Provost's Undergraduate Research Fund
The Provost's Undergraduate Research Fund supports a Brandeis student's research or creative scholarship during the summer or academic semester. It also provides funding for undergraduates to present their work at professional conferences.
To apply for a Provost's Research Fellowship or grant, applicants must be current a Brandeis undergraduate who will be an enrolled undergraduate during the award period. Each student must have a Brandeis faculty mentor who will oversee their research project. The program supports projects in all disciplines, including all areas of the creative arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary projects.
Types of Awards
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$5,000 stipends
Summer Provost's Undergraduate Research Fellowships are $5,000 stipends to support undergraduates conducting a research or creative project with the mentorship of a Brandeis faculty mentor.
- Summer 2021 Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on March 2, 2021
Both the application and recommendation letter are due on the above date.
- Eligibility: Brandeis undergraduates in good academic standing who will continue as undergraduate students in Fall 2021. Current first-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduates can apply. as well as seniors who will graduate in December 2021.
The Summer 2021 application will be posted by the end of January.
If you have questions or want to discuss your application, contact Margaret Lynch, Director of Undergraduate-Faculty Research Partnerships.
$250 maximum, based on expenses
- Fall 2020 Application Deadline: October 1, 2020
- Spring 2021 Application Deadline: January 20, 2021
Limited funds (up to $250) are available to seniors writing theses. Standard costs for copying and binding theses cannot be funded.
Weight will be given to the candidate's summary and to the faculty thesis advisor's recommendation. When presented with equally excellent thesis proposals and recommendations, a candidate's grades may be considered to determine whether a grant will be awarded. If a student is doing research on a project that receives funding from another grant, they need to request funding to reimburse only those expenses which cannot be covered by the grant funds.
Application Checklist
Your completed application should contain the following:
- Student Applicant Information
- One-page funding justification summary: Summarize your research or creative project and explain at a high level how the requested funds will be used.
- Itemized budget request: Please each item, unit cost, the number of each item, and total cost. Ordinary school supplies and costs for copying and binding theses are outside the scope of this program. Students who need support for school supplies can reach out to the Student Support Services team.
- A resume
- Recommendation from your thesis advisor (Brandeis faculty). Faculty submit recommendation letter here.
Senior Thesis Funding Application
$250 maximum, based on expenses
- Fall 2020 Application Deadline: October 1, 2020
- Spring 2021 Application Deadline: January 20, 2021
Limited funds (up to $250) are available to students engaged in non-thesis research or creative projects during the Academic Year (Fall and Spring Semesters).
Weight will be given to the candidate's summary and to the faculty recommendation. If a student is doing research on a project that receives funding from another grant, they need to request funding to reimburse only those expenses which cannot be covered by the grant funds.
Application Checklist
Your completed application should contain the following:
- Student Information
- One-page funding justification summary: Summarize your research or creative project and explain at a high level how the requested funds will be used.
- Itemized budget request: Please each item, unit cost, the number of each item, and total cost. Ordinary school supplies are outside the scope of this program. Students who need support for school supplies can reach out to the Student Support Services team.
- A resume
- Recommendation from your Brandeis faculty mentor. Faculty submit recommendation letter here.
Academic Year Funding Application
$200 maximum, based on expenses.
- The program is not currently active; application form will be posted later in 2021.
- Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and will be reviewed monthly.
Due to current travel restrictions, until further notice this fund will only support a student's participation in a remote academic research conference. The undergraduate must be the first and primary author and presenter of the abstract summarizing the research or creative project.
Weight will be given to the candidate's summary and to the faculty recommendation. If a student is doing research on a project that receives funding from another grant, they need to request funding to reimburse only those expenses which cannot be covered by the grant funds.
Application Checklist
Your completed application should contain the following:
- Student Information
- One-page funding justification summary: Summarize your research or creative project and how presenting your research will support the mission of Brandeis and your own personal academic and professional development.
- Itemized budget request: Please each item, unit cost, the number of each item, and total cost.
- A resume
- Recommendation from your research mentor (Brandeis faculty)
Fall 2020 Undergraduate Research Fund Recipients
Senior Thesis Research Support
- Sadie Antine, ’21, Biology “Mechanism and Physiology of eIF3-mediated Translation Repression of BTG1”
- Anna Ginsburg ’21, Studio Art, Environmental Studies, “The Natural World and the Personal World: An Exploration in Painting”
- Caroline Greaney ’21, English, “"Invisible Enemy, Visible Loss: Unearthing Traces of the 1918 Flu in Tolkien's Middle-earth"
- Sarah Karan ’21, Psychology and Sociology, “Values and Well-being During COVID-19”
- Aishwarya Khanna ’21, Neuroscience, HSSP, “Patient-facing Barriers and Facilitators to Smoking Cessation in the Context of Lung Cancer Screenings”
- Kacy Ninteau ’21, Neuroscience, HSSP, Biology, “Barriers to Palliative Care in Nursing Homes During COVID-10 Public Health Emergency”
- Mendel Weintraub ’21, Film, Television, and Interactive Media/Creative Writing, “Senior Thesis Project: Screenplay”
Academic Year Research Support
- Daniel Hariyanto, ’23, “Biological Physics & Computer Science, Strange Phase Separation Behavior at High Temperature”
- Claire Ogden, ’21, “Anthropology and Media, Culture and Communication (IIM) Ethnographic Film on Art and Community during COVID-19”