Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research
Undergraduate Students
Why do research? One advantage of attending a comprehensive research university such as SIUC is the opportunity to participate in research, working one-on-one with faculty and graduate students. "Research" may be conducted in any discipline, from science to the arts; we define it broadly as inquiry, discovery, and creation of new knowledge and new perspectives about the world. SIUC offers research opportunities for undergraduates at all levels. See Undergraduate Research at SIUC, an annual tabloid, and the McNair Scholars home page (see below) for articles and abstracts concerning their projects.
- REACH: Research Enriched Academic Challenge
Makes competitive one-year grants to carry out a research, scholarly, or creative-arts project under the guidance of a faculty or staff mentor. Also sponsors an Undergraduate Research Forum, open to all undergraduates, every spring. - Saluki Research Rookies
Provides funds on a competitive basis for high-achieving freshmen interested in conducting research and learning more about their intended major. Working with a faculty mentor, students plan a research project in fall semester to be carried out the following spring. - McNair Scholars Program
The federally funded Ronald McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program prepares first-generation-college/low-income and underrepresented minority students for doctoral study. It includes an emphasis on research and an intensive Summer Research Institute. - Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
This statewide coalition funded by the National Science Foundation aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in science, mathematics, and engineering. It provides paid, mentored research experiences for undergraduates. - Undergraduate Assistantships
This SIUC program gives students paraprofessional experience in their chosen fields. Although not a research program per se, about 80% of the positions are research-oriented. Also note that many grant programs hire student workers. - Other Resources
Check the REACH web site above for information about external research funding opportunities and other research resources for undergraduates. They include:- University Honors, which offers a thesis option based on a research project and which helps students learn to compete successfully for major scholarships and fellowships.
- SPEAR (Students Promoting Education and Research), an RSO that "aims to stimulate interest in research and graduate studies...and to provide personal and professional development activities."
- The Council on Undergraduate Research, which offers programs and publications to promote undergraduate research participation and to help faculty involve undergraduates in research. CUR also posts peer-reviewed articles published by undergraduates and maintains a registry to match up undergraduates with graduate schools that reflect their interests.
Graduate Students
Grant Funding Overviews
- Grant Funding: A Guide for Graduate Students
- Proposal Writing for Graduate Students
Once a semester, ORDA offers this workshop to introduce graduate students to the process of locating funding opportunities and writing proposals for grants or fellowships to fund their thesis/dissertation projects. The spring 2009 workshop has already been held. ORDA staff also give workshops for graduate classes upon request.
Grant Program Listings and Databases
- Travel Support Program - Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Dean
- Community of Science Grants Database
Like faculty, SIUC graduate students are eligible to set up individual profiles on COS (which covers all disciplines, not just science), search the database for grant programs, and set up individualized funding alerts. - Fellowships, Grants, and Scholarships for Graduate Students
This site is maintained by SIUC's Office of Major Scholarship Advisement - External Fellowships for Graduate Students
This site maintained by Michigan State University is a comprehensive listing of fellowships and scholarships for graduate students. The site also lists research grant opportunities, many of which are available to graduate students, by subject area. - Graduate Fellowship Database
This site maintained by Cornell University allows searching for fellowships by disciplinary area or key word.
Other Grant-Related Resources
- Proposal-Writing Tips
- The Art of Writing Proposals (Social Science Research Council) - much advice that applies to any discipline
- Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers - for postdoctoral fellows in the sciences
Other Financial Assistance for Graduate Students
These links, while not research-related, may be useful: