Tips for SURF Proposals 2007-2008

• SURF applications must be submitted on-line; the deadline to apply is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2008. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
• There are 2 parts to the SURF application
• EPCAS Common Application
• EPCAS SURF Student Supplement Application
• Information about the Common Application
• This provides demographic information on students that will be used in all OUR database systems (SURF and Frontiers).
• Demographic information can be updated each time you log-in to the EPCAS system; you will be required to begin at this screen each time
• Please make sure your contact information is current each time you log-in to the system; please use the number that you use most (cell phone, for example) for phone contact information.
• For your academic information, include all majors and minors; for advisor information, list your ACADEMIC advisor in each major/minor.
• Saving changes will take you to the 2nd part of the application process; to get back to the common application you must log-out and log-in again.
• Information about the SURF Student Supplement Application
• Step 1 – Project Information
• Your campus of enrollment
• Where you will be conducting research
• IRB approval for research, if applicable
• Dates proposed for your research project
• TOTAL amount of funds requested (maximum of $3500, including equipment funds)
• Equipment funds requested (maximum of $500)
• This is any money spent on consumables or equipment for your research
• If you are buying the items, the equipment funds will go to you; if your project advisor is buying them, the money will go to him/her.
• Proposed title of project
• Name and contact information for your research project advisor

• Step 2 – Project description
• Description of your research study, including purpose, literature review, research questions, methodology, timeline, and potential implications of the research.
• Minimum of 500 words – Maximum of 1,500 words.
• References / Citations WILL NOT count against your word total and should be included at the end of your project description.
• You MAY NOT include pictures, charts, or graphics in the project description editor (doing so will cause serious errors in the ability of the database to store your application).
• Step 3 – Recommendations
• You must submit the names and contact information for 2 faculty recommendations
• One recommendation MUST be from your faculty research advisor and should clearly state his/her plans for supervising your project as well as his/her opinions on your likelihood for success as a SURF student.
• The second recommendation should be from any faculty member who knows you well and should address your academic qualifications and your personal characteristics that will make you a successful SURF student.
• Recommendations from non-faculty members ARE NOT recommended unless he/she can speak to your abilities and potential as a research scholar.
• Faculty recommendations should be submitted to the OUR office by email (our@uconn.edu) or through campus mail in a signed and sealed envelope (OUR – UNIT 2147).
• Both recommendations MUST be received by 5:00 p.m. on February 1, 2008, for your application to be complete.
• Step 4 – Budget
• The $3000 stipend can be divided into 2 parts
• Travel Budget - An accounting of travel costs associated with your research IF you are traveling as part of the research.
• This DOES NOT include commuting to/from your research lab; this is only to cover travel to a research site off of the UConn campuses.
• Stipend Budget - An accounting of the number of weeks you will work on the SURF grant IF you are using the award as a stipend for living expenses.
• You must work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks (OR a total of 400 hours on the project) in order to receive the maximum $3000 stipend.
• You may apply for a partial stipend if appropriate for your project.
• Example – a 7-week, 40 hour/week SURF project would pay a stipend of $2100
• Your budget may include both of these sections or only one of these sections; either way, the total amount requested MAY NOT exceed $3000.
• The Equipment Budget and Research Expense Budget should include costs for specific items and may not exceed $500.
• Make sure to “save and submit” at the bottom of each page
• This will save information to our database for you.
• Applications WILL NOT be reviewed until after the application deadline, so you can make changes and adjust your application until that date.
• After you finish Step 4 of the SURF Application, you will see a screen that indicates your application has been successfully saved and submitted. This screen will also take you back to the menu of OUR Supplemental Applications.
• GENERAL TIPS
• The best SURF Proposals:
• Describe the project in a way that is clear, concise, and free of grammatical and spelling errors.
• Demonstrate the student’s knowledge of the subject and the research to be conducted.
• Outline a timeline for research that is feasible for the summer
• The project does not have to be COMPLETED, but you must show that you can complete the portions of the research you set out to complete over the summer.
• Show how the budget requested will be spent and used in figures as exact as possible.
• Indicate that the research faculty advisor will be part of the research process.

GOOD LUCK!

Questions?
Email – our@uconn.edu
Call- 860-486-6255