In recognition of the importance of undergraduate research and creative activity, Indiana University‐Bloomington has established the Provost’s Award for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. Sponsored jointly by the Provost, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, and the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs, the Award recognizes not only outstanding achievement in research and creative activity, but the importance of such creative and research experiences for undergraduates.
Student Award
The student recipients of this award will receive a scholarship of $500 in recognition of their achievement and will be recognized at the Hutton Honors Research Symposium and Fair in the spring semester of each year. Please note that this scholarship is considered gift aid and will count towards the total amount of financial aid awarded, in some cases resulting in a reduction of other types of aid.
Faculty Mentors
This award also recognizes that faculty who mentor undergraduates make a significant difference, encouraging and guiding students, and engaging them in this learning process and advocating for them. A good faculty mentor provides a role model for methods of inquiry and expression in a field of study and for the responsible conduct of research and creative activity. Good mentors often provide students with their first entry into professional circles and support the dissemination of the student’s work through participation in professional conferences, exhibitions, performances, or publications.
Faculty mentors will be recognized at the Hutton Honors Research Symposium and Fair.
Nominations
All undergraduate students and faculty are eligible.
Students are nominated to the dean of the relevant school by professors with whom they have worked and are then selected by the school for nomination to the Provost. Each school may nominate no more than a total of 5 undergraduates, indicating the appropriate category(ies) of review for each nominee.
Eligible papers or projects may come from disciplines across the professions, social and applied sciences, arts, humanities, natural sciences and mathematics. The categories are conceived to be broad and flexible, and to embrace activity of diverse kinds. Nominations of students who have engaged in multidisciplinary work are welcomed. In such cases, please indicate all relevant categories. The broad categories are:
- Natural and Mathematical Sciences
- Social and Applied Sciences
- Professional Inquiry
- Performing and Creative Arts
- Humanities
Nominations must include:
- a statement from the faculty mentor describing:
- their role in mentoring the nominee and the ways in which they had a positive impact on the student’s scholarship, creativity, and development
- the accomplishments of the nominee in the project for which they have been nominated
- a reflective statement by the student about how the research or creative experience has enhanced their opportunities for learning AND a brief summary of the way in which the experience was enhanced by the mentor
- published or unpublished work by the student, or evidence of creative activity (preferably a link to a website or shared Google folder), for which the student is being nominated.
A committee of faculty reviewers then makes recommendations to the Provost.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 1, 2024. These should be sent to vpue@indiana.edu.
The Provost will announce winners on or around March 29, 2024. The Hutton Honors Research Symposium and Fair will take place April 12-13, 2024. More details about the recognition event will be sent at the time of the announcement.