Q: How is my scholarship distributed?
A: Half of your scholarship ($500) is deposited directly into your bursar account at the beginning of the fall semester. The other half is disbursed in two parts: one at the beginning of the spring semester if you attended all program meetings (or satisfied the requirement by meeting with the program director), completed at least 12 credit hours, maintained a 3.0 GPA, and submitted a Progress Report confirmed by a Mentor Agreement; one at the end of the spring semester, if you attended all program meetings (or satisfied the requirement by meeting with the program director), completed at least 12 credit hours, maintained a 3.0 GPA, presented at the FRS Colloquium and submitted a Program Evaluation.
Q: Am I required to work on a project in my major?
A: NO. Your project can be in any discipline or interdisciplinary.
Q: How many hours should I devote to the program?
A: You should plan to spend between 2 to 4 hours a week on your project.
Q: Am I required to work on an independent research project?
A: NO. You can work on an aspect of an established research program. However, remember that your participation should be a collaborative effort between you and your mentor that allows you to develop your research skills.
Q: Can I work under the supervision of a graduate student mentor?
A: YES. You can work with a graduate student so long as the their faculty advisor has agreed to the arrangement and will serve as your official faculty mentor.
Q: What happens if I do not submit a Progress Report and/or it is not confirmed by a Mentor Agreement?
A: You will not receive the second half of your scholarship ($500).
Q: What happens if I do not present at the FRS Colloquium?
A: You will not receive the second installment of your spring scholarship disbursement ($250).
Q: How many credit hours must I take to stay in the program?
A: You need to complete 12 credit hours per semester in the fall and spring semesters of the program year.
Q: What GPA do I need to maintain to stay in the program?
A: You must maintain at least a 3.0 institutional GPA.
Q: Is there a way to continue participation even if I fail to meet one or more of the requirements?
A: YES. You may be offered the opportunity to submit an appeal to explain extenuating circumstances that resulted in your failure to meet the minimum program requirements.
Q: Am I required to present at the FRS Colloquium?
A: YES. We want to see what you’ve done.
Q: What do I do if I haven’t completed any research or my results aren’t complete?
A: You still must present your methodology and anticipated results at the FRS Colloquium, explaining as much of your research as possible.
Q: Who do I talk to if I am having trouble finding a faculty mentor?
A: See “Finding a Faculty Mentor.”
Q: Where do I find all of the required forms for the program?
A: Here. All of the required forms are accessible through the FRS Blog’s Forms and Guidelines section.
Q: Do I need to be enrolled in university payroll to participate in the program?
A: NO. The scholarship you receive for your participation in the program is not paid through the payroll system.
Q: What do I do if I am asked to complete Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) Training?
A: See “Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) Training.”
Q: What do I do if I am asked to submit my project to the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
A: See “Research Compliance and IRB.”
Q: Am I allowed to be confused about what to do?
A: NO. Seek the assistance of your program director, college coordinator or faculty mentor if you are confused.
If we are doing research in a laboratory is our mentor compensated for the money they spend on our project?
Good question. No, your mentor is not compensated for the materials you use to conduct your project. And we’ve never had a mentor request compensation for their role in the FRS program. Though we do make available a portion of some of the other undergraduate research program funds for lab materials and the like–e.g. the Wentz Grants.