For its new Undergraduate Engaged Research Programs, Engaged Cornell is seeking proposals of new and expanded learning opportunities that involve undergraduate students in community-engaged research.

In addition, Engaged Cornell is accepting proposals for its second round of Engaged Curriculum Grants and nominations for the inaugural Engaged Scholar Prize.

Dani Corona/Provided

Engaged Cornell is seeking proposals offering new opportunities for undergraduate research integrated with community engagement.

“Students partnering with faculty and communities is at the heart of Engaged Cornell,” Vice Provost Judith Appleton said. “And with research experience already a distinguishing facet of a Cornell undergraduate education, coupling student research and community engagement is a natural fit.”

Funding support is intended for:

• established community-engaged scholars, researchers and programs providing opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research;
• investigators or scholars who can provide a strong collaborative environment for students and opportunities for them to work in teams;
• opportunities structured to include additional training or supportive learning experiences that are relevant to the research or scholarship;
• research and scholarship environmentshighly likely to be sustainable beyond the period of funding, and
• opportunities promoting access for all Cornell undergraduates.

Applications that involve multiple researchers or scholars, junior faculty and/or collaboration across units are strongly encouraged.

“With the inaugural year of Undergraduate Engaged Research Programs, we’re pleased to be providing support to students who will learn from – and contribute to – mutually beneficial research that is seated in communities and advancing knowledge creation,” Appleton said.

Active researchers from faculty or academic staff with established community-engaged research or scholarship in any field of study can submit proposals by Jan. 27, 2016. Proposals from Cornell units, extension divisions and laboratories to lead or participate in projects should incorporate academic oversight of students into the plan. Notification of awards will be in March.

Engaged Scholar Prize

The Engaged Scholar Prize is an annual recognition for a faculty member who inspires students, colleagues and community partners with innovative approaches to the integration of teaching, learning and research with public or community-based partnerships. The prize signifies the importance of engaged teaching and research in confronting the world’s most challenging questions, said Provost’s Fellow for Public Engagement Rebecca Stoltzfus.

“Cornell has a storied history of public engagement in teaching and research. The new Engaged Scholar Prize honors the importance of this critical work,” Stoltzfus said.

The award comes with funds to further community-engaged activities by faculty with one or more community partners who are essential contributors along with Cornell graduate and undergraduate students. The Engaged Scholar will give a public presentation on his or her work in the form of a campuswide symposium or workshop. Additional support will be available to enable participation by partners key to the project(s) honored.

Award criteria include recognized excellence in multiple aspects of community-engaged learning and research – teaching and mentoring, research addressing the needs of communities, reciprocity in community-based partnerships, and assessment of impacts and learning outcomes for project participants.

Nominations and self-nominations – in the form of a brief letter that speaks to the award criteria, along with a CV, letters of support and a narrative description of the engaged scholarship project, related partnerships and expected student impact – can be submitted online until March 1.

The first award will be announced April 4. 

Engaged Curriculum Grants

Engaged Curriculum Grants support course and curriculum development placing community-engaged learning at the heart of the Cornell student experience. Letters of intent for new projects are due by Jan. 27. Full project proposals – and applications to renew projects funded in 2015 – are due by March 18, and successful applicants will be notified in late May. The request for proposals is available online at the Engaged Cornell website.

“We had such a strong response – wide ranging, creative, ambitious – to the first round of the Engaged Curriculum Grants, we’re anticipating equally strong interest for this next year,” said Basil Safi, executive director of Engaged Cornell. “In response to faculty feedback, we’ve streamlined and simplified the process, which should help encourage even more participation.”

Information sessions on submitting Engaged Cornell proposals or nominations will be held Nov. 12 and Dec. 17.