Initiated by The Smallwood Foundation

The Office for Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce support for undergraduate research, mentored scholarship and creative performance during the summer of 2010.

2010 SURF Information meeting:

Plan to attend on January 26, 2010 from 5:30-7:00 in room 1005 of the FedEx Global Education Center to hear from successful applicants, ask questions about the application and selection process, and learn more about SURF Peer Advisors who can give you valuable feedback on your proposal before you submit it.

Eligibility:

All currently enrolled UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduate students in good academic standing who will graduate after November 2010 and who wish to engage in undergraduate research, scholarship or performance for at least 9 weeks, with a minimum 20 hours/week, between May 10, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are eligible to apply. The projects must be carried out under the supervision of a UNC-Chapel Hill faculty research advisor, and additional collaboration with a postdoctoral fellow or graduate student mentor is encouraged.

PLEASE NOTE: Each student may submit only ONE SURF application/year. Students who have received SURF awards in previous years are not eligible to apply for additional SURF awards. Students may not accept both a SURF award and a Burch Fellowship award for the same summer.

Anticipated number and amount of Awards:

We expect to make at least 60 individual awards of $3,000 each. Selected students will receive $2,000 at the start of the summer, and the remainder of the award after they have submitted the required final materials. If the project involves foreign travel, OUR will increase the amount of the award with support from the Center for Global Initiatives to help to defray the increased travel costs.

To encourage applications from underrepresented disciplines, we will award $5,000 to successful applicants majoring in these fields with projects in these fields: Classics, English, History, Philosophy or Religious Studies. There will be no additional foreign travel supplement awarded.

To encourage applications with a focus on community-based research (CBR), OUR, in partnership with the APPLES Service-Learning Program and the Carolina Center for Public Service, will award up to 7 fellowships of $3,500 each.

If a graduate student will also be involved in mentoring the undergraduate, the graduate student should be encouraged to apply for an associated Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentor Award which offers funding up to $1,000.

If a postdoctoral fellow in the humanities or social sciences (excluding psychology) will also be involved in mentoring the undergraduate, the postdoctoral fellow should be encouraged to apply for an associated Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentor Award which offers funding up to $1,000.

Proposal development:

You are encouraged to identify a suitable and willing faculty research advisor for your work. Discuss your initial ideas with your faculty research advisor, narrow or expand the scope of your work as appropriate, and ask for feedback on your written statement from your faculty research advisor and/or a postdoctoral/graduate mentor. In addition, SURF Peer Advisors will be available by appointment to assist you with the application process and with communicating your proposal more effectively. These peer advisors are former SURF students who have received training from the Writing Center.

To sign up to meet with a peer advisor in your area of interest, contact the OUR Associate Director, Martha Arnold (msarnold@email.unc.edu). Please include the topic of your proposal in your request so that we can match you with an appropriate advisor.

Application materials:

There are four parts to a complete application. All parts must be received by Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.

1. The On-line application, which includes information about the student, faculty advisor, and the project title (100 character maximum).
2. The written statement should be 1200 words maximum, excluding item g, and should include the following:
    
   1. the goal of the work: the research question or a description of what you will create or invent
   2. the potential significance of the project
   3. any preliminary work accomplished and/or relevant experience of the applicant
   4. the methods you will use
   5. a statement noting if IRB approval is needed or not needed. This statement is required for all proposals. For more information about the IRB requirement, please visit the IRB guide for students and faculty
   6. an optional statement concerning the relevance of your project to community-based research, or the entrepreneurial potential of your project. Include this statement if you have indicated on your online application that your proposal is relevant to community-based research or entrepreneurship.
      
      definitions:
      
      -- Community-based research encourages mutually-beneficial collaboration among students, community members and faculty in the design and implementation of research projects that address a community issue and, ultimately, promote social action and the common good. International, national and projects that benefit North Carolina are welcomed.
      
      -- Entrepreneurial projects have the potential to lead to a product or service with commercial, social, artistic and/or educational value.
      
      
   7. a list of all scholarships and other awards that you have received at Carolina. If you have received none to date, please say so. This list is not included in the 1200 word limit.
      
3. A letter of support from the faculty advisor who will oversee the research project. This letter should include your advisor's assessment of the potential significance of your project as well as a review of your qualifications to carry out the project. The advisor's letter must also include a statement noting if you need or do not need IRB approval. This statement is required in all letters of support.
   
4. A copy of your official UNC transcript from the Registrar's Office
   

Format requirements:

1. Your written statement and letter of support should be single-spaced and printed on only one side of each page.
2. Please put the title of your application on the first page of your written statement, and include your name and PID number on each page. Please do NOT include a cover page, Appendix materials, separate CV, or budget.
3. Please adhere to the 1200 word limit (excluding the list of any scholarships and awards you have received at Carolina).

Application submission:

Please complete the on-line application, and then bring your written statement, letter of support and transcript to:

The Office for Undergraduate Research
Room 015 Graham Memorial
CB # 2800

The deadline for receipt of all materials is Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.

Selection process:

A multidisciplinary faculty committee will meet to select the SURF recipients based on the written application. Selection criteria include originality and significance of the work; feasibility, including appropriate scope; and also the student's preparation for carrying out the project). The committee also aims to have a balance of disciplines represented, and also a balance of students at all stages of their academic careers.

Acceptance Checklist:

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships are paid in two installments, one at the beginning of the summer, and one at the end.  In order to process your first payment, we must receive all required items listed on checklist #1.

Final Payment Checklist:

In order to process your second payment at the end of the summer, we must receive all required items listed on checklist #2.

Reporting requirements:

At the end of the summer, each student must submit a summary statement and evaluation. In addition, each student must prepare a PowerPoint presentation for display on the OUR website. To view previous PowerPoint displays, please visit the Past Student Projects page on this website. In addition, successful applicants will be asked to participate in an undergraduate research symposium, UNC's Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research, prior to graduation to discuss their results. Finally, successful applicants should acknowledge support from the Office for Undergraduate Research in any publications resulting from the project.

Sources of financial support for the SURF program:

Please visit the SURF contributors link on this website to read more about the many contributors to this program.