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Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship Goals of the Program The undergraduate research program is designed to increase the number of highly trained scientists and engineers and enable undergraduate students to conduct NASA-related research. Awards Research money awarded by the SC Space Grant Consortium will be administered as a stipend through the Financial Aid office on whose campus the Scholar is working. See the table above for your Campus Director. The full research stipend amount is $5,000, $500 of which will be available for research related expenses. Application Requirements Resume Education Information to include unofficial transcripts Project Title and Research Term (Academic Year or Summer) Research Proposal (no more than 2 pages): General outline of the project Research methods to be used Goals and expected results Relevance to NASA Project Advisor Essay (500 words or less) Past activities Current Interests Future Plans 2 Letters of Reference Assistance in locating research mentors Students interested in the Undergraduate Research Program who do not have a research mentor should contact the main office (contact information below). Please remember that you will need to travel to the campus that the mentor conducts their work. Students should be prepared to provide potential mentors with their resume, college transcripts, a description of any previous research experiences, and a listing of research interests. Students should also indicate whether they are seeking a mentor for an academic year or summer research award. The South Carolina Space Grant Consortium can not guarantee that a student can be matched to a research mentor or that finding a mentor will result in a successful award proposal. Selection of Proposals The awards are determined by the South Carolina Space Grant Consortium Director and the Space Grant Campus Directors. Selection for the awards are based on: 1) the academic qualifications of the applicant, 2) two letters of recommendation, 3) description of past activities, current interests, and future plans concerning a space science or aerospace related field, 4) faculty sponsorship, and 5) a research proposal including its relevance to NASA's mission. Eligibility Students must: Be a citizen of the United States; Attend a consortium member institution or educational partner; Have sponsorship from a faculty advisor; Be a rising sophomore, junior or senior; and Have an interest in aerospace and space related studies. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the basic sciences, science education, astronomy, planetary science, environmental studies, and engineering. Equal Opportunity Applicants will not be denied consideration on grounds of race, creed, color, age, sex, or handicap. We encourage women and minorities to apply. Reporting Requirements SC Space Grant Awardees are required to submit a final report of their research activities at the end of the academic year. SC Space Grant Awardees are required to present their work at a research symposium or conference. If selected to participate in this program you agree to participate in the South Carolina Space Grant Longitudinal Tracking program that is designed to monitor student progress from award through first employment. Obligation to the Government While students who receive support through the National Space Grant Program do not incur any formal obligations to the government of the United States, the objectives of the program clearly will be best served if graduates from the program pursue further study or careers in science, technology, engineering, and support areas. *As required by NASA, all awardees will be tracked via email through their first year of employment. For more information, please contact: Ms. Tara B. Scozzaro, MPA Program Manager phone: 843.953.5463 | email: scozzarot@cofc.edu
Last Updated: May 14, 2013 Curator: Cynthia Hall