Student Mentored Research Training
Grant
The Mentored Research Grant will provide up to $5,000 to support undergraduate student research with the scope of Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF). Applications are accepted twice during the academic year (October and March), and ad hoc submissions may be evaluated after this time (pending the availability of funds) on a case-by-case basis.
Purpose
The Office of the Vice President for Research announces the Mentored Research Grant as a limited-term intramural support award for FY2024. The program supports undergraduate level research with the scope of Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), and is designed to encourage student participation in research and provide a small allocation of funds to faculty advisors to aid material support of the student research. The program is designed to facilitate mentored research experiences for students when other sources of funding for this support are not available (including local funds, such as IDC returned to the home unit, available for use by the PI).
Eligibility
The Mentored Research Grant program is open to all individuals who qualify as a PI across all colleges at NAU. Faculty members who are both (1) NAU regular employees (i.e., benefit-eligible) and (2) eligible to serve as Principal Investigators/ Project Directors on extramural grants (as per NAU PI Eligibility policy) may serve as PI or co-PI on these proposals.
Research Track faculty members are eligible to be principal investigators on proposals to this program if they can demonstrate in the proposal available, non-committed effort.
Award information Accordion Closed
Faculty applicants can request up to $5,000 (of which a maximum of $1000 may be allocated toward funds for materials, supplies and travel) through this opportunity.
Individual PIs are able to submit up to two (2) applications to this program per year provided the applications are associated with separate student mentees.
Award period Accordion Closed
Funds are awarded for use anytime after October 1, 2023, and funds must be expended by the end of the following summer term (August 21, 2024). Extensions of Mentored Research Grant funding beyond this date will not be possible.
Costs of the following may be supported via Mentored Research Grant awards Accordion Closed
- Hourly wages for undergraduate research assistants during the academic year or summer session
The material, supply and travel allocation of the request may support the following expenditures:
- Laboratory consumables
- Small research equipment
- Software licenses used primarily for research
- Student travel expenses (to research sites or professional conferences)
Costs of the following may NOT be supported via Mentored Research Grant awards Accordion Closed
- Salary for faculty or staff
- Buy-out of teaching duties
- Renovations or building modifications
- Professional memberships
- Computers
- Travel costs for faculty advisors
All expenditures are subject to standard rules provided by NAU and ABOR.
When to apply Accordion Closed
The Mentored Research Grant program is a limited term opportunity for FY2024. Applications are accepted twice per year October 9, 2023 (updated deadline) and March 22, 2024.
How to apply Accordion Closed
The body of the proposal must be written using the Narrative Template provided, and the document must be saved as a PDF. The PDF document must be saved as follows: MRGYEAR_Last name of applicant_First name of applicant, e.g., MRG2023_Smith_John.
Applications for funding must be submitted electronically through the submission portal. Applicants must complete all informational sections in the portal (I: Applicant Information, II: Abstract (200 words), III: Budget and Budget Justification, IV: Research Compliance checklist and V: Intellectual Property checklist) and attach the completed Narrative Template as a PDF. Please direct any questions regarding this process to ovpr@nau.edu.
Selection criteria Accordion Closed
Clear delineation of how the proposed work is within the scope of one or more TRIF initiatives is a requirement.
Priority will be given to meritorious proposals that effectively demonstrate student training in the work and that communicate the role of the sponsored students in the estimated deliverables of the project (publications, presentations, invention disclosures, etc).
A prior record of success with previous undergraduate student mentees will be considered in the evaluation process, as will the availability of funds to the PI for student support via other active internal or externally sponsored awards.
Mentorship of students from groups underrepresented in research, first-generation students, or returning veterans, is particularly encouraged.