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UCONN IDEA Grants – A New Opportunity for UCONN Undergraduates

The UConn IDEA Grant Program is a new competitive opportunity for undergraduates at the University of Connecticut. UConn students at all campuses and in all majors can apply for a UConn IDEA Grant of up to $4,000 to fund self-designed work on a topic, project, problem, artistic product or performance, or other entrepreneurial or creative idea of choice. The work should be personally meaningful, relevant, and engaging. The work does not need to be tied to a student’s major or minor, but it should be guided by a student’s academic goals and future plans. Students may apply individually or as part of a small group for this new undergraduate opportunity for creativity, innovation, original research, and service.

Read about UConn IDEA Grants in UConn Today and in the Hartford Business Journal!

In the pilot phase of the program, the Office of Undergraduate Research will make 10-15 awards in Spring 2013 and 20-25 awards in Fall 2013. (April 1st: Yippee! We’ve received 24 applications for UConn IDEA Grants! Can’t wait to read the proposals!) The initial UConn IDEA Grant projects will be planned in Summer 2013 with work done in Fall 2013. The second competition for UConn IDEA Grants will take place in Fall 2013. Those who are chosen for awards in Fall 2013 will plan their projects in Spring 2014 and then do their work in Summer 2014.

The UConn IDEA Grant Program has been designed to be flexible enough to support very diverse types of projects. During the pilot phase of the program (spring 2013 and fall 2013) we want program guidelines and best practices to be developed and refined through discussions with students, supervisors and mentors, advisors, and other members of the UConn community. We want UConn IDEA Grants to become a program that is valued by our whole UConn community for the creativity it encourages and the opportunities it provides undergraduates to produce great work. Your participation in making this new program a success will be most welcomed and appreciated.

Have a great idea and develop it as a UConn IDEA!

Margaret Lamb
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
April 2013