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URCE

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Undergraduate Research & Creative Endeavors

The purpose of the URCE is to provide opportunities for faculty-student mentorships for the purpose of deep learning, professional skill development, and contributing to the worldwide knowledge base.

Funding Opportunities

There are a variety of funding resources for undergraduate research and creative projects. The availability of these resources are based on a competitive basis with strict deadlines and selection criteria. For more details about the funding opportunities available for undergraduates please check out the different options:

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ENDEAVORS TRAVEL AWARD

These guidelines are designed to assist undergraduate students at Eastern Kentucky University who wish to present their research and creative projects at regional, national, or international conferences. These awards are given for scholarly presentations at professional conferences, rather than student conferences. Awards will also be granted for artistic performances or exhibitions at professional venues.

Review Committee

  • The Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (URCE) Committee shall be responsible for reviewing applications for student travel reimbursement awards administered.
  • The composition of the committee and the procedures for the election, appointment, and replacement of its members are based on those appointed by the URCE Director.
  • A committee member shall recuse himself/herself when an application for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Travel Award has been submitted by her/his mentored student, or her/his immediate family member.

Application Process for Presenting at Professional Conferences

  • Work with a mentor to complete a project and find appropriate professional conferences.
  • If the presentation is accepted at a conference, complete the Travel Award application found at bottom of this page and submit the application and the acceptance letter from the conference organizers to the URCE Director. The application must be accompanied with an official notice that the presentation has been accepted, and a letter of support from the faculty mentor.
  • Submitted applications will be reviewed and up to ten candidates per year will be chosen. Applicants will be notified of the decision soon after the deadline. Applicants receiving the travel award may register for the conference and make travel and lodging arrangements. These expenses should be charged to the department of the student’s major, rather than by the student. The student should discuss this with the chair of the department before making any purchases.
  • The student and mentor should review the EKU Travel: Domestic & International Guides
  • At least one week prior to departure, the student must complete a Request for Out-of-State Travel Application and submit that to the Accounting Office.
  • The student must attend and present at the conference, retain any receipts from the conference registration, travel, parking and lodging. The student must also retain her/his name badge from the conference.
  • The student will submit the documentation of expenses, receipts and name badge to their major department’s administrative assistant, as well as a completed travel expense voucher (see Travel: Domestic & International Guides). Student must complete the most up-to-date voucher form.
  • The administrative assistant of the department will then scan and email the receipts, conference badge, and completed travel expense voucher to the URCE Director.
  • The URCE Director will then complete and submit an Account Transfer Form to reimburse the student’s major department.

Application Requirements

  • All full-time and part-time undergraduate students are welcome to apply for the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Travel Award that are presenting at regional, national, or international professional conferences.
  • Subject to availability of funds, awards will normally be made ten times each academic year in the amount of up to $500, twice in the fall semester, twice in the spring semester, and once in the summer semesters.
  • Proposals may be submitted at any time, but to ensure consideration for fall awards, proposals must be submitted by November 1st. To ensure consideration for spring awards, proposals must be submitted by February 15. To ensure consideration for summer awards, proposals must be submitted by June 15.
  • Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Travel Award Proposals must be submitted to the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Director (contact information located at the bottom of this page). For an application to be considered, all information required in the application form must be provided. Documentation of the presentation/exhibition should be included (e.g. letter of acceptance for a presentation, copy of appropriate section of the official program or exhibit catalog, venue, dates, and receipts for travel and stay).
  • For conferences that occur late in the semester, after the deadline, it is possible that students may apply for the Travel Award the following semester.
  • It is expected that proposals will be reviewed and supported by the student’s mentor. Proposals not supported by the student’s mentor may still be considered, depending on the circumstances. Mentors must provide a written statement in support of the student’s project.
  • Proposals must state purpose, estimated amount, and dates for the requested funding and have all documentation attached to the form.
  • Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Travel Award funds must be used in the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) in which the award is made. Requests for reimbursements should be submitted as soon as the activity is completed.
  • Students with activities occurring after July 1 but before awards are made for the new fiscal year may apply for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Travel Award in the fall semester.
  • The amount of the awards will vary depending on factors such as funds available, number of proposals received, and the type of conference/venue attended.
  • Preference will be given to students with first authorship, and based on the scope of the conference (e.g., national conference presentations will be deemed higher in quality than regional conference presentations).
Apply for URCE Travel Award

Changes in Guidelines

  • Proposed changes in the guidelines may be submitted to the URCE Director.
  • Proposed changes in the guidelines must be approved by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Committee prior to the beginning of the academic year in which they are to take effect.
Travel Award Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ENDEAVORS RESEARCH SUPPLIES AWARD

These guidelines are designed to assist undergraduate students at Eastern Kentucky University who will be conducting their own research with the goal of showcasing their research at a local, state, or national level and have encountered financial obstacles in beginning this research.

Review Committee

  • The Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Committee shall be responsible for reviewing applications for Student Research Supplies Award administered by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors division.
  • The composition of the committee and the procedures for the election, appointment, and replacement of its members are based on those appointed by the Noel Studio director.
  • A committee member shall recuse himself/herself when an application for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Student Research Supplies Award has been submitted by her/his mentored student, or her/his immediate family member.

Application Process for obtaining the Student Research Supplies Award

  • Work with a mentor to layout the ground work and get a research project based on your scholarly work started.
  • Submit the application describing your intended research project.
  • Submitted applications will be reviewed and ten candidates per year will be chosen. Applicants will be notified of the decision soon after the deadline.
  • The student must retain any receipts from the purchase of their research supplies up to $100.00.
  • The student will submit the documentation of expenses and receipts to the coordinator of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors, who will send the documentation to the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity administrative assistant.
  • After processing the expenses, the student will receive a check that will reimburse their expenses up to $100.

Application Requirements

  • All full-time and part-time undergraduate students are welcome to apply for the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Student Research Supplies Award.
  • Subject to availability of funds, awards will normally be made ten times each academic year in the amount of $100 for each award, five awards in the fall semester and five awards in the spring semester.
  • Proposals may be submitted at any time, but to ensure consideration for fall awards, proposals must be submitted by November 1st. To ensure consideration for spring awards, proposals must be submitted by February 15.
  • Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Student Research Supplies Award Proposals must be submitted to the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors coordinator, using the application form (see below for the link).
  • For an application to be considered, all information required in the application form must be provided.
  • It is expected that proposals will be reviewed and supported by the student’s mentor. Proposals not supported by the student’s mentor may still be considered, depending on the circumstances. Mentors must provide a written statement in support of the student’s project.
  • Proposals must state purpose, estimated amount, and supplies needed for the requested funding and have all documentation attached to the form.
  • Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Student Research Supplies Award funds must be used in the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) in which the award is made. Requests for reimbursements should be submitted as soon as the activity is completed.
  • Students with activities occurring after July 1 but before awards are made for the new fiscal year may apply for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Student Research Supplies Award in the fall semester.
  • In normal circumstances, each student may receive only one retroactively per year.
Apply for URCE Research Supplies Award

Changes in Guidelines

  • Proposed changes in the guidelines may be submitted to the Coordinator of Undergraduate research and Creative Endeavors.
  • Proposed changes in the guidelines must be approved by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Committee prior to the beginning of the academic year in which they are to take effect.
Research Supply Guidelines

The Department of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors is offering a poster grant to help students wanting to present research at conferences or showcases. An application may be submitted to Dr. Michael Lane or to the URCE@eku.edu.

Applications are to be submitted at least 4 weeks before the presentation is scheduled in order for the department to be able to process and fulfill the submitted requests.

Apply for URCE Poster Grant

The Department of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors is offering a research grant to provide financial assistance reimbursement to students whose project addresses an important oversight in their field related to diversity and who are wanting to present their work at professional venues at the local, national, and even international levels.

An application may be submitted to Dr. Michael Lane.

Apply for DiPS Grant

Check out these opportunities to get funded through the KY Society of Natural History and EKU!

  • The Student-Grant-in-Aid Program (graduate and undergraduate students from any institution) provides funding for proposed/ongoing work.
  • The Division’s Paul John Kalisz Conservation Award (EKU undergraduates only) is intended to recognize undergraduate students from any major whose scholarly projects focus on conservation of forest ecosystems, amphibians, reptiles, or carnivores. In addition to research, all forms of art and other non-research projects with a focus on conservation, wildlife, or preservation of natural resources are eligible. This award of $500 is to recognize outstanding creative work that has been completed or that is being proposed. Although the award can be used to fund your effort, it is intended as an award outright. A Student-Grant-in-Aid Program proposal requesting funding for the project (up to an additional $500) can be submitted simultaneously.

The Social Science Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is offering a limited number of travel grants, up to $200 each. Award recipients are required to acknowledge CUR for support of their travel in their talk or poster. After the meeting, a brief report about the experience is expected. Minority students are encouraged to apply. Student’s home institution must match the $200 CUR travel grant.

Apply for Travel Award

GCSAA
GCSAA believes in investing in the future of the profession. To ensure this, GCSAA’s philanthropic arm, the Environmental Institute for Golf, administers a number of different scholarships for students pursuing careers in the golf course industry, future turfgrass researchers and educators, children and grandchildren of GCSAA members, and foreign students studying in the United States. More information on each opportunity is available below. Contact Mischia Wright, associate director, development, at 800-472-7878 ext. 4445, if you have any questions.

The GPGCSA Scholarship Program

The Goal of the Greater Pittsburgh Golf Course Superintendents Associations Scholarship Program is to Support Future Golf Course Superintendents in Their Educational Needs

Publishing Opportunities

The Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship (KJUS) is an online journal dedicated to showcasing the research and creative activities of undergraduate students across the commonwealth of Kentucky. It is currently restructuring and cannot assure that it will publish in fact this year.

We invite submissions throughout the year from a variety of disciplines. The journal publishes two issues per year. If you are interested in submitting your work to KJUS, please click here.

The topics vary by discipline, and are categorized into one of several domains:

  • Life Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Social Sciences
  • Applied Sciences
  • Human and Educational Services
  • Humanities
  • Creative Writing
  • Performance Arts
  • Exhibition Arts

Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities (KUJHH) is an expert-viewed publication housed in the University of Kentucky’s repository, UKnowledge that seeks to showcase undergraduate scholarship, like research and art, from any student enrolled at a Kentucky institution. Our website which contains our mission and aims can be accessed at this link: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kujhh/.

Values & Goals

Our values include Intellectual Vitality, Professional Growth, and Collaboration & Accountability. The URCE 2021-2025 Strategic Plan was developed along with the other divisions of the Noel Studio and in conjunction with the University’s Strategic Plan.

  • Strategic Goal #1: Provide opportunities for foundational learning in Research and Communication
  • Strategic Goal #2: Design activities that stimulate the application and transfer of Research concepts
  • Strategic Goal #3: Develop resources and services that foster the articulation of learned knowledge
  • Strategic Goal #4: Engage EKU’s Service Region through impactful partnerships and services

Guides & Resources

Conference List

Posters-at-the-Capital
March 6, 2025
Capitol Building Rotunda, Frankfort, Kentucky
Abstract Deadline:
December 9, 2024

National Conference on Undergraduate Research
April 7-9, 2025
Long Beach, CA
Abstract Deadline:
November 30, 2024

University Presentation Showcase
April 2025 (exact day TBA)
Eastern Kentucky University
Abstract Deadline:
March 10, 2025

Contact Information

Undergraduate Research & Creative Endeavors

Stratton Building
Room 317

859-622-1890
urce@eku.edu

URCE Directory