Arkansas Tech University Guidelines For Undergraduate Research Grants Arkansas Tech University Undergraduate Research Grants are intended to support undergraduate research in ALL academic disciplines for the 2018-2019 academic year. Internal funds will be used to fund up to fifteen undergraduate research proposals. Proposals may focus on investigation of questions of interest to the faculty member. The maximum budget allowed for each proposal will be $2,000. Eligibility: All tenure-track or tenured faculty, with the exception of committee members and faculty who received Undergraduate Research grant funds the previous fiscal year, are eligible to apply. Only one proposal per person will be considered at each application period. Proposals similar to previously funded UR projects by the same Principal Investigator or Project Director (PI/PD) must explain how the current project differs from the previous submission(s). Applicant must have no outstanding Undergraduate Research Grant reports from previously awarded grants. ATU Undergraduate Research grants must be used to support undergraduate students. Funds may not be used for tuition or to support post-doctoral associates, doctoral students, laboratory technicians, contractors, or consultants. Application Process: Each proposal must contain all elements specified in the Required Format section (see page 4). The application will need to include signatures of the appropriate department head and dean on the proposal cover page. The signed original must be scanned in one package and e-mailed to OSPUI as a PDF by 5:00 PM CST of the due date for the particular review cycle in which the faculty member is applying. Proposals submitted after this time will not be considered. If you require IRB approval, prior approval is required. Deadlines: There is one grant review cycle with the deadline of September 28. Department and college approvals must be secured and proposals submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs and University Initiatives by 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date. Proposals will not be accepted for the current review cycle after the designated deadline. Review Process: OSPUI will conduct a preliminary review of proposals and check each proposal against proposal funding guidelines within one week of the deadline. Proposals that adhere to the written published guidelines will be forwarded to the Undergraduate Research Committee for review. The Undergraduate Research Committee will meet within two weeks of the proposal deadline and attempt to make its recommendation to the Associate Vice President of Sponsored Programs and University Initiatives within three weeks of the deadline. Proposals will be read by each member of the Undergraduate Research Committee. The Undergraduate Research Committee will be composed of a chair (Assistant Vice President of Student Success) and peers outside of your specific area of expertise (selected by the deans of each college) who will review your proposal and recommend fundable proposals to the Associate Vice President for of Sponsored Programs and Initiatives. Please use language and terminology that is clear and understandable to those in other disciplines.
The Undergraduate Research Committee will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria: The overall quality, significance, and merit of the proposed research, including the extent to which it will increase basic knowledge and/or stimulate additional research. Included in this assessment is a measure of the likelihood that the stated goals will generate publishable results. The extent to which advanced education will be enhanced through the involvement of students in the research. The extent to which the proposed research represents a new or independent area or aspect of investigation for the lead principal investigator, consistent with the goals, resources, and environment of Arkansas Tech University. The impact of funding the research. The qualifications or potential of the principal investigator and adequacy of the facilities to conduct the research. Responsible Conduct of Research: Because protocols for research with human subjects must be approved before UR-funded projects may begin, IRB approval is required upon submission of your grant application. Please attach a copy of the IRB approval to your URG application. Forms and application information are available online at https://www.atu.edu/ospui/human_subjects.php. Award Information: Grants will be awarded for an amount up to $2,000 per proposal. All publications must acknowledge funding support from ATU. Allocations will start immediately upon approval of the award. Grants will extend from the date of award to May 11 of the next calendar year. If the grantee is not using or not planning to use the funds, he/she should notify the Associate Vice President for Sponsored Programs and University Initiatives as soon as possible. Unused funds cannot be applied to other professional activities, including (but not limited to) other projects, travel, supplies, etc. that are not specified in the original grant application. Applicant must abide by all University Purchasing and Travel bylaws, including completing requisitions and requesting special permissions through the Travel Office (e.g. requesting a rental car). The Undergraduate Research Committee members have a responsibility to encourage timely completion of the project and the appropriate use of funds allocated and, therefore, may periodically review progress and expenditures with grant recipients. Final Report: An electronic final report outlining project activities and presentations related to research and/or activities must be submitted by May 31, 2019 to OSPUI at ospui@atu.edu. The final report must be a minimum of two pages, consisting of font no smaller than 11, with one inch margins. The Associate Vice President for Sponsored Programs and University Initiatives, in consultation with the Undergraduate Research Committee chair as needed, is responsible for reviewing and approving these reports. Faculty will not be eligible to receive future undergraduate research funding until a final report is submitted. The final report must follow the indicated format:
A. Title Page B. Restatement of problem researched C. Brief review of the research procedure utilized D. Summary of findings E. Conclusions and recommendations F. Plans to proceed with external funding Copies of manuscripts or abstracts based on the research published or submitted for publication should be returned with the final report. For a creative work, a program or publicity for an exhibition, reading, or performance should be included. Once projects have been completed, the department must submit a complete accounting of funds expended to OSPUI, including copies of all applicable purchase orders and travel forms. Expenses paid by other funding sources, including any payment or honorarium for services granted by an organization, must also be noted. Budget Guidelines: Please describe how all project costs will be covered. Allowances are as follows: non-work study for student stipends - $1,000; supplies $500; and travel $500. Please note that funds may only be expended on students AFTER any college work-study funds they are eligible for have been fully expended. After the grant proposal is approved, budget transfers between different categories will not be allowed. Therefore, the proposal s budget should be prepared according to the needs in each category. All requisitions for items previously approved on the grant application must be done no later than April 1, 2019. Unallowable budget items are salary or stipend for the PI/PD; tuition; computers; and the costs of publication or intellectual property that might result from a project. Miscellaneous is not an allowable item. Equipment: Applicants requesting equipment must provide a compelling rationale for the equipment, including evidence that this equipment is not already available elsewhere on campus. Requests for office computers, laptops or computer upgrades will not be funded. All equipment and supplies purchased will remain departmental property unless specifically assigned elsewhere. Once equipment is received, the grantee shall ensure that it is properly entered in the university's equipment inventory list. Travel: Travel costs are eligible budget items for the conduct of research activities. Such requests must be justified in the proposal, and the relationship between travel and the project objectives must be clearly linked. Student travel money may be requested if students are an integral part of the research project and their research activities are adequately supervised by the primary investigator. Student Stipends: o Faculty are expected to have one or two students applying for stipends (assuming the student(s) work-study funds have been fully expended or allocated) (stipends are required to be handled as student labor) on the proposal. Faculty will serve as mentor for the selected student(s). o Students who have an interest in these stipends must be sponsored by a faculty member applying for an undergraduate research grant. Student grant awards are subject to the following conditions: 1. Recipients are expected to perform mentored research; assist mentors in preparation of reports, papers, proposals, and presentations; and make a presentation at the on-campus Senior Honors and Student Research Symposium and other appropriate meetings. 2. Students with cumulative grade point of 3.00 or above will be given first consideration in making a grant award. 3. Students must have completed a minimum of fifteen university credit hours. 4. Student grant awards are limited to $1,000 or less per student. Student compensation will be through the non-study budget category.
FORMAT REQUIRED The proposal should be as concise as is consistent with an adequate presentation and justification of the research idea. There is a limit of 10 pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font (Times Roman, Arial, or Courier) with oneinch margins for the text of proposals. The page limit excludes the cover page, abstract, references, budget, budge justification, and application vita. Proposals that exceed this limitation will not be considered. The abstract should not exceed 250 words. Proposals exceeding this length will be denied without review. Do not attach preprints or reprints of articles to proposals. Information that has not yet been published may be included in the text of the proposal. Each proposal must contain the following elements: 1. Cover Page The required cover page, which must be fully completed, can be downloaded as a Word document at https://www.atu.edu/research/undergraduate_research.php. 2. Abstract The first section of the proposed research should be an abstract of no more than 250 words. The abstract should present the rationale of the research, its objective(s), and an estimate of the significance to the field of research if the objective is reached. 3. Purpose/Objectives Begin the text with a concise statement of the general purpose and major objectives of the proposed project (the research question/focus, hypothesis, problem or work to be investigated, or aesthetic direction/technique). 4. Significance/Need Include a concise literature review, identifying ambiguities or gaps in the literature, the need for the proposed research, and how this project will contribute to your field of study. Sources referenced must be listed in a bibliography. 5. Scientific Educational Impact Provide a brief description of how your mentoring of students will impact scientific education in your institution and department. For example, you might discuss the level of student required to do the work, (i.e., freshman, sophomore, etc.); what role he or she will play in carrying out the proposed research in terms of intellectual and time commitment; and how the research carried out by the students will be a part of their degree requirements and departmental goals. 6. Process for Attainment of Objectives/Goals This section is a precise description of the process you plan to use to accomplish your specific project objective(s). It must contain a specific timeline for completing project activities, as well as a methods/design section with details specific to your discipline (materials, texts, archival sources, equipment, protocols, etc.). If the research includes human or animal subjects, give the date of approval (and attach a copy of that letter as an appendix). Protocols must be approved before work can begin and before funds awarded will be released. 7. Safety Describe any significant risks or hazards that may be encountered in the proposed work, and how these risks or hazards would be mitigated.
8. Dissemination of Results This section should demonstrate how you plan to disseminate or publicize your results (specify venues for exhibition opportunities, journals selected to submit article(s) for publication, etc.) 9. Repeated Requests If this proposal is similar to one for which you previously received funding from this Committee, describe how this current project differs from the earlier one. 10. Budget Justification Describe the intended use of grant funds, including number and level of students receiving support. The Budget Justification is limited to three pages. If field work is planned, describe the purpose, location, and the number of students involved. Additionally, specify how funds will be allocated (e.g., for transportation, lodging, etc.). 11. Bibliography Provide standard citations for material referenced. 12. Application Vita Please adhere to a limit of two pages, which must include: PI s name, job title, professional address, telephone, and e-mail or webpage. Professional Preparation section to include undergraduate and graduate education, as well as postdoctoral training. Appointments section to include academic/professional appointments in chronological order Products or Publications sections to include up to five products most closely related to the proposed project and up to five other significant products, whether or not related to the proposed project, all with full citation information. Synergistic Activities section to include up to five examples that demonstrate the broader impact of the PI s professional and scholarly activities that focus on the integration and transfer of knowledge as well as its creation. 13. Student Resume & Unofficial Transcript