The call for applications is issued in the Fall semester and is due early in the Spring semester. Announcement of awards are made in April. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better is required to apply and must be maintained to keep the 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.

• A student and faculty mentor should apply as a pair. 

• Students must submit a completed application form outlining their research interests and long term goals. They are asked to describe their research question and research plan. 

• Two letters of recommendation are required, one of which may be from the mentor. 

• Students selected as semifinalists will be interviewed, after which the finalists will be selected.

• Fellows are expected to attend programmatic meetings throughout the fellowship period (usually one per semester) and to provide periodic progress reports. 

• Fellows are required to give an oral presentation, typically during the Spring semester at the AU Undergraduate Research Forum.

• At the end of the fellowship, students will submit an abstract, resume, fellowship summary, and an evaluation.

• All fellows and mentors will attend an orientation meeting that will be held on Reading Day at the end of Spring Semester, or the day prior to the beginning of classes for the Summer Semester.

• Fellows will participate in informal gatherings throughout the fellowship year to discuss their research activities and other topics of mutual interest. Both fellows and mentors will be asked to participate in presentations that describe their current research activities. 

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

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 are welcome to apply.

Faculty mentors will receive information about effective practices 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.

Potential faculty mentors will provide a statement regarding their research area and interests as part of the application form. They will also provide a statement describing their interest in participating in the program. Curriculum vitae should not be submitted.

A Steering Committee shall advise the Associate Provost and Vice President for Research on the programmatic activities and policies of the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. 

The Steering Committee will be composed of:

• The Vice President for Research
• Director of the Honors College
• The Current Director of Undergraduate Research
• 1 Dean
• 1 Associate Dean for Research
• 1 Faculty member (each representing a different college or school so that four different colleges/schools are represented)
• 1 Member At-large Selected by the Vice President for Research. 

Additional members may be added at the discretion of the Vice-President for Research.

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.

• A Selection Committee will be responsible for selecting the undergraduate research fellows.
• The committee will be composed of the Director of the Honors College, the Coordinator of the Undergraduate Research Fellowship 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.

Program Support

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