Any student in the College of Engineering who has above a 3.0 CPHR, will be pursuing an undergraduate research thesis, and plans to graduate “With Research Distinction” or “With Honors Research Distinction” is eligible to compete for an Undergraduate Research Scholarship (URS). URS competitions are held each Autumn and Spring semester. Students wishing to compete in the URS competition must submit their research application, proposal, and letter of support by midnight on Friday of the sixth week of the competition semester. When completing the application, you must indicate that you wish to have your proposal reviewed as part of the URS competition. Awards range from $500 to full tuition, with the additional opportunity to be awarded a paid summer internship with the Engineering Experiment Station (EES).

Students interested in competing for the URS should begin working on their proposals in advance of the submission semester to assure quality and completion prior to the deadline.

Engineering Experiment Station (EES) Internship

Note: Beginning with the Autumn 2011 competition, only applicants who apply during the Autumn competition will be eligible for EES internship consideration.

The top two URS proposals will be offered research internships through EES. Selection will be made by the Undergraduate Honors Committee, in consultation with the Engineering Experiment Station. The student's research proposal, academic performance and promise, and substance of his/her plans for the summer research experience and Senior Honors Research and Thesis Project will be evaluated with respect to potential for development of research in the College of Engineering. The purpose of the Engineering Experiment Station Honors Research Internships is to provide especially promising candidates for Graduation with Research Distinction or Graduation with Honors Research Distinction the opportunity to significantly enhance the quality of their undergraduate research thesis projects through a paid research internship.

The EES Internship covers up to six credit hours of tuition for research credits taken in the summer term, along with a stipend. The internships will consist of the following percentage of appointment through the academic year: Summer term the appointment will be at 75% or 30 hours per week with a stipend. Autumn and Spring Semesters the appointment will be at 25% or 10 hours per week with a monthly stipend. Each research intern will work as a student employee with a faculty advisor and will be expected to conduct an independent research project culminating in an undergraduate thesis. The student's research project must be for work that is not currently funded from other sources, although the work can supplement on-going research. The emphasis is on exploring and developing additional research in the College of Engineering.

Because extensive faculty supervision is expected, applicants will need the collaboration of a faculty mentor who will also serve as adviser for the research project. A report on the progress of the project is required by the end of each academic quarter.

Selection Criteria

Applications, proposals, and letters of recommendation are reviewed by the College of Engineering Honors Committee. Each proposal will be reviewed for a) Technical Feasibility, b) Clarity of Presentation, and c) Research Contribution (equal weight for each attribute) by the Honors Committee. The number of scholarships awarded will be determined by the amount of funds available. Applicants will be notified of the results of the competition by the end of the application term.

Conditions of Eligibility

Eligible students must plan to complete an undergraduate research thesis for Graduation with Research Distinction or Graduation with Honors Research Distinction and expect to graduate in within two years of beginning the research. Expected graduation dates are maintained in the university’s Student Information System. Any updates or changes to expected graduation dates can be processed by the student’s academic advisor.

Amount of Award

Awards generally range from $500 to full in-state tuition and are applied toward any University fees at the rate of half the amount of the scholarship over the subsequent two semesters. Should the project require a different pattern of support, special arrangements must be made with and approved by the College of Engineering Scholarship Coordinator and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Services.

Submission of an application does not guarantee award. Students who do not receive awards are eligible to re-apply for an Undergraduate Research Scholarship.

Disbursement of Awards

Students who are awarded funds as part of the Autumn competition will receive funding during the subsequent Spring, and Autumn semesters. Students who are awarded funds as part of the Spring competition will receive funding during the subsequent Autumn and Spring semesters. Students are eligible to compete for an additional Summer Research Internship experience offered through the Engineering Experiment Station, which provides funding in addition to the URS awards. Interested students should indicate their intent to apply on the URS application. Additional information for the EES Internship can be found below.

Funding Conditions

Please note the following two scholarship categories, under which this award will merely substitute for other forms of aid with no net gain to the recipient. First, if you are receiving need-based aid, the Undergraduate Research Scholarship can only bring total awards to the amount allowable under the Title IV federal regulations which establish need. Second, if you are receiving University scholarship funds at the maximum currently allowable ($24,916 — which is the full institutional cost of education for in-state students) you are ineligible for additional funding.

Students who have been awarded funds from a previous Undergraduate Research Competition are not eligible to re-apply. Students may receive funding for a maximum of two semesters. All awards will be divided into two equal disbursements. Students who graduate prior to the full disbursement of their award will forfeit any remaining amount.

Continued disbursement of funding is contingent upon satisfactory progress as determined by the faculty advisor. The College of Engineering will require satisfactory progress reports each semester. Students must also maintain a CPHR of 3.0 or higher to continue receiving funds. Any violation of these terms is subject to immediate suspension of funding.

Enrollment Conditions

Recipients generally must be enrolled as full-time students (12 credit hours) during the semesters in which they receive funding (except Summer term), although enrollment for 5 credit hours with a heavy research emphasis is allowable. Exceptions for less than 12 credit hours must be approved by the College of Engineering Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Services.

Students must enroll in and complete a minimum of 6 credit hours of one or more of the following courses through the department in which the research is being completed:

• 4999 - Undergraduate Research Thesis
• 4999H - Honors Undergraduate Research Thesis

The applicant’s individual course plan must be approved by his/her program department’s Honors Committee representative, as well as the project advisor.