes two) for approval.

Students with questions about IRB approval and access to the online CITI course should contact the IRB Manager, Michele Kuchera, at [email protected] or 718-817-0876.

All students who receive funding are expected to present their research findings at the next Undergraduate Research Symposium, held annually near the end of the spring semester.

Any non-disposable, reusable research equipment (including books) purchased through FCRH Undergraduate Research Grant funding must be returned to Dean Annunziato in Keating 201 upon completion of the research project. Students will be responsible for the cost of equipment not returned to the Dean's Office.

Summer Research Program participants may request on-campus housing at Rose Hill for Summer Sessions I and II, as they are expected to be on campus. No reimbursement of off-campus housing costs is permitted. The cost of on-campus housing should not be included in the grant budget and does not influence the review of the proposal.

Summer grant applicants who anticipate short term hotel and other travel costs should include them in the regular budget for the grant. These expenses must be well justified and the travel must be integral to the successful accomplishment of the research project.