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Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research and Travel Grants

Summer College Research Grants

One of the great strengths of the University of Pennsylvania is its capacity to offer significant research experiences to its undergraduates. Members of Penn’s alumni community have created a number of grants to support research and scholarly work of undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences.

  • College Alumni Society Grants
    • The Ernest M. Brown, Jr. College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for students in the life sciences or preparing for medical school.
    • The College Alumni Society Board of Managers and Presidents Undergraduate Research Grants
    • The Allison Lazo Hallingby College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for undergraduates in Architecture.
    • The Ruth Marcus Kanter College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
    • The Kelson Family College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for projects in environmental studies, theater arts, architecture or Russian studies.
    • The Kanta Marwah College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for projects in economics.
    • The Mary L. And Matthew S. Santirocco College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for projects in classics, humanities, or biomedical studies.
    • The Cabanne C. Smith College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, for theater arts.
  • The Louis H Castor, M.D., C’48 Undergraduate Research Grant, for students planning careers in family medicine and projects in related disciplines.
  • The Goldfeder Family Undergraduate Research Grant, for projects in biological sciences.
  • The Dean’s Research Award, for laboratory biomedical research.
  • The Milstein Family Undergraduate Research Grant, for projects in psychology or urban studies.
  • The Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research and Travel Fund, for students majoring in biology, biological basis of behavior, literature, English, art history or mathematics.
  • The Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Asssociation of Alumnae Scholars Award, for research, travel expense or to support an unpaid internship.

These grants are intended to help pay the costs of research projects proposed by students and approved by a faculty panel. Students do not need to specify which grant they are applying for; all use the same application form and deadline, and proposals will be automatically allocated to the appropriate fund.

The grants will be administered according to the following guidelines:

  1. The project shall represent original research or scholarship allowing the student to make a significant contribution to knowledge.
  2. The project shall be largely conceived and executed by the student and not simply represent faculty research in which the student assists.
  3. While students inherently must investigate their projects before applying for funding, grants will be made only for projects to be carried out after the proposal has been approved. Decisions will be made in April of each academic year for projects that are to be conducted during the summer or the following academic year. In no case will projects already completed be funded.
  4. Each project shall have a faculty advisor who will normally be a member of the SAS standing faculty. In some cases, a qualified advisor from outside the SAS faculty may be appropriate, subject to the approval of the student’s undergraduate chair or program director.
  5. Students awarded these grants are expected to prepare a formal research paper on their project and to present their work orally at a meeting of faculty and peers. Presentation meetings will be organized by CURF and held during or before the next Alumni Weekend. Copies of the papers shall be submitted to the alumni donors as well as the College Alumni Society or other funding organization as appropriate. Recipients are expected to complete their projects before graduation, and therefore students in their final semester are ineligible to apply.
  6. Funding provided should be used to help defray the student’s research costs and should not be a substitute for financial aid nor for the advisor’s research funding. Types of expense to which the funds may be applied include travel to libraries, museums, archives, and research sites; living expenses that would enable the student to remain at the University during the summer; research equipment and supplies, including books, films, and photocopying; computer or laboratory fees; and, specialized computer peripherals and software. (Reimbursement of living expenses may be taxable.) Items that cost $500 or more with a useful life of one year or more must be purchased with a University purchase requisition and will remain the property of the University. Last year’s awards ranged from $750 to $1,000; the maximum for each award this year is expected to be about $1,000. Students will be expected to submit a final report of expenditures to CURF.
  7. All applicants must be members in good standing of the University of Pennsylvania community.

Application Procedures

Prepare your proposal in consultation with a prospective faculty advisor and with the undergraduate chair in your major department or your major program director. Your proposal should take the following form:

  • Completed Application Form.
  • Short abstract (on a separate page; no longer than 100 words)
  • Objectives and Methodology (2 pages maximum)
    • State the objectives and relevance of the proposed work in terms intelligible to an educated non-specialist.
    • Evaluate existing knowledge and work in the area and provide a brief background summary to the proposed work.
    • Describe the design and procedures to be employed and provide a timetable and implementation plan for completion of the project.
  • Itemized Budget, plus total (on a separate page). List each budget item in order of priority and justify it in terms of the work proposed. The amount given may be less than requested.

Request a letter of recommendation from your advisor. In this letter, your faculty advisor should discuss the feasibility of the project and the adequacy of your preparation to undertake it. The letter should make clear the nature and extent of the your contribution in formulating and carrying out the project. This letter should be sent directly to CURF. Please give your advisor the attached form including the optional waiver of your right of access to that letter.

Download Recommendation Form

Obtain the signature of your project advisor and your undergraduate chair on the application form.

Make copies of the entire application (items 1, 2, 3 and 4 from above). Submit 7 collated but unstapled copies, plus the originals with signatures for a total of 8 sets), to Wallace Genser, Associate Director for Undergraduate Research, Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF), The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk/6224.

Research involving animal or human subjects or hazardous materials must also be submitted at the same time for approval by the relevant University oversight committees. Students should consult with their advisers to correctly complete those forms.

Deadlines and Timeframes

Completed applications and letters from advisors must be submitted by March 2. Applications with late material risk being not considered. Proposals will be reviewed before April 15 by a faculty committee designated by CURF. All applicants will be notified promptly of selection results.
Your funds will be transferred to your departmental business administer (BA) along with a copy of your budget. The BA will be asked to reimburse you for receipts you present which reasonably match the amounts and purposes you listed on your budget.

Contact


215-746-6488

© 2008 University of Pennsylvania

CURF, University of Pennsylvania
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6224
215-746-6488 ·