Purpose: To support undergraduate students to engage in their education by pursuing research with a UNM faculty mentor.  The proposed research may be conducted as an independent study, a departmental honors project or any other avenue that is currently unpaid.  The Undergraduate Research Scholarship is intended to support students who currently have no recourse to be paid to conduct research in their area of interest.

Eligibility: Must be a currently enrolled UNM student (minimum 6 cr hrs at main or any branch campus) in good academic standing, who has secured the support of a faculty mentor.  You do not need to currently be involved in research in order to apply.  The project that you present in your application may be at any stage (from initial proposal phase to gathering or analyzing data) but research activities must be conducted in the term for which funds are awarded.  Students who are currently being paid for research engagement (as a paid research assistant or as part of a paid research program, see here for complete list of programs) are not eligible for this scholarship.  All majors may apply but priority will be given first to Humanities (e.g., English, Philosophy, History, Africana Studies, etc.), Arts, and Design disciplines.

Application: Applications will close May 10, 2024 for Fall 2024 scholarships with awardees notified via email by August 1, 2024. 

You will submit the following materials to be considered for this award:

• Research statement (what are you proposing to do, what is the relevance/importance of this research, what methods will you use, what do you plan to accomplish in Fall 2024, include your research question if you have developed one) – max 2 pages, single spaced
• Personal statement (what motivates you to do research, why is this topic important to you, what do you hope to get out of the research experience, how are you prepared to engage in this research project) – max 1 page, single spaced
• Name and UNM email address of faculty mentor. URAD staff will contact for their statement of support for this work.

Requirements: In order to remain eligible for the award, you must maintain undergraduate status and be actively engaged in your research with your mentor for the duration of the Fall 2024 term.  You will submit brief monthly progress reports to URAD as well as respond to 1-2 online surveys throughout the term.  You will be expected to present your work at UNM’s annual Undergraduate Research Opportunity Conference (UROC) which will be held in-person at the SUB on April 11, 2025.  Please note that projects do not need to be completed to present at UROC.

Evaluation of Applications: Your application will be reviewed with consideration given to the following criteria

• Clarity of research statement
  • Is it clear to a general audience what the importance of the proposed research is?
  • Are the goals you have set realistic and attainable?
  • Are the methods proposed appropriate for you to conduct independent research, with the support of a faculty mentor?
• Strength of personal statement
  • Did you demonstrate that you have the knowledge/tools/support to conduct the proposed research?
  • Do you have a strong interest and motivation to pursue the research for the entirety of the semester?
• Statements of support from faculty mentors
  • Do they have the time to support your research project and development throughout the semester?

Award Details: Winners of the Undergraduate Research Scholarship will be given a $500 department award ($250 at the midpoint of the semester and $250 at the conclusion of the semester).  Department awards are similar to grants and count as financial aid.  Awards will be directly deposited into student bursar accounts.  Winning students who do not have an account balance will receive a refund check for the amount listed above.