Funding for Undergraduate Research and Creative Work
Funding for undergraduate research is available in several forms. Undergrads can
participate in research that is already funded and directed by a faculty member.
Undergrads can also apply for their own funding to support research in a project of their
choice. Funding can be for research in a specific
field, for research during the academic year, or for summer research. Additional information can be found at Clark's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Read interviews with students who have taken advantage of these funding opportunities
on the Active Learning and Research web pages.
Funding sources within Clark:
Steinbrecher
Fellowship Program
This program is designed to encourage and support the pursuit of
original ideas, creative research, public service or enrichment projects by
Clark undergraduate students. Fellowships, which will typically range from
$500 to $2500, will be awarded annually to approximately 10-12 students,
enabling them to engage in independent study and/or travel to explore an
intellectual interest that intrigues them or to undertake a public service
project aimed at improving societal conditions. The funds may be used over the
summer and/or during the next academic year. Fellows may use the awards during, but not following, the senior year. Contact Prof. Sharon Krefetz.
Barth Summer Internships
The Theodore Barth Foundation, via Career Services, provides stipends to help students pursue unpaid, summer internships in the nonprofit sector.
Geller Student Research Awards
These awards are intended to support student-initiated
research projects that advance both our understanding of opportunities for greater sustainability in the
human use of resources and the environment and practical improvements that can be implemented.
Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for awards.
HERO Undergraduate Fellowships
The HERO Fellowships provide a unique undergraduate-graduate-faculty experience that generates
and archives long-term data sets and engages in research on the
human-environment condition of Central Massachusetts. Undergraduates serve as
Hero Fellows during an 8-week summer period, followed by a year long research
activity that produces publicly accessible data via a web page, annual HERO reports, and
individual research projects. Contact Prof. Colin Polsky.
Traina,
Strassler, Carlson Scholars, and
Making a Difference Scholars.
These four year merit scholarships are awarded upon admission to Clark. They
include funding for summer research. Contact Admissions.
James '39 and Ada Bickman Summer Science Research Internships
For students majoring in the physical and biological sciences. Contact Prof. Mark Turnbull.
Maureen H. Milburn Fund for the Sciences Summer Internship
Henry J. Leir Summer Research Scholarship
This program allows a Clark undergraduate to participate as an intern and/or to conduct research with an organization in Luxembourg for six to eight weeks during the summer. Contact Uwe Gertz.
Biology: The M. Margaret Comer Memorial Award for Undergraduate Research
in the Biological Sciences.
The Nunnemacher Award defrays tuition or lab fees of Clark students in attending summer courses in marine biology or researching at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Inc.
Chemistry: The Arthur E. Martell-Thomas T. Sugihara Internship, the Frederick M. and Alice Murdock Internship, and the PCISynthesis, Inc. Corporate Chemistry Fellowship all provide money for undergraduate summer research. Contact Prof. Mark Turnbull.
Economics: The Harry Sheftel Undergraduate Research Award provides funding for the support of the research of outstanding undergraduates.
The Summer Research Fund for Undergraduates provides help with with research-associated expenses to students undertaking research during the summer. Funds are also available for research assistantships from faculty grants. Contact Cindy Rice.
Geography: The Peter Condakes Research Fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from Peter Condakes, an
alumni and geography major from the class of 1978. The fellowship
provides a stipend of $1,000 for an undergraduate geography major to
work as a summer research assistant with a geography faculty member. Contact Irene Stefanakos.
George Perkins Marsh Institute: The Geller Student Research Awards are intended to support student-initiated research projects that have the potential to advance both our understanding of opportunities for greater sustainability in the human use of resources and the environment and practical improvements that can be implemented. Contact Robert J. Johnston.
Government: The Harrington Fellowship Program was created in 2006-2007 to encourage and support the pursuit of creative or original research in politics and public policy or in service learning in the public or nonprofit sector by Clark undergraduates. The Department is looking for projects that connect to the public life of citizenship and help to create new knowledge that advances public affairs and civic life. Recipients may use their fellowship for a project in the United States or abroad. Examples include doing research on political participation or voting trends among immigrant populations in the U.S., interning and doing research with an environmental law firm or nongovernmental organization, and interning and doing research with a human rights organization in Namibia, France, Spain, or Britain. Approximately five Harrington Fellowship awards will be made each year, ranging from $500-$2500.
Holocaust and Genocide Studies: the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Fund for Scholars of Holocaust Studies funds awards to undergraduate students for research or internships related to the Holocaust. The Ina R. and Haskell R. Gordon Fund for Undergraduate Students of Holocaust Studies provides annual awards to one or more undergraduate students for research, travel or internships related to the Holocaust. Contact Prof. Shelly Tenenbaum.
International Development,
Community, and Environment (IDCE): The Eugene Melder Fund for Travel to Africa Award is given to a Clark student who is conducting research in Africa.
International Studies Stream (ISS): The ISS student research
assistantships are small summer grants for students to do research under ISS professors'
supervision. The students submit a brief proposal which has been screened by a professor;
the research is either on a subject on which the professor is working, or which the
professor agrees to supervise. A report is due at the end of the summer and the student
may be asked to do a brown bag presentation to ISS students and faculty. Contact Prof. Robert Ross.
Physics/Mathematics: Albert C. Erickson '03 Summer Research Award and the Stanley Geschwind Summer Internship award provide funding for summer research.
Psychology: The Simon and Eve Colin Creativity Award in Psychology is
presented annually to the outstanding undergraduate psychology major about to begin the
senior year. The recipient receives a stipend of up to $2,500 to fund an independent
research project to be undertaken with a faculty member in the senior year.
The Herman A Witkin
Undergraduate Scholar Award for Creativity is awarded to an inspired, innovative, and extraordinary undergraduate student for his or her pursuit of research in Psychology.
Urban Development and Social Change:
The Urban Development and Social Change Program offers students a paid internship, the Lois and Robert Green UDSC Summer Internship. Typically, the student works as an assistant to a Worcester City Councilor or other city government official. The work consists of a variety of projects and activities aimed at addressing issues of concern to residents of Worcester. The Intern receives $2400 for 6 weeks of full-time internship activities.
From time to time, the UDSC Program also offers several
paid summer research opportunities for student projects in Worcester. These projects offer undergraduates the chance to do applied research that is responsive to the needs of the local community. Working as a team and with the help of a Clark graduate student, the UDSC Summer Research Fellows consult with members of the community, develop a research plan, collect all necessary data, undertake the research, and submit a written report to interested community groups. Through this process students learn the role, responsibilities, and practice of consulting work as well as how to undertake a successful collaborative research project. Some students also use the data from this project as the basis for a senior thesis or an independent study project the following year. Contact Prof. Sharon Krefetz.
Visual and Performing Arts: The Sara Bickman Music and Arts Summer
Internship for Undergraduates provides financial support for summer internships for
undergraduate students majoring in the Visual and Performing Arts. Awards are made to
students in their junior year for projects to be conducted between their junior and senior
years. Applications are made on behalf of students by sponsoring faculty members. Contact Christina McGovern.
Funding sources outside Clark:
Council on
Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship Program
IDCE Career
Database
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Funding for summer research in the sciences and engineering.
Grants-in-Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
NSF Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology
Two journals publishing undergraduate research:
Journal of Undergraduate Sciences
Journal of Young Investigators
Grant Advisor Plus
Current funding opportunities (updated monthly). Links to most federal and
non-federal funding agencies.
IRIS
Proprietary database for funding searches and conducting funding alerts.
Society of Research Administrators SRA
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