One Year Fellowships:

Twenty year-long fellowships for research with Auburn faculty are available to students who are interested in performing undergraduate research. Each fellowship begins in the summer and extends through Spring semester. Fellowships may be renewed one time.

Semester Fellowships:

Two one semester fellowships are available each year for on/off campus research/scholarship activities such as intensive writing, music, computer, design or art workshops, or research at national or specialized laboratories.

Time schedule:

Applications for new fellowships and renewal of fellowships are available at the beginning of Fall Semester. Applications are due by February 29, 2008. Announcement of awards will be made in April.

Beginning date of fellowships:

The year-long research fellowships will begin Summer 2008. Semester research fellowships will be applicable during any one semester.

Who may apply:

Students must have at least sophomore standing by the time they begin the program. Students must have time to complete one year of the program before graduation. Students may not accept both an undergraduate research fellowship from this program and a fellowship from the Auburn University Cellular and Molecular Biosciences Undergraduate Summer Research Scholars Program.

Co-op Students:

Co-op students may apply for a fellowship if they will have completed their co-op work obligations by the end of Spring Semester, 2008.

Fellowship requirements:

A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better is required to apply. In order to maintain the fellowship, a semester grade point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained.

Time commitment for fellowship:

During any semester, the amount of time performing research should be equivalent to that spent for an intensive experiential learning/practicum or for a 3 credit course that has 6 hours of laboratory.

Application process:

To complete an application, a statement of a student’s interest in research and long term goals is required. The application form will require information regarding the student and his/her academic and experience background. The student will be asked to select general areas of research interest. Two letters of recommendation are required. Students are encouraged to identify a mentor prior to submitting their application. The mentor may write one of the letters of recommendation. The semifinalists will be interviewed after which the finalists will be selected.

Reporting requirements:

Fellowship students are required to give an oral presentation annually, typically during the Spring semester at the AU Undergraduate Research Forum. A written report or the submission of a copy of a paper to a journal or proceedings is required before the student can receive a renewal of the fellowship.

Renewal of fellowships:

A second-year fellowship is possible. The student must compete for the fellowship which is awarded through the selection committee. The first-year written report must be included in the application for a second-year fellowship.

Informal gatherings:

Fellowship students will participate in meetings throughout the fellowship year to discuss their research activities and other topics of mutual interest.

Presentations:

Fellowship students and their mentors will participate in annual presentation sessions that describe their current research activities.

National and regional meetings:

Fellowship students are encouraged to present papers at regional or national meetings. Some compensation will be available to the student.

Who may apply?

Faculty who are interested in being a mentor to an undergraduate student and are committed to teaching the student, on a one-to-one basis, how to perform research.

Mentor requirements:

Faculty mentors will receive orientation in effective mentoring and participate in all of the fellow-mentor activities. Faculty mentors are expected to spend a minimum of one hour per week with the fellow during an academic semester, at least two hours per week during the summer, and to teach the fellow the background knowledge and skills required to perform the research. The faculty mentor is expected to be available throughout the year to provide research guidance and direction to the undergraduate fellow.

Mentor selection:

Potential faculty mentors will provide a statement regarding their research area and interests. A completed application form that states their interest in participating in the program is also required. Curriculum vitae should not be submitted. The faculty mentor and student are encouraged to apply as a pair.

Steering Committee:

A Steering Committee shall advise the Associate Provost and Vice President for Research on the programmatic activities and policies of the undergraduate research program. The Steering Committee will be composed of the Vice President for Research, Director of the Honors College, the current Faculty Coordinator of the Undergraduate Research Program, one dean, one associate dean for research, one faculty member (each representing a different college or school so that four different colleges/schools are represented), and one member at-large selected by the Vice President for Research. Additional members may be added at the discretion of the Vice-President for Research.

Fellow & Mentor Selection Committee:

The committee is responsible for selecting and reviewing the progress of the undergraduate research fellows. This committee will be composed of the Director of the Honors College, the Faculty Coordinator of the Undergraduate Research Program, three faculty from two different colleges and schools, and additional members as deemed appropriate by the Steering Committee. The faculty will have three-year rotating terms and membership will rotate through the different colleges and schools before beginning the cycle again.

Support for the program:

The Provost’s Office and the Office of the Vice President for Research provide financial support for this program. The Office of the Vice President for Research administers the program.

Contact:

For more information, contact the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program Coordinator, Dr. Leanne Lamke, 844-3231, lamkelk@auburn.edu.

Memorandum of Agreement:

The mentor and fellow will sign a Memorandum of Agreement that clearly states the responsibilities of each party. Failure to honor this agreement could result in termination of the fellowship and/or mentor eligibility.