For Research Conducted Spring and Summer 2010

Virginia Tech is offering competitive financial awards of $2,000 to support undergraduate research projects within any of the university’s academic disciplines. Awards will be given for the spring semester 2010. Funds can be used for a stipend and/or direct support of research expenses such as supplies, travel, and the use of specialized research services. A continuation of this program for future semesters is anticipated. The following procedures and policies apply to all awards. Faculty supervisors may impose additional requirements.

 

Qualifications: Any sophomore, junior, or senior student enrolled at Virginia Tech, with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, may apply. The student must also have a commitment from a tenure-track or tenured faculty member to supervise the research. Students may, but are not required to, enroll for undergraduate research credit while conducting the sponsored research. Note: Students may not receive stipends during the semester in which they also receive course credit for the research project.

 

Applications: Applications consist of an official cover sheet, a proposal, and a one-page vita. The proposal must be submitted as a PDF file and must have four sections:

1. A project description that clearly states the goals of the project including hypotheses and/or objectives of the research, explains its importance, and describes the methods of the study,
2. A schedule that indicates how the study will progress and when it will be completed,
3. A budget that explains how the requested funds will be used, and
4. References (literature citations) that support the project description. Sections 1-3 are limited to a total of two single-sided, single-spaced pages of 11-point text with one-inch margins. This page limit includes all figures and tables that are used to support the proposal.

 

Send applications and inquiries by email or campus mail to:

Robert Jones
Chair, ACC Undergraduate Research Scholars Committee
Mail Code 0406
rhjones@vt.edu; 540-231-9514

 

Review Process: The University’s ACC Undergraduate Research Committee will review applications and recommend funding for approximately five $2,000 awards. The committee may seek input from other university faculty members and may schedule interviews with students who submit proposals. A review summary will not be provided to students who submit proposals.

 

Expectations of Students Who Receive Research Awards: Projects must be completed by August 31, 2010. By September 1, 2010, awardees must:

1. Submit a one-page summary of the completed research project to Dr. R. Jones (mail code 0406; rhjones@vt.edu). The research summary will appear on university web page and will include an image of the student and an image reflective of the research project.
2. Either present their work at a forum appropriate for their field (e.g., poster, paper, show, reading, etc.) or to have identified and scheduled an occasion on which to do so. The presentation can be on campus (given at university events, such as an undergraduate research fair), or at a local, regional, or national event. Awardees must apply for the ACC Meeting of the Minds (to be held at Georgia Tech, April 16-17, 2010; details to be published later).