Semester Research Grants

Overview

The goal of the Student Opportunities for Academic Research (SOAR) semester research grant is to facilitate student research in collaboration with a faculty mentor. Projects may be based on a faculty member’s existing research or newly designed by the student and faculty mentor. SOAR provides students a stipend for up to fourteen weeks of part-time work. Proposals may also include a request for project expenses. The SOAR committee invites students and faculty to submit proposals for the semester research grant.

Eligibility

At the time of the project, a student must have full-time status at the college, be of at least sophomore standing, and have completed at least one full-time semester at Moravian University. If the QPA of the student is less than 3.0, the faculty mentor should include an explanation of why the student is recommended for the program.

At the time of the project, a faculty member must be a current full-time faculty, an Emeritus faculty member of the college, or a current adjunct faculty member who has taught at the college for at least two full years.

Calendar and Compensation

  1. The student may work up to 8 hours per week for up to 14 weeks of the semester.
  2. The student receives a stipend computed as $7.50 times the total number of hours proposed (maximum of 112 hours).
  3. Faculty mentors do not receive monetary compensation.
  4. As an optional add-on to the proposal, applicants may request up to $300 per student for equipment, supplies and/or travel expenses. If the project involves travel outside the continental United States, the request may be up to $600 for travel expenses.

Expectations

  1. Each student meets regularly with his or her faculty mentor.
  2. Students and faculty work with Public Relations to produce a profile of the student and his or her project.
  3. Students participate in the Moravian University Scholar’s Day.
  4. At the completion of the project, the faculty member submits a one to two page report to the SOAR director assessing the project.
  5. At the completion of the project, the student submits a one to two page report to the SOAR director describing his or her accomplishments for the project.
  6. For a fall-semester project, these reports are due by the first day of classes for the spring semester. For a spring-semester project, these reports are the first day of classes for the summer semester.