SURE Scholars

Eligibility

SURE is designed to support independent research projects conducted by students under the supervision of a USD faculty mentor. SURE funding is not intended to fund student assistants, but is meant to support intellectually-engaged partnerships where students are trained in and contribute at each step of the knowledge/creative work creation process. Eligible students are USD continuing undergraduates in good academic standing who will not have graduated before the award period begins. Eligibility includes U.S. citizen, U.S. National, permanent resident of the U.S., DACAmented and International Students. 

Eligible faculty mentors must be employed at USD or hold formal affiliated status with USD (e.g., Research Associate). Faculty mentors can oversee projects conducted by students outside of their own department or program.

Previous recipients of a SURE award are eligible to receive SURE funding for additional summers. However, a new application for the current cycle must be submitted by the deadline. Students who receive funding for summer research through other sources (e.g., Hayes scholarship, McNair program, other on/off-campus sources) are ineligible to receive SURE funding. SURE recipients are expected to spend up to 40 hours per week conducting their project; therefore students should not have other major schedule obligations such as concurrent summer classes, study abroad or a job or internship. Please email us if you have questions about competing summer responsibilities. 

Appropriate Projects

SURE is open to all undergraduate majors; therefore, the types of projects that may be funded vary widely. Projects must have a clear 1.) research, 2.) scholarship or 3.) creative work focus, and should be conducted in line with disciplinary standards of inquiry.  Students working on group projects are asked to submit individual applications that clearly outline their individual part of the project.

Application opens Friday January 8th, 2021 and closes February 23rd, 2021 at 5 p.m. 

Please join the OUR mailing list for the latest information on other available research grants and opportunities.

Application Requirements

How to Apply

1. Online Application -

The online application can also be accessed through my.SanDiego.edu. Once you are logged in, go to Torero Life>>Undergraduate Research.  You will submit your Research Proposal (see guidelines below; submit as one PDF). Please check the application before submitting, you will receive a confirmation page when the application has been successfully submitted. 

Students are encouraged to have several discussions with their proposed faculty mentor regarding the proposed project to receive guidance during the writing process. Faculty providing students with reading materials, past successful SURE proposals, and tips for proposal organization, formatting and content are all acceptable and encouraged forms of guidance. It is also expected that the student will submit drafts of the proposal to the mentor for feedback prior to submission. Direct editing and rewriting of sections by faculty is discouraged and any that occurs should be very limited. The proposal is not expected to read like one of the mentor’s grant proposals or publications. The entire proposal should be written by the student.

Note also that some (or even all) reviewers of the proposal will not be experts in the area of research proposed. Students should seek to make the proposal as accessible as possible to a wide range of scientists within the constraints of length. 

Research Proposal Guidelines

1,000 words or less (~2 single-spaced pages, 1 inch margins). Check the main text with a word counter (including any figure legends). Given the short format, proposals need not be explicitly divided into titled sections (‘Introduction,’ Specific Aims,’ etc.). Each proposal should, however, include most or all of the elements below.

• Introduction / Background / Significance – Include a brief summary of the relevant literature that demonstrates your understanding of the topic, and how your project fits into the ‘big picture.’ Explain the significance of the project or question under investigation. Why is the work interesting and important?
• Statement of the overall hypothesis and/or research question, followed by the specific aims / goals. Indicate what specific objectives will be accomplished to address components of the overall question.
• Methods, Procedures, Experimental Design – clearly and concisely explain key methods you will use to address the project’s goals. This should also include a description of the division of labor - e.g., what tasks will student perform, vs. what tasks the mentor or other members of the research group will perform. (Note that a timeline of activities should be included outside of the proposal body.)
• What kind of results/data will be obtained and how will they be used to address the goals / questions / aims of the project? What results may support or disprove your hypothesis, or be key to answering your research question? Preliminary results may be included, either from your own work or from your mentor or other lab members (not required).

Part of the proposal but NOT included in the word count

• Figures, which may be included in the body of the proposal (note: figure legends should be included in the word count).

  • References/Citations
  • Supply Budget, up to $500 with a budget justification for specific supply items requested. [Supply funds cannot generally pay for books or similar personal expenses. SURE funds also do not generally pay for permanent equipment.]
  • Timeline for proposed experiments. (What do you plan to accomplish each week or month?)
  • Indicate whether or not animal subject (IACUC) or human subject (IRB) project approval and student training are required for this project. If so, note your plan for getting approval and/or required training prior to beginning the project.
  • For those students who have had a previously funded summer project at USD (a SURE, Beckman, NSF REU, Keck or similar award), provide a brief (300 words or less), but separate from your proposal, description of the project you worked on as a summer research fellow AND how your previous project is related to the one proposed in your current application. Your brief overview of your previously funded research should include a synopsis of your previous research question(s)/goals/hypotheses, your methodology, the results you obtained and implications of those results with respect to your research questions/goals/hypotheses and possibly the bigger picture.  If your project is an extension of your previous work, explain how the work is related.  If you are proposing a separate, unrelated project in the same lab or a different lab, explain that. 

2. Letter of Recommendation - One letter of recommendation is needed. Please provide a letter written by the faculty member who will serve as your advisor for this project. The letter should document his/her support of your application, describe your preparedness for the project, and specify plans for collaboration/mentorship; if you have had a previously funded summer research project with this research advisor, they should comment on your previous research experience. Please submit letters of recommendation to ugresearch@sandiego.edu. 

Review Procedures

The review committee is composed of 1-2 faculty members from each participating department. Each proposal will be evaluated based on the rubric by at least 3 reviewers from the committee, including 1-2 within the area of the proposal. Due to the considerable work of evaluating proposals, no feedback regarding proposals will be provided by the review committee. All decisions are final.

Reviewers will be using a rubric to evaluate applications. Please follow the link to see the Rubric.

Reviewers:

Dr. Jessica Bell 

Dr. Ryan McGorty

Dr. Jennifer Prairie

SURE Scholar Expectations Form

Specific expectations are for awarded students; please check back.

Directors:

Administrative Director: Dr. Elisa Maldonado Greene

Faculty Director: Dr. Valerie Hohman

Application opens Friday January 8th, 2021 and closes February 23rd, 2021 at 5 p.m. 

Please join the OUR mailing list for the latest information on other available research grants and opportunities.

Application Requirements

How to Apply

1. Online Application -

The online application can also be accessed through my.SanDiego.edu. Once you are logged in, go to Torero Life>>Undergraduate Research.  You will submit your Research Proposal (see guidelines below; submit as one PDF). Please check application before submitting, you will receive a confirmation page when application has been successfully submitted. 

Students are encouraged to have several discussions with their proposed faculty mentor regarding the proposed project to receive guidance during the writing process. Faculty providing students with reading materials, past successful SURE proposals, and tips for proposal organization, formatting and content are all acceptable and encouraged forms of guidance. It is also expected that the student will submit drafts of the proposal to the mentor for feedback prior to submission. Direct editing and rewriting of sections by faculty is discouraged and any that occurs should be very limited. The proposal is not expected to read like one of the mentor’s grant proposals or publications. The entire proposal should be written by the student.

Note also that some (or even all) reviewers of the proposal will not be experts in the area of research proposed. Students should seek to make the proposal as accessible as possible to a wide range of scientists within the constraints of length. 

Research Proposal Guidelines

1,000 words or less (~2 single-spaced pages, 1 inch margins).

• Project Title & Introduction-What is the “big picture” or the current state of the field? Provide background to understand your research proposal.
• Specific Aims or Goals- What is your hypothesis/question you are going to answer?
• Methods, Procedures, Experimental Design-How do you plan to address the hypothesis/Answer the research question? Please state if this is a group project.
• Results/Discussion-Discuss what you/your group expects the impact of the results will be/How does your project fit into the field? 

Part of the proposal but NOT included in the word count

• Figures
• References/Citations
• Supply Budget, up to $500 must include a budget justification for each item requested.  Supply funds cannot generally pay for books or similar personal expenses. SURE funds also do not generally pay for permanent equipment.
• Outline of planned activities  (What do you plan to accomplish each week or month?)
• Previous SURE participants: For those students who have had a previously funded summer project at USD (PURE, SURE, Beckman, NSF REU, Keck or similar award), provide a brief (300 words or less), but separate from your proposal, description of the project you worked on as a summer research fellow AND how your previous project is related to the one proposed in your current application. Your brief overview of your previously funded research should include a synopsis of your previous research question(s)/goals/hypotheses, your methodology, the results you obtained, and implications of those results with respect to your research questions/goals/hypotheses and possibly the bigger picture. If your project is an extension of your previous work, explain how the work is related. If you are proposing a separate, unrelated project in the same or different lab, explain that.

2. Letter of Recommendation-One letter of recommendation is needed. Please provide a letter written by the faculty member who will serve as your advisor for this project. The letter should document his/her support of your application, describe your preparedness for the project, and specify plans for collaboration/mentorship; if you have had a previously funded summer research project with this research advisor, they should comment on your previous research experience. Please submit letters of recommendation to ugresearch@sandiego.edu.

Review Procedures

The review committee is composed of three faculty members from each area.  Due to the considerable work of evaluating proposals, no feedback regarding proposals will be provided by the review committee. All decisions are final.

Reviewers will be using a rubric to evaluate applications. Please follow the link to see the Rubric.

Reviewers:

Dr. Saturnino Garcia

Dr. Michael Shulman

SURE Scholar Expectations Form

Specific expectations are for awarded students; please check back.

Directors:

Administrative Director: Dr. Elisa Maldonado Greene

Faculty Director: Dr. Jae Kim

Application opens Friday January 8th, 2021 and closes February 23rd, 2021 at 5 p.m. 

Please join the OUR mailing list for the latest information on other available research grants and opportunities.

Application Requirements

How to Apply

1. Online Application - 

 
The online application can also be accessed through my.SanDiego.edu. Once you are logged in, go to Torero Life>>Undergraduate Research.  You will submit your Research Proposal (see guidelines below; submit as one PDF). Please check application before submitting, you will receive a confirmation page when application has been successfully submitted. 

Students are encouraged to have several discussions with their proposed faculty mentor regarding the proposed project to receive guidance during the writing process. Faculty providing students with reading materials, past successful SURE proposals, and tips for proposal organization, formatting and content are all acceptable and encouraged forms of guidance. It is also expected that the student will submit drafts of the proposal to the mentor for feedback prior to submission. Direct editing and rewriting of sections by faculty is discouraged and any that occurs should be very limited. The proposal is not expected to read like one of the mentor’s grant proposals or publications. The entire proposal should be written by the student.

Note also that some (or even all) reviewers of the proposal will not be experts in the area of research proposed. Students should seek to make the proposal as accessible as possible to a wide range of scientists within the constraints of length. 

Research Proposal Guidelines

Should be 1,000 words or less (~2 single-spaced pages, 1 inch margins), addressing:

• Introduction – Statement of the project or research question. Explain the significance of the project or question under investigation. Include a brief summary of the relevant literature and how your project fits into the “big picture."
• Specific Aims/Goals – Articulate the research questions, hypotheses, and/or objectives that will guide your project.
• Methods, Procedure, Study Design – What method(s) will you use to achieve the project’s goals? Why was this this method selected, and what makes it appropriate? Include a very brief description of how the labor will be divided (e.g., what tasks you will complete, what tasks your mentor or other members of the research group will complete).
• Acknowledge whether human subject (IRB) project approval has been or will be needed.  If not yet secured, briefly describe your action plan to undergo training and secure approval.
• End product/Discussion – What is envisioned as the final product at the completion of your project?   What are the anticipated/possible outcomes? How would these results fit into the “big picture?”  How will you disseminate your findings?

Part of the proposal but NOT included in the word count:

• Figures - Ensure that your proposal clearly indicates that the reviewer should refer to the emailed attachment for figures
• References for all literature cited
• Supply Budget, up to $500 You must include a budget justification for each item requested.  Supply funds cannot generally pay for books or similar personal expenses. SURE funds also do not generally pay for permanent equipment.
• Outline of planned activities  (What do you plan to accomplish each week or month? Describe your action plan and timeline.)
• Previous SURE participants: For those students who have had a previously funded summer project at USD (PURE, SURE, Beckman, NSF REU, Keck or similar award), provide a brief (300 words or less), but separate from your proposal, description of the project you worked on as a summer research fellow AND how your previous project is related to the one proposed in your current application. Your brief overview of your previously funded research should include a synopsis of your previous research question(s)/goals/hypotheses, your methodology, the results you obtained, and implications of those results with respect to your research questions/goals/hypotheses and possibly the bigger picture. If your project is an extension of your previous work, explain how the work is related. If you are proposing a separate, unrelated project in the same or different lab, explain that.

2.  Letter of Recommendation: One letter of recommendation is needed. Please provide a letter written by the faculty member who will serve as your advisor for this project. The letter should document his/her support of your application, describe your preparedness for the project, and specify plans for collaboration/mentorship; if you have had a previously funded summer research project with this research advisor, they should comment on your previous research experience. Please submit letters of recommendation to ugresearch@sandiego.edu.

Review Procedures

The review committee is composed of three faculty members from each area.  Due to the considerable work of evaluating proposals, no feedback regarding proposals will be provided by the review committee. All decisions are final.

Reviewers will be using a rubric to evaluate applications. Please follow the link to see the Rubric.

Reviewers:

Dr. Andrea Godfrey Flynn 

Dr. Jena Hales

SURE Scholar Expectations Form

Specific expectations are for awarded students; please check back.

Directors:

Administrative Director: Dr. Elisa Maldonado Greene

Faculty Director: Dr. Susannah Stern

Application opens Friday January 8th, 2021 and closes February 23rd, 2021 at 5 p.m. 

Please join the OUR mailing list for the latest information on other available research grants and opportunities.

How to Apply

Online Application - 

The online application can also be accessed through my.SanDiego.edu. Once you are logged in, go to Torero Life>>Undergraduate Research.  You will submit your Research Proposal (see guidelines below; submit as one PDF). Please check application before submitting, you will receive a confirmation page when application has been successfully submitted. 

Students are encouraged to have several discussions with their proposed faculty mentor regarding the proposed project to receive guidance during the writing process. Faculty providing students with reading materials, past successful SURE proposals, and tips for proposal organization, formatting and content are all acceptable and encouraged forms of guidance. It is also expected that the student will submit drafts of the proposal to the mentor for feedback prior to submission. Direct editing and rewriting of sections by faculty is discouraged and any that occurs should be very limited. The proposal is not expected to read like one of the mentor’s grant proposals or publications. The entire proposal should be written by the student.

Note also that some (or even all) reviewers of the proposal will not be experts in the area of research proposed. Students should seek to make the proposal as accessible as possible to a wide range of scientists within the constraints of length. 

Research Proposal Guidelines

1,000 words or less (~2 single-spaced pages, 1 inch margins).

• Project Title
• Project Description: A concise summary of your project that includes the final form/medium the project will take. 
• Project Abstract: The abstract should be a summary of your project that communicates to a broad public the significance of your project to the field. 
• Project Statement: The project statement should describe your project and discuss its immediate and larger objectives to show its impact and how it will make a meaningful contribution to the creative discourse or field.
• Biography: Provide a brief biography that identifies your current position, relevant background in related research and projects, and skills/qualifications.
• Publication and Dissemination: Describe how the project will be published, presented, or performed.

Part of the proposal but NOT included in the word count

• Figures: Relevant conceptual sketches, diagrams, drawings, model photos, or other images of the proposed project.
• References/Citations
• Supply Budget,
• up to $500 must include a budget justification for each item requested.  Supply funds cannot generally pay for books or similar personal expenses. SURE funds also do not generally pay for permanent equipment.
• Work Plan and Project Timeline

2. Letter of Recommendation-One letter of recommendation is needed. Please provide a letter written by the faculty member who will serve as your advisor for this project. The letter should document his/her support of your application, describe your preparedness for the project, and specify plans for collaboration/mentorship. Please submit letters of recommendation to UGresearch@sandiego.edu.

Review Procedures

The review committee is composed of three faculty members from each area.  Due to the considerable work of evaluating proposals, no feedback regarding proposals will be provided by the review committee. All decisions are final.

Reviewers will be using a rubric to evaluate applications. Please follow the link to see the Rubric.

Reviewers:

Professor Matthew Rich

Professor Farrah Karapetian

SURE Scholar Expectations Form

Specific expectations are for awarded students; please check back.

Directors:

Administrative Director: Dr. Elisa Maldonado Greene

Faculty Director: Dr. Shannon Starkey

Application opens Friday January 8th, 2021 and closes February 23rd, 2021 at 5 p.m. 

Please join the OUR mailing list for the latest information on other available research grants and opportunities.

Application Requirements

How to Apply

1. Online Application - 

The online application can also be accessed through my.SanDiego.edu. Once you are logged in, go to Torero Life>>Undergraduate Research.  You will submit your Research Proposal (see guidelines below; submit as one PDF). Please check application before submitting, you will receive a confirmation page when application has been successfully submitted. 

Students are encouraged to have several discussions with their proposed faculty mentor regarding the proposed project to receive guidance during the writing process. Faculty providing students with reading materials, past successful SURE proposals, and tips for proposal organization, formatting and content are all acceptable and encouraged forms of guidance. It is also expected that the student will submit drafts of the proposal to the mentor for feedback prior to submission. Direct editing and rewriting of sections by faculty is discouraged and any that occurs should be very limited. The proposal is not expected to read like one of the mentor’s grant proposals or publications. The entire proposal should be written by the student.

Note also that some (or even all) reviewers of the proposal will not be experts in the area of research proposed. Students should seek to make the proposal as accessible as possible to a wide range of scientists within the constraints of length. 

Research Proposal Guidelines
1,000 words or less (~2 single-spaced pages, 1 inch margins).

• Clearly outline the purpose of the project, using relevant background information to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of your chosen topic.
• Critically analyze a range of sources to present a clear research agenda.
• Explain your research methodology and discuss how you expect to substantiate your argument(s) using specific research techniques, and/or integrate disparate areas of knowledge.
• Demonstrate that the project is based on original, relevant, and innovative thinking.
• List the relevant primary/ secondary/multimedia sources you will use to support your argument(s).
• If the study includes an ethnographic component, explain the questions to be asked and the communities studied.
• If the study includes analyses of material culture, provide context for the subject(s) of study.
• Explain how you anticipate communicating the findings of your original scholarly project. Conference? Publications?
• Explain the overall significance of the project and outline how your research project connects to a broader field of knowledge.

Part of the proposal but NOT included in the word count

• Figures
• References/Citations
• Supply Budget, up to $500 must include a budget justification for each item requested.  Supply funds cannot generally pay for books or similar personal expenses. SURE funds also do not generally pay for permanent equipment.
• Outline of planned activities  (What do you plan to accomplish each week or month?)

2. Letter of Recommendation-One letter of recommendation is needed. Please provide a letter written by the faculty member who will serve as your advisor for this project. The letter should document his/her support of your application, describe your preparedness for the project, and specify plans for collaboration/mentorship. Please submit letters of recommendation to UGresearch@sandiego.edu.

Review Procedures

The review committee is composed of three faculty members from each area.  Due to the considerable work of evaluating proposals, no feedback regarding proposals will be provided by the review committee. All decisions are final.

Reviewers will be using a rubric to evaluate applications. Please follow the link to see the Rubric. 

Reviewers:

Dr. Josen Diaz

Dr. Corey L. Barnes

Dr. T.J. Tallie

Dr. M. Amanda Moulder

SURE Scholar Expectations Form

Specific expectations are for awarded students; please check back.

Directors:

Administrative Director: Dr. Elisa Maldonado Greene

Faculty Director: Dr. Christopher Carter

Registering as an Undergraduate Researcher

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) supports all students engaged in undergraduate research/scholarship/creative works. As a way to connect students and their mentors with the resources available to them, all undergraduate researchers (USD and non-USD students) are required to register as an undergraduate researcher. This requirement includes students engaged in extracurricular, academic year or summer, paid or volunteer/unpaid research positions; it does not include students conducting research as part of a course.

Policy on IRB and IACUC Project Approvals

Any awarded SURE project that involves human (IRB) or animal (IACUC) subjects must receive formal approval from the appropriate USD research ethics committee. A human subject or animal subjects approved IRB or IACUC letter (showing all necessary signatures) must be submitted during the application process and no later than the research start date.  Additionally, a human subject or animal subjects training course must be taken and a copy of the training completion certificate must be received by the OUR before any awarded project funds will be approved for distribution.  Undergraduate researchers should work with their research mentor to submit the required materials to the appropriate committee.

Research Ethics & Integrity Training

All students and faculty mentors must complete a Research Ethics & Integrity Training (responsible conduct of research; RCR) before research begins.
Please download the CITI Instructions on how to create a login and to access the online.
Faculty and students who have previously taken the training do not have take it again. 
A copy of the certificate of completion must be received by the OUR and can be emailed to ugresearch@sandiego.edu and/or can be uploaded by students on the researcher registration form.

Policy on IRB and IACUC Project Approvals

Any research project that involves human (IRB) or animal (IACUC) subjects must receive formal approval from the appropriate USD research ethics committee. A human subject or animal subjects approved IRB or IACUC letter (showing all necessary signatures) must be submitted during the application process and no later than the research start date.  Additionally, a human subject or animal subjects training course must be taken and a copy of the training completion certificate must be received by the OUR at ugresearch@sandiego.edu and/or can be uploaded by students on the researcher registration form before research begins.
Please download the CITI Instructions on how to create a login and to access the online.
Undergraduate researchers should work with their research mentor to determine additional trainings and submit the required materials to the appropriate committee.

USD Undergraduate Research Conference Presentation

SURE awardees are expected to present their research at Creative Collaborations, USD's Undergraduate Research Conference, in the spring following their summer research, if still enrolled as students, the OUR will pay for posters printed on campus. Students should acknowledge the SURE program as a funding source.

Undergraduate researchers* in the following programs are required to be enrolled in the Undergraduate Research 496 course (UGRS 496); you will be registered in the course in late May 2020.

SURE

Beckman

Keck

Changemaker Summer Research Fellows/Community Based Research (CBR)

McNair

NSF REU  

*current/continuing USD students only

Post-Award Changes

SURE project awards cannot be changed once awarded. Only the student who submitted an approved proposal is allowed to receive SURE grant funds. Substitution of a different student or students onto an already-awarded grant project is not allowed. If the student is unable to carry out the project, the award is to be declined.

The faculty mentor and the student are jointly responsible for beginning and continuing work as described in the approved project, including the agreed upon start date and length of work. Any significant changes in student or faculty participation should be reported to the Office of Undergraduate Research (for example, changes of more than one week for a 10 week project and start/stop date).

Distribution of Awards

The philosophy of the SURE program review committee will be to fund as many viable student projects as possible. The number of proposals has been rising every year, while available funds for awards have generally remained at the same level. Past funding rates have been around 50%. 

Students conducting research as part of the SURE program are 1) not considered employees, 2) do not report hours worked and 3) will receive a stipend.  Additionally, the Office of Undergraduate Research will be enrolling SURE Scholars*^ into an Undergraduate  Research 496 course (UGRS 496).
*current/continuing USD students only
^If you are already enrolled in courses for the summer please email ugresearch@sandiego.edu immediately, as this may impact you.

Getting Paid:

Undergraduate researchers will be paid once a month and students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit to avoid delays in payment.

***IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS***

Only applicable if you are currently receiving financial aid:

This award will be part of your overall financial aid package. Listed below is the amount of funding you can receive for summer 2020 (based on housing), anything above the amounts listed below MAY impact your academic year financial aid package.  If you have any concerns about the impact of the award, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at onestop@sandiego.edu.

At home: $1,006/month

Off campus: $1,793/month

On campus: $1,858/month (actual will vary depending on housing selected or any special rates assessed for summer)

Taxes:

Student stipends are taxable and subject to withholding. Please contact the Payroll Office at 619-260-4818 for more information about possible exemption from withholding.

Housing:

All SURE Scholars are eligible for a discounted on-campus housing rate (50%). The discount only applies to shared rooms; students living in single rooms will be required to pay the full, non-discounted rate. 

Students will work directly with Residential Life to make their housing arrangements and all questions regarding summer housing should be directed to Residential Life.

In order to be eligible for the 50% discount rate, be sure to add "summer research scholar" and "SURE Scholar" in the comment section of the housing application.

Earliest move-in date: Saturday, May 31st, 2020
Latest move-out Date: Saturday, August 8th, 2020
Rate: $18/day (multiple occupancy)

Travel/Meetings:

SURE does not fund travel to professional meetings, or other expenses associated with such meetings. AS may fund travel expenses when travel is required to perform research. If you plan to present your research at a scientific meeting in the future, please visit Travel Awards for more information on how to apply for conference travel funds.

All events are mandatory and require your RSVP. The SURE 2019 calendar can be viewed as a reference for events.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the office at ugresearch@sandiego.edu.

For mentor FAQ, Please visit our page Resources for Undergraduate Research Mentors for more information.

Q: Can I engage in research after receiving my acceptance into the program?
A: You cannot engage in research until you have registered as a researcher, or completed the CITI training. 

Q: Where can I go to complete the training? 
A: Please review the CITI instructions manual on instructions on how to register for CITI Training. 

Q: When are the training and registration as a researcher due?
A: Everything is due by the first day that the programs begin. 

Q: How will I know that I have been accepted into the program?
A: Students will be notified of acceptance by March 27th, 2020. 

Q: How do I go about finding a mentor? Is there a list I can go by?
A: Please visit our Creative Collaborations page and check out our past Abstracts books, where you will find projects that mentors have participated in. 

Q: I received the SURE Scholarship last year, can I still apply?
A: For those students who have had a previously funded summer project at USD (a SURE, Beckman, NSF REU, Keck or similar award), provide a brief (300 words or less), but separate from your proposal, description of the project you worked on as a summer research fellow AND how your previous project is related to the one proposed in your current application. Your brief overview of your previously funded research should include a synopsis of your previous research question(s)/goals/hypotheses, your methodology, the results you obtained and implications of those results with respect to your research questions/goals/hypotheses and possibly the bigger picture.  If your project is an extension of your previous work, explain how the work is related.  If you are proposing a separate, unrelated project in the same lab or a different lab, explain that.

Q: Can I work during the summer/take classes if I am awarded SURE?
A: Since this research program is like a full-time job, you cannot work nor take classes over the summer. 

Q: Can I email my proposal after the application closes?
A: No, we do not accept late applications, the deadline is 5:00 pm on Friday so we recommend starting the application early in case you have any issues with the online form, it will lock you out at 5:00 pm sharp.