Research Assistant Grant Program
Application for RAs to work between Spring 2024 and Spring 2025 (there will also be an opportunity to apply for Summer 2024 RAs in February 2024)
September 28, 2023 – Application due
(expected award notification late October)
Application for RAs to work up to three semesters between Summer 2024 to Summer 2025
February 15, 2023 – Application due
(expected award notification mid-March)
The SOURCE RA Grant provides funding for faculty mentors to hire undergraduate student research assistants. Funds provide either academic year payroll or a summer stipend to students for remote or in-person work with faculty mentors that supports the mentor’s ongoing research or new research projects. The goal of this program is to provide a mutual benefit to students and faculty mentors.
Priority given to mentors working with lower-division students (first- or second-year students), and to mentors in humanities, social sciences, arts, communications, journalism, or management fields.
The application may be made with a specific student(s) in mind, or SOURCE will advertise the position on Handshake and collect applications for the faculty mentor’s review and selection. Both the student and faculty mentor will need to submit regular reports to SOURCE, including a final report, and student research assistants will participate in the SOURCE’s peer mentoring, research skills workshops, presentations, and other activities.
Guidelines and eligibility
- Mentors may apply for 1-3 student RAs for a specified number of hours during the academic year and/or summer.
- Student eligibility:
- Syracuse University undergraduate students only.
- Working with seniors (May ’24 grads) in Spring 2024 is permitted, but seniors (May ’24 grads) may not be funded in Summer 2024 or beyond.
- SUNY ESF students are not eligible, even if taking SU courses.
- Students studying abroad are not eligible for SOURCE RA positions (exceptions may be made where the study abroad is related to the RA work).
- Mentor eligibility:
- Faculty mentors that are tenured or tenure-track; mentors with appointments that are not tenure-track or tenured are eligible with approval from the department chair.
- Research teams or co-mentors are eligible and may also include faculty with appointments that are not tenured or tenure-track, research-focused staff, and graduate students. If co-mentors or a small team of mentors are applying together, a primary mentor/point of contact should complete the application.
- Mentors will create the timeline that’s suitable to their schedule and workflow.
- Mentors with multiple projects should only submit one application; you may describe the separate projects and their requirements in the application materials with numbered sections.
- During the academic year, students are placed on payroll by the department budget administrator, SOURCE will reimburse for student pay (total including fringe).
- During the summer, students are typically paid by summer stipend.
- Pay rate is typically $15/hour unless the research group has a different standard.
- Students may only hold one SOURCE RA position at a time and typically will not hold both a SOURCE RA position and a SOURCE or Honors Program Summer or Academic Year Grant.
Goals of the program:
- Create stronger engagement in fields with lower participation in undergraduate research, or where faculty traditionally receive less or no funding for research assistants (e.g. the humanities, social sciences, arts, communications, journalism, or management fields).
- Provide research skills training to undergraduate students with particular interest in hiring lower-division students (first or second-year students) who might go on to design their own projects, or lead an independent piece of the larger project.
- Students will engage in meaningful work and learn about research methodologies and design in the discipline.
- Faculty mentors or research groups will advance their research agenda.
- Students and mentors will create a plan for project goals and deliverables, regular communication, and mentoring.
Questions? Contact ugresearch@syr.edu or 315-443-2091