Hearst URCC Undergraduate Faculty Research Assistant Program
Made possible by a generous grant from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the URCC is offering a competitive faculty research assistant program to support undergraduate research assistant positions for Brandeis faculty.
The application form for faculty interested in supervising and training an undergraduate research assistant is open. Application review will begin on September 14. Apply by September 28, 2023.
This program provides paid research assistant opportunities in the Humanities, Creative Arts, and Social Sciences to Brandeis undergraduates who have no prior experience conducting university-level research. Brandeis faculty apply to the URCC program with a research assistant position description suitable for undergraduates. Faculty whose projects are selected for funding will be matched with an eligible student applicant who will work as a paid hourly research assistant on the faculty's research or creative project. The funds will be distributed among faculty in the Divisions and Schools listed below. Each Hearst URCC Undergraduate Faculty Research Assistant will be supported during the Academic Year.
The process for 2023-2024 is as follows: First, faculty submit a research assistant position (s) for funding by the URCC. Positions selected for funding by the URCC will be posted to the URCC website. Student applicants will be screened for eligibility by the URCC. Faculty with selected projects interview eligible candidates and select an undergraduate research assistant.
All students who participate in the Hearst URCC Undergraduate Faculty Research Assistant Program are required to register and actively participate in the Entering Research course module that meets Friday mornings from October 27-December 8, 2023.
Benefits to Faculty
- Feedback from faculty uncovers a consistent request for more financial resources to support undergraduate-faculty research partnerships.
- Faculty can introduce students to research, and these students may elect to continue research with the faculty mentor in the summer or following academic year with faculty or departmental resources or a Brandeis undergraduate research fellowship.
Benefits to Students
- Paid research assistant positions can serve as a stepping stone to independent research supported by fellowships or for course credit.
- Paid research assistant positions are accessible to students who otherwise would need to seek other paid part-time work.
Faculty Eligibility
Brandeis faculty who have active research or creative projects in the Divisions of Creative Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Heller School of Social Policy, and International Business School. (Faculty in the Sciences can continue to work within existing Division of Science programs for undergraduate research support.) Each faculty can apply for one or more research assistant positions. Projects that involve collaboration between groups of undergraduates and faculty are eligible; however, each student must have single faculty as their primary mentor, and awards will be made in an effort to support the greatest number of faculty.
Student Eligibility
The URCC research assistant program aims to expand access to research experiences to more Brandeis undergraduates. To this end, only undergraduates new to university-level research are eligible to apply. Students who have already conducted independent research or creative scholarship by working as a paid research assistant, through a summer research experience or a research fellowship or by earning course credit for independent research are ineligible for this program. Moreover, the program's purpose is to expand participation in research by student with demonstrated financial need, first-generation college students, and underrepresented students.
First-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduates who are in good academic standing and are currently enrolled in Brandeis courses can apply if they meet the aforementioned criteria. Students are required to fill out an I-9 in order to be employed by Brandeis. International Students are encouraged to review the steps for beginning on-campus employment found on the International Students and Scholars Office website.
Application for Funding Components
The application components will include job title, job description, job purpose, research skills the awardee will acquire, academic benefits for the student, as well as a mentoring and supervision plans for student.
Research Assistant Job Requirements
Wage rate of $16.50/hour for up to a maximum of 200 hours during the fall and spring semesters. All hours of work must be completed by May 30, 2024. Unused hours are not transferrable. Recommended time commitment for the student: 5-6 hours/week.
Research Assistant Deliverables (Requirements for the Student)
- Project summary of 2-4 pages: Summary should include a description of how they (the student) contributed to the project. Due before May 10, 2024.
- Full participation in the Entering Research course (Fall 2023 Module II) on Friday mornings, and in Spring 2024, a URCC undergraduate research mentee group.
- Present on their research participation at the Spring 2024 Undergraduate Research and Creative Collaborations Symposium.
Selection Criteria
- Research and academic quality: Proposed faculty undergraduate research assistant positions will be evaluated on their capacity to teach students foundational research or disciplinary skills that they can transfer to and use in the current project and in future research.
- Student mentoring plan: To be competitive for funding, the research assistant incorporate a plan for student training, a student-faculty mentoring and communication plan and schedule, with concrete criteria for success outlined.
- Selection process: The URCC director in consultation with the URCC Advisory Group will determine priority for funding.
Questions?
Contact Margaret Lynch, director of Undergraduate-Faculty Research Partnerships.