Overview
Recognizing that research is an increasingly important part of undergraduate pedagogy, FGRUs fund projects that involve undergraduate students as active researchers. Liberal arts colleges do this all the time. STEM fields do so as well through Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) supported by the NSF and other granting organizations. The FGRU grant is open to colleagues from all fields and schools.
The format for these interactions will vary. A project might grow out of a desire to add a research dimension to a small class. Or it might involve a faculty member and one student or a small number of students outside a classroom setting. It might involve a research trip over a Jan Term, or May term. There is no one way to approach these. Novel configurations are welcome. Money may be used for travel, equipment, and materials.
Faculty must be the lead applicants for all projects. Collaborations between faculty are welcome. There are two guiding principles: (i) the project should advance a clear research/inquiry goal; (ii) student-researchers should derive a meaningful experience from participating in the research – defining a question, developing a methodology, executing a research design, producing an outcome – alongside a faculty mentor(s). Projects may be structured in order to advance a faculty members’ research, so long as it presents a clear learning opportunity for the student(s) involved. Use of funds should be tightly linked to the pedagogical experience of student-researchers.
How to Apply
- Award Cycle: Rolling
- Grant size ($): up to 7,500
- Total funding available over academic year: up to $30,000
Proposals will be evaluated by members of the CGII grants committee.
Eligibility: All full-time faculty may apply.
Proposals should be a single document not exceeding three pages (excluding CVs), and should include the following:
- Name of submitter(s) with school/unit and departmental affiliations.
- Title and 100-word description of project.
- Two-page statement including:
- name of student-researcher(s), if available, or explanation of how they will be recruited
- proposed research/inquiry
- description of proposed use of funds (e.g., travel, equipment, materials)
- statement of how the student will be mentored; indication of past research projects with undergraduates are welcome
- statement of what the student will learn and how she will learn it—framing a research question, choosing a method/approach, implementing a research/inquiry design, producing an outcome
- statement of outcome of proposed research/inquiry (e.g., publication, outside grant proposal, performance, exhibition, policy report or recommendation, creation of research tool) with time of expected realization
- Statement of how the research/inquiry will advance CGII’s global mission.
- Statement of IRB status. Researchers are responsible for ensuring compliance with IRB and should check with the IRB if in any doubt.
- Statement that PIs are aware of all relevant university policies and procedures regarding student travel (if relevant).
- Statement that PIs are familiar with all relevant university policies and procedures central to carrying out the research agenda, including contracts with third-parties if they should be necessary.
- Budget and narrative, including a clear statement of how the project could go forward with less.
- Two-page CV for the applicant.
If awarded, in your email accepting the award, please indicate an account into which funds should be transferred and a contact person (i.e. fiscal administrator) who can work with Tim Troy to effect the transfer. Contact personnel must provide mandatory worktags for the account into which funds should be transferred, which includes a Cost Center, Program and/or Activity, and Assignee Number worktag.
Proposals should be emailed to CGII as a single PDF at cgii@virginia.edu.. Please title your application as follows: "last name, first name_FGRU_Fall/Spring Year."