State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium

 

George Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Awards

HISTORY

Dr. George T. Barthalmus was the driving force behind the creation of the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium. He had a passion for encouraging undergraduates to pursue their interests through the process of research, be it in the sciences, humanities, or through artistic expression. He was an advocate for early involvement of students in the research process as a way to engage and retain students in academics. To this end, the George Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Awards have been developed to promote early involvement in the research process through support of sophomores in a research project of their design. These awards are designed to assist students with development and engagement in undergraduate research. Students from all disciplines are invited to apply for the awards.

 

ELIGIBILITY

  • Must be a sophomore in good standing at any North Carolina college or university
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Must be able to present at SNCURCS the following year
  • Must plan to be enrolled the next academic year

 

DETAILS

  • The maximum award is $500.
  • Awards will be mailed as checks to the recipients. Awards will not go to the home institution or faculty mentor.
  • Research awards are for research or creative endeavors to be carried out during the year between receiving the award and the following year’s SNCURCS event (Fall to Fall).
  • Recipients are required to present at the following year’s SNCURCS.
    • The faculty mentor is responsible for ensuring this participation.
  • No faculty mentor can sponsor more than one applicant in any one year.

 

APPLICATION

Applications for 2024-2025 awards will be accepted: October 21-November 18, 2024.

Part 1: Students must complete the George Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Award Proposal Packet.  A completed packet consists of the following:

  • The proposal cover sheet with all appropriate signatures.
  • A 500 word description of the research (written for a broad audience) and its importance to the student’s future plans. This should include an introduction with a clear statement of purpose, a description of methods and materials, a timeline for the work, and a list of pertinent references. The complete document should be no longer than three typed, double-spaced pages.
    • Note: Any research requiring special permits or approvals (e.g. human or animal use, euthanasia, banding, etc.) should clearly state that those permits will be, or are, in hand. Individuals and the institution are responsible for obtaining all appropriate permits and approvals.
  • A one-page budget summary. Itemize as specifically as possible (no miscellaneous line items, please!). The budget should be comprehensive; however, since typical awards will be in the $100-$500 range, projects requiring more funding than this should include a short statement that indicates source(s) from which additional funding will be sought (e.g. institution cost-sharing, another grant, etc.). These awards are intended to cover materials, supplies and travel directly associated with conducting research. The awards are not intended to be used as stipend/salary or to present research.

Part 2: The student’s faculty mentor must submit a letter of recommendation.  This letter must:

  • Be on official letterhead
  • Be addressed to the George Barthalmus Grant Committee
  • Describe the student’s research potential and ability to complete the research project discussed in Part 1 of the application
  • Include mentorship plans for the student

All application materials should be emailed to undergraduate-research@ncsu.edu no later than November 18, 2024 11:59 P.M.  Part 1 should be submitted as a single pdf.  Part 2 should be sent separately by the faculty mentor.

We plan to notify applicants of their status before the start of SNCURCS 2024.