Tips for SURF Proposals 2008-2009

• COMPLETING THE SURF APPLICATION Students must ensure that all application materials are submitted by 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2009. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.

• USING THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM SURF applications must be submitted online. The link to the SURF application is available on the OUR home page www.our.uconn.edu. At the end of each section, students will be prompted to “save changes.” Saving changes will take them to the next section. Information submitted will be saved and may be updated; students will be required to begin at the first screen and click through to successive screens to make changes. To return to an earlier section once changes have been saved, students must exit and log-in again. After completing Step 7 of the application, students will see a screen indicating that the application has been successfully saved and submitted.

• SURF PROPOSAL Students are responsible for ensuring that seven components of the SURF application are submitted by the due date: 1) OUR common application; 2) primary student and project information, 3) proposed research project, 4) citations, 5) time line, 6) proposed budget, and 7) two faculty letters of recommendation (one from research advisor).  An eighth component--the student’s transcript-- will be obtained by the OUR office. By submitting a SURF application, students provide permission for the OUR to access their transcripts.

• 1. OUR common application (submitted online) Used for all OUR grant programs. Information is retained if student chooses to apply for other funds from OUR. Students must keep their contact information current and should enter the telephone number most used (e.g. mobile).  For academic information, include all majors and minors. For advisor information, list Academic advisor in each major. 

• 2. Primary student and project information (submitted online) Cover sheet outlining student contact information, campus, need for IRB approval, amount of proposed budget, and faculty advisor information.  

• 3. SURF Research Proposal  There is a 2000 word total limit - (submitted online—Proposal -1500 word maximum, text only.  DO NOT include pictures, spreadsheets, or graphics) - (500 word maximum total combined for citations and timeline). Complete three sections: 1) What is the basic idea, problem or question the proposed work will examine? What is the purpose of the research? 2) Describe the steps you will take to conduct your project and provide evidence that the project is feasible. Describe the locations where the work will be performed and the materials to be used. 3) What will the outcomes be? What do you expect to accomplish?
   
  4. Citations (500 word maximum total combined for citations and timeline submitted online) List appropriate scholarly citations to demonstrate student’s understanding of the field.

  5. Time line (500 word maximum total combined for citations and timeline submitted online) Provide a timeline of your project, including start and end dates and planned project milestones.

• 6. Budget (submitted online) Submit a budget for your project. A maximum of $3000 may be requested for living/travel expenses. To request the full amount, students are expected to work 35 hours/week for 10 weeks or 40 hours/week for 9 weeks. Partial stipends for fewer weeks are acceptable Funds may be used for international travel or for partial support of more expensive projects. Funds may NOT be used for local travel from home to research sites. In addition, a maximum of $500 may be requested for equipment/consumables. If student purchases items, funds will be awarded to student; if project advisor purchases items, funds are awarded to advisor.

• 7.  Faculty recommendations (submitted by two faculty members to the Office of Undergraduate Research) When completing the online application, students list two faculty recommenders. It is the student’s responsibility to contact these individuals, discuss his/her proposal, and secure their willingness to complete and submit the letters of recommendation by the deadline. Recommendations MUST be submitted electronically in WORD to our@uconn.edu from the recommenders e-mail address.  Incomplete applications may disqualify students from consideration.  Recommender #1 must be the faculty research advisor who will supervise the summer work.  Recommender 1 must address: feasibility of project, quality of proposal, availability to supervise the student during the summer, and assessment of the student’s chances for success. Recommender #2 may be any faculty member who knows the student well. Recommender 2 should address:  student’s academic qualifications, quality of proposal, and personal characteristics that will make student a successful SURF student Recommendations from non-faculty are not recommended.
• ELIGIBILITY   To be eligible to apply for the SURF program, students must:
1. Submit a completed SURF application and two letters of recommendation (one from the faculty supervisor) by the deadline, February 6, 2009
2. Plan to graduate no earlier than May of 2010
3. Secure the commitment of a full-time UConn faculty member to supervise them throughout the summer. 
• TIMETABLE FOR REVIEW
1. Deadline for all SURF proposal materials: by February 6, 2009
2. Securing of additional faculty reviewers and assigning proposals to reviewers: February 13, 2009;
3. Deadline for faculty reviews: by February 27, 2009
4. Communications with school and college deans: by March 13, 2009
5. Announcement of round I SURF recipients: by March 27, 2009.
• SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR SURF RECIPIENTS
1. If research plans include international travel, students must sign an International Student Travel Form prior to receiving funds
2. If research plans include international travel, students must purchase international travel insurance
3. Students must commit to presenting a poster on their work to present at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition in April of 2010
4. Students must submit a summary report of research activities to the OUR (our@uconn.edu; 419 CUE) by August 21st, 2009
5. If their research involves human or animal subjects, students must obtain an approval number from the Institutional Research Board prior to receiving funding
• APPROPRIATE USES FOR SURF FUNDS
1. Living expenses while working in a lab or on another research project on  or off campus
2. Travel to collections or locations for on-site research
3. Participation in a concert tour, art installation, etc