College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
Undergraduate Research Assistant Program
Instructions and Application
Summer and Autumn 2015
Application Deadline: April 13, 2015
Complete application must include:
• Completed application forms – Faculty Form and Student Form
(Do not include the instructions or quarterly assessment forms)
• Unofficial Student Transcript
Submit completed application in one pdf document via email to:
[email protected] with “URAP-Summer-Autumn-2015” in the subject line.
Faculty and student applications should be submitted together -- in one email and in
one pdf.
Page 1 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
INSTRUCTIONS
Purpose and Objectives
The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) has been created to support
DePaul faculty in their pursuit of research and the creation of knowledge. This program has
a dual purpose: 1) To provide valuable learning opportunities and financial support for
undergraduates to assist and collaborate with faculty members who conduct research
projects and are engaged in scientific activities, and 2) to offer support to faculty engaged
in the above activities consistent with DePaul University's commitment to the pursuit of
scientific knowledge.
The undergraduate research assistant program affords undergraduate students a
distinctive opportunity to become actively involved in the planning and implementation of
scientific research, and in the dissemination of knowledge internal and external to the
university community. This opportunity contributes to the students’ overall academic
experience. It more effectively prepares those students who intend to pursue graduate or
professional studies, as well as careers in which they are required to develop and conduct
similar projects. The undergraduate research assistants (URA) will provide faculty
members at DePaul with support needed for their research endeavors. The student
assistants can be assigned to ongoing research projects, or assigned to a group of faculty
who are directing a research project. This program is intended to provide direct
assistance on individual faculty research projects.
Eligibility
Full-time faculty members, including those on research leave, are eligible to apply for
undergraduate research assistants. Undergraduate assistants may be assigned to either
individual faculty members, or two or more faculty who are collaborating on a project or
activity.
All full-time undergraduate students in the College of Science and Health and related fields
who have attained at least sophomore status (48 hours) are eligible to apply. Selection will
be based on the merit of the applicant, the qualifications needed by faculty members and
the scientific value of the proposed project.
Generally, a faculty member and a pre-selected student will apply together.
However, there may be cases in which a faculty member desires a specific skill set
that is likely to be found in another department of the university. In such cases the
faculty member may contact the department for student recommendations, and
then interview and subsequently apply with the selected student.
Conditions
A faculty member may only apply for one assistant per quarter.
Page 2 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
A faculty member may apply for an undergraduate research assistant for l or 2
quarters with one application. There is no limit to the number of consecutive
quarters in which faculty may use an assistant, but the application must be explicit
about which quarter(s) the student will work as an URA. A faculty member may
only have one student assistant per quarter.
Each quarter, the faculty member is to evaluate the performance and progress made by the
student through work on the project. The student is to evaluate the experience as a
learning process. This is especially important in evaluating repeat applications for
assistants by faculty members. Evaluations are returned to the Mona Shattell
([email protected]), the Department Chair or School Director, and Sylvia Bridges
([email protected]) (Assessment form is below.)
Job Description
This program is intended to provide students a substantive work experience; that is,
student assistants should not be used as general clerical help. Assistants can help in areas
such as, but not limited to, library research, data collection and analysis, preparation of
manuscripts, etc. Students will work a total of 75 hours per quarter. The assistant may be
eligible for internship credit, contingent on the approval of the department from which the
student is seeking such credit, and, if so, the experience should also be considered to meet
the Experiential Learning requirement. (The assistant position may earn 4.0 credit hours
per quarter at the discretion of the supervising faculty member and the sponsoring
department.) If faculty and departments wish to grant credit for students accepted
into this program, they will need to enroll students in a course/independent study
accepted by the Liberal Studies program as meeting the Experiential Learning
requirement, or design such a course and take it through the established approval
process.
Stipend
Stipends will be awarded for 75 hours of work per quarter at $9.00 per hour, totaling
$675.00.
Criteria for Evaluating Proposals
Members of the CSH Research and Faculty Development Committee will evaluate
proposals in light of the following:
1. The student’s qualifications for RA work
2. The value of the research project itself.
3. The project's potential to provide real involvement and learning for the Student
Research Assistant.
4. Equitable distribution of available assistantships.
5. Special consideration of first-time faculty applications, and applications by non-tenured
Page 3 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
faculty.
6. The likelihood of the proposed project leading to a peer-reviewed publication and/or
external funding.
The committee will forward its recommendations to Academic Affairs who will grant
final approval.
Page 4 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
SUMMER AND AUTUMN 2015
FACULTY FORM
Submit faculty and student forms together.
Faculty Name: _______________________________ Faculty Rank:_____________________________
Department/School:______________________________
Project Title:________________________________________________________________________ ____
Project Description: (maximum 750 words) Please provide:
1. Detailed description of the research/scientific activity, its purpose, procedures to
be followed, estimated schedule or time line, expected outcome.
2. Responsibilities of Student Research Assistant
3. Required skills and abilities
4. What do you expect the student to learn from participation in the above research
project?
5. What is the distinctive scientific contribution of this project likely to be?
6. What publication and/or external funding opportunity are likely to result
from this research?
Name of Requested Student:
Please state why this student is appropriate for the project: (please include any past
classroom or work experience with the student.)
Quarter(s) applied for:
( ) Summer 2015 ( ) Autumn 2015
Do you currently have an undergraduate or graduate student assistant? () yes () no
If yes, how many hours per week does this student work for you? ______________________
Have you previously been assigned a Student Research Assistant (SRA)? () yes () no.
yes, please provide information (only on last two SRAs)
Student_______________________________________ Quarter_______ Year______
Student ____________________________________________________ Quarter_________ Year _______
Faculty Signature
____________________________________________
Date ___________________
Student Signature
_______________________________________________
Date __________________
Page 5 of 11
If
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
SUMMER AND AUTUMN 2015
STUDENT FORM
Submit faculty and student forms together.
Student Name_________________________
Major: _________________________________
Minor:
DePaul ID Number:____________________
() Soph () Jr () Sr
Total Credit Hours Earned:___________________________
Graduation Expected:________________________________ Cum G.P.A.: _________________
Have you previously applied for a Research Assistantship? () Yes () No.
If yes, have you previously received a Research Assistantship? () Yes () N
If yes, please provide information (only on last two RAs):
Faculty
Member _____________________________________________ Quarter ____________ Year____
Faculty
Member________________________________ __________________ Quarter_____________ Year___ _
Will you have other jobs during the time of this Assistantship? () Yes () No
If yes, how many hours per week?
Do you currently work elsewhere in the University? () Yes () No
If yes, where?
List your Research Interests: List the topics, problems, issues, etc., which you
are interested in pursuing.
Research Skills/Abilities: List your skills and abilities related to research
and scientific activities (i.e., library research, laboratory experience,
collection of survey or interview data, statistical analysis skills, etc.)
Include a copy of your Unofficial Transcript to this application.
Address:
Home Telephone:_______________________________
E-mai1: ______________________________
Faculty Signature
____________________________________________
Page 6 of 11
Date ___________________
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
Student Signature
_______________________________________________
Page 7 of 11
Date __________________
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM
QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT
FACULTY FORM
Faculty Name and Title:
Project Title:
Undergraduate Assistant's Name:
Quarter/Year:
1. What did you expect the student to learn from this portion of the research project?
2. Using one or two examples to illustrate, describe your perspective of the actual
learning process.
3. How would you evaluate the student's strengths and weaknesses as a research
assistant?
Page 8 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
Signed:
Date:
Supervising Faculty Member
Completed assessment forms must be forwarded to: Mona Shattell, Associate Dean for
Research and Faculty Development, College of Science and Health, [email protected],
by the end of the quarter's final exam period. Include “URAP Assessment” in the subject line of
your email. Send copies to your Department Chair or School Director, and to Sylvia Bridges,
([email protected]). Failure to submit a timely assessment may result in cancellation of
the grant.
Page 9 of 11
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM QUARTERLY
ASSESSMENT
STUDENT FORM
Student's Name: Project Title:
Faculty Supervisor: Quarter/Year:
1. What did you expect to learn from this portion of the research project?
2. Using one or two examples to illustrate, describe your perspective of the actual
learning process.
3. How would you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses as a research assistant?
Signed: _________________________________________________
Student Assistant
Page 10 of 11
Date:
College of Science and Health
Research and Faculty Development
Completed assessment forms must be forwarded to: Mona Shattell, Associate Dean for
Research and Faculty Development, College of Science and Health, [email protected],
by the end of the quarter's final exam period. Include “URAP Assessment” in the subject line of
your email. Send copies to your Department Chair or School Director, and to Sylvia Bridges,
([email protected]). Failure to submit a timely assessment may result in cancellation of
the grant.
Page 11 of 11