Faculty Mentor Support
We recognize that none of the work we do to support undergraduates in research, scholarship and creative activities would be possible without our faculty mentors. OURCA provides a number of programs and grants to support those who support our students.
Faculty Mentor Professional Learning Grant Accordion Closed
Objective
The OURCA Faculty Mentor Professional Learning Grant aims to support faculty mentors through funding for research materials and services, equipment maintenance, professional development, and travel.
Eligibility
All faculty currently mentoring one or more students through an OURCA-funded project are eligible to apply.
Schedule
| Semester | Call for proposals | Proposal deadline | Award Notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 10/1/2024 | 10/21/2024 | 11/1/2024 |
| Spring 2025 | 2/1/2025 | 2/16/2025 | 3/3/2025 |
Fall awarded funds must be spent by June 15 and Spring awards must be spent by November 15. Any funds not spent by this time will be forfeited.
Application Criteria: Applications will be assessed and prioritized for available funding based on the following criteria:
- Potential for impact on the applicant’s research, scholarly, or creative achievement
- Degree of connection to current research, scholarly or creative activities involving undergraduate students
- Potential to positively contribute to current and future work with undergraduate students in
research, scholarly, or creative endeavors - Mentors who have not previously received this grant
Award Information
Awards are limited to $750 per award for all applicants, although it is possible that awards will be made in amounts less than requested. Multiple awards to one individual in the current academic year will only be considered if there are insufficient applications to fully expend available program funds. Funds may be used to support research materials and supplies, equipment maintenance, professional development materials or registration, and travel. OURCA will coordinate the purchase/payment of approved expenditures following award notification.
Application Questions
- First and last name
- NAU email
- College
- Department
- OURCA program for which you mentor (Interns-to-Scholars, Hooper Undergraduate Research Award, Student-led Projects in the Arts, Creative Activity, and Scholarship, Urdea Award, Shuler Research Mini Grant)
- Total amount requested (up to $750)
- Please provide a brief description of how the professional development funds will be used. (100 word limit)
- How will these professional development funds enhance your research, scholarly, or creative activities, outcomes or impacts? (100 word limit)
- How will these professional development funds contribute to your current and future work with undergraduate students in research, scholarly, or creative endeavors? (100 word limit)
FIERCE Fellowship Accordion Closed
OURCA is looking for faculty leaders within each college to serve as Faculty Innovators of Experiential Research and Community Engagement Fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year. FIERCE Fellows will be liaisons between OURCA and their respective college to promote the benefits of student participation in undergraduate research and creative activity and support faculty peers as they consider mentoring undergraduates in research, scholarly, and creative experiences. One representative from each college will be selected through a competitive application process. Fellows will receive $3,000 in professional learning funds for their service. Applications will be accepted February 1, 2025 until March 15, 2025. Learn more
Faculty Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Development Grants Accordion Closed
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity is be accepting proposals from faculty interested in embedding research experiences into existing or new courses from December 15 – February 1. Recipients will participate in a two and a half day training with CURE expert, Dr. Sara Brownell, in May and receive subsequent support from the Teaching and Learning Center and OURCA to develop the curriculum to pilot a course-based undergraduate research experience by Spring 2026. Learn more
Entering Mentoring Training Accordion Closed
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity has partnered with the Teaching and Learning Center, Research Librarians, and the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies to bring the nationally recognized Entering Mentoring training to NAU. Applications for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are being accepted now for faculty and graduate students who currently work with at least one undergraduate or one graduate students in research, scholarship, and creative activities. The training is a nine-hour program. Learn more
Pathways to Research – Request a Guest Speaker Accordion Closed
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity is offering faculty the opportunity to request a guest speaker for one of their classes to provide career guidance, offer inside information about their respective field, and relay what their pathway through research has been. Request a speaker
Request a Workshop Accordion Closed
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity partners with faculty, staff, and student organizations to share information or provide interactive presentations about undergraduate research and creative activities at NAU. We can come to your classroom, meeting, or event to build awareness around the wide array of research and creative activities in all disciplines and at all levels.