Despite the continuing budget crisis, the Harrison Awards, grants to students interested in conducting undergraduate research, will still be available this year.
According to Nicole Hurd, director of the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, funding for the Harrison Awards was never in jeopardy because University officials saw the award as a priority.
University President John T. Casteen III, Provost Gene Block and College Dean Edward L. Ayers all believed that the Harrison Awards were a priority, Hurd said.
Harrison Awards recipients, who all are undergraduates, receive $3,000 to conduct research over the summer. Research proposals are due Feb. 21, and students are notified of their status before Spring Break.
By providing the grants to the students, the Harrison Awards provide an avenue for the University to encourage the "vital and lively undergraduate culture," Hurd said.
University officials stress the rarity of such opportunities.
The Harrison Awards "are a great opportunity for undergrad research," said Susan Perry, a former Faculty Senate research and scholarship committee chairwoman.
The awards allow students to "work with faculty members and find out what an academic research calendar looks like," Perry said.
All second and third-year University students are eligible to apply for the research grants.
Following the trend of previous years, officials will select 40 proposed projects out of an approximated 90 submissions to receive funding for the upcoming summer.
Previous Harrison award recipients have produced a wide variety of projects ranging from studies of Mechanotransduction in Endothelial Cells to Preschool Intervention Programs in Puerto Rico to photo essays of Hurricane Andrew.
The Nov. 21 undergraduate research symposium in Newcomb Hall will serve as an information session for undergraduates interested in research.
At the symposium, previous Harrison Award recipients will present their completed research projects.
Fourth-year College student Poonam Sharma, who researched the evolution of auto-antibody responses in lupus, called the summer research experience a "great opportunity."
Yet, faculty members have expressed surprise at the relatively small numbers of applicants, Perry said.
The Harrison Awards "are an incredible source of funding for undergraduate research," Hurd said. "Research is an important part of the undergraduate career."
Harrison recipients, who previously were selected by the Faculty Senate, now will be jointly chosen by both the Faculty Senate and members of the Center for Undergraduate Excellence.
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