BIPP Summer Research Student Fellowship

The Bucknell Institute for Public Policy (BIPP) offers fellowship awards to enable students in the social sciences to have meaningful research experiences during the summer. Summer Research Student Fellowships include a $4,000 award to defray living expenses and fellows also qualify for on-campus housing at no charge.

BIPP Research Fellow engage in research with a faculty mentor’s supervision for eight to 12 weeks over the summer. Information sessions are held during the spring semester to help students identify faculty mentors who suit their research interests.

Upcoming Information Session:
Feb. 13, 2020
Academic West Event Lounge

Students who are not able to attend these meetings may request a brochure of faculty research projects by contacting Carrie Ellis, program coordinator, at cle005@bucknell.edu and meet separately with potential faculty mentors to discuss potential collaborations.

Expectations for the Research Fellows

Successful applicants are expected to:

  • Conduct their research on a full-time basis for not less than eight nor more than 12 weeks.
  • Present their research, preferably at the Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium. Alternative presentation venues, on or off-campus, include the Sigma Xi poster session, a Posters Plus presentation and/or the Kalman Research Symposium.
  • Attend weekly workshops on research and professional development.
  • Submit at the end of the summer a self-assessment and summary of their experience for potential publication by the BIPP.

Application Requirements

After being paired with a faculty member through mutual consent, you will work with the faculty member to craft an application. Your application will consist of the following components:

  • A letter of intent of no more than two pages that should describe your research topic and include the research method(s) you will learn and apply. It should clearly explain how you will use the time in your fellowship and any anticipated results.
  • A student transcript
  • A writing sample
  • A letter of support submitted separately by your faculty mentor.

Template for student letter of intent

Note: If the proposed project involves human or animal subjects, it is the responsibility of the student and faculty mentor to obtain any required Institutional Review Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

If you have questions about your application as you are developing it, please contact Professor Amy Wolaver, director, or Professor Vanessa Massaro, undergraduate research programming fellow.

Selection Criteria

The student’s application and faculty support letter must clearly describe the student’s proposed research methods, the topic to be explored, and the significance of the topic for public policy. It must also offer evidence that the project can be completed in eight to 12 weeks, demonstrate that the student and faculty member will collaborate closely, articulate clear educational outcomes and demonstrate that the project is primarily for the educational benefit of the student.

Apply for a Fellowship

Application deadline: 5 p.m., March 6, 2020.

Applications must be submitted through the link below.

Apply

For Faculty Mentors
Faculty mentors should email their letter of support to Carrie Ellis, program coordinator, cle005@bucknell.edu, by the above application deadline.

Brochure

Learn more about BIPP

Contact Details

Bucknell Institute for Public Policy

Location

100 Academic West Building