Information for Davidson Students (First year, Sophomores, and Juniors) Applying for the DRI Summer Research Program

Students interested in applying for the DRI Summer Research Program should begin consulting with a potential faculty mentor early in the fall semester and are invited to attend  an informational session on proposal writing that will be held in October or November per an announcement on The Crier and Inside Davidson.  The announcement and examples of successful proposals from past years are also available  at P:\Academic Affairs\Davidson Research Initiative.

After consultation with a mentor regarding possible research projects and attending the information session, students should write a proposal containing all of the elements described below.  Students are permitted to obtain feedback on the written proposal from their mentor and others, however, the feedback can only be of a general nature.  The actual proposal must represent the students own work without extensive editing by others.  The application process has changed. Please complete the NEW DRI Proposal APPLICATION. The Application is now online. Please fill out the application form and upload your proposal. Email prompts will automatically be sent to your mentor and faculty recommenders once the online Proposal Application has been completed. The mentor and faculty recommenders will then be able to upload their letters online. Application deadline for students is Friday, January 25, 2013 at 5pm.  All letters must be submitted by Wednesday, January 30, 2013. Completed applications will be reviewed by the Program Director and a review committee.  Awards will be made in February.

Proposal Guidelines
Proposals must be divided into the following sections, with section headings:

• research plan (a detailed project description not to exceed 2500 words)
• timetable for the project (including whether you will be continuing the project into the next academic year)
• justification (explanation of the unique and original nature of the research)
• description of the relationship between you and your mentor throughout the research experience (detailed explanation of your planned interactions, including scheduled meeting times and other forms of formal or informal communication regarding the project)
• description of  any previous experiences that prepare the student for the project, including previous research experiences (with list of prior funding sources, presentations of research, and publications) and relevant coursework.
• dissemination plan of how results of the research will be shared (posters, presentations, professional publications)

Additional Application Materials
In addition to your proposal, the following materials must be submitted to be considered.

• letter of support from the faculty mentor, including assurance that proposal was written by the student. The faculty mentor will receive an email prompt with instructions once the online Proposal Application has been completed.
• an official copy of the student’s transcript (hard copy). Please bring the hard copy to the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Research  at Jackson Court #6. 
• two recommendations from persons other than your faculty mentor.  The recommenders will receive an email prompt with instructions once the online Proposal Application has been completed.  The recommender will complete the online recommendation form. No letters are required. 

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Shoaf in the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Research.