CURF - research grants

Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant

Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant	The College of Arts and Sciences
College Alumni Society Research Grant	The School of Engineering Undergraduate Research Fund
Class of 1971 Robert J. Holtz Endowed Fund	South Asia Studies Department
Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Award	The Gantz Family Undergraduate Research Award
Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research Grant	Biological Basis of Behavior Program
Summer Research Internships	Biology Department
Rose Award	History Department
Benjamin Franklin Scholar Summer Research Grant	History of Art
University Scholars Research Award	Jewish Studies Department
Religion in Urban Civil Society	Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Disease
The Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center Fund	Sociology Department
John Parker Fellowship for Undergraduate Research	Urban Studies Department
Penn Institute for Humanities	Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Undergraduate English Research Grants

Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant

As a major research institution, the University of Pennsylvania believes that a research experience can make a significant contribution to an undergraduate student's education. This Undergraduate Research Fund has been established to provide support for outstanding undergraduate research efforts. The Vagelos Grant will provide modest grants to undergraduates in support of their research activities. Awards are made on a competitive basis by the Center for Undergraduate Research and the Vagelos Grant Faculty Advisory Committee.

Research Support

Research support from the Vagelos Grant will be awarded in accordance with the following principles:

Research proposals in all disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary efforts, are encouraged. Proposals may involve theoretical research or research with practical applications.
Projects having no other funding source are particularly encouraged. When other funding sources can be identified, shared costs or matching funds will be encouraged whenever possible.
Funds will be allocated on the basis of merit without regard to school enrollment. When all other factors are equal, representation by disciplines will be considered.
Each project must have a faculty advisor.
Funds may be requested to support research during the academic year or during the summer. Normally, awards will not be granted in excess of $1000 per student; however applicants may request more without penalty.
Projects may involve more than one student.
Examples of what may appropriately be requested in a budget include: research supplies, travel, and computer time. Books, software and capital equipment are almost never funded. Items costing $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. Salaries, benefits, and overhead are not to be included.

Proposals

Proposals should take the following form:

Completed Application Form
Short abstract (one page; no longer than 100 words)
Objectives and Methodology (2 pages maximum)
- State the objectives and relevance of the proposed work.
- 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.
- If the work is to have practical application, describe the impact and usefulness.
Budget (one page). List each budget item in order of priority and justify in terms of the work proposed. (In a few instances, travel may be an appropriate use of funds if warranted by the project.) Funds requested normally should not exceed $1000 per student.
Faculty Endorsement The faculty advisor must send a letter of endorsement certifying the feasibility of the project and the adequacy of the student's preparation to undertake it. The Advisor's Recommendation Form includes the optional waiver of right to access to that letter.

Submission Procedure

Proposals (one original and six collated copies of items 1-4 above) must be submitted to the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships by October 31.

Applications forms are available from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships or can be downloaded (MS Word format.)

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

Deadlines and Timeframes

Completed applications and letters from advisors must be submitted by October 31. (When that is a weekend, applications will be accepted on the following Monday before 10 am.) Applications with late material risk being not considered. Proposals will be reviewed before December 20 by a faculty committee designated by CURF. (In no cases will expenses incurred before this date be reimbursed). All applicants will be notified promptly of selection results.

Your funds will be transfered to the student's departmental business administer (BA) along with a copy of your budget. The BA will be asked to reimburse students for receipts they present which reasonably match the amounts and purposes listed on the budget.

Contact

Cheryl Shipman
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6224
shipman@pobox.upenn.edu
215-898-6066

Last updated on October 31, 2006