The Program for Undergraduate Research

Program Guidelines and Expectations

Application Guidelines

The Bucknell Program for Undergraduate Research is a University-wide program providing summer stipends to students to conduct research with faculty mentors. Stipends are awarded on a competitive basis by a faculty advisory committee representing all of Bucknell’s academic divisions. The advisory committee invites proposals that reflect the broad goals of the Program for Undergraduate Research: ...to expand opportunities for students and faculty to participate in collaborative learning processes designed to dissolve the distinction between teaching and research, and to create a community of learners in which scholarship serves as the basis for teaching and learning.

ELIGIBILITY: All full-time Bucknell students and faculty are eligible. Awards are not available for the summer following the senior year, whether or not the student has been graduated. Students in 5-year programs will be eligible during the summer after their 4th year.  While repeat applications will be accepted, priority will be given to students applying for the first time. Note: Due to the limited number of applications available each Bucknell Faculty member is limited to a maximum of two student proposals per funding year.

THE STIPEND: Students receive a stipend of $3,000 and are provided housing (subject to appropriate withholding taxes). Stipends will be awarded in installments, the first in mid June and the last by mid August upon receipt of an abstract or short report. As the work is collaborative, no academic credit is offered the student, nor may the student be enrolled in academic course work during the project. Students may not undertake employment beyond casual work not to exceed 10 hours per week.

REQUIREMENTS: The project should be designed to cover a period of at least eight weeks.  Each student is required to submit an abstract or short report by August 15, 2012;  faculty mentors are asked to send email verification of their students' research progress.  In addition, students and mentors are required to participate in the annual Kalman Research Symposium to be held in Spring 2013 at which students present the results of their collaborative efforts. Details about the Symposium will be communicated via email in early Spring semester.  This public exposition, in the form of a poster session or an oral presentation, also gives the larger Bucknell community the opportunity to meet the program participants and see the results of their research.

The 2012 Award Program

Proposals for the summer of 2012 are due by Friday, February 10, 2012. The advisory committee will review applications and notify applicants of their decision by Thursday, March 8, 2012.