Do you have a community problem you’d like to help solve? An ethical dilemma you’d like to explore? An intriguing research idea you simply don’t have the means to pursue?
CURL’s Student Research Fellowships support students’ research learning endeavours by providing $1500 and 1-on-1 mentorship with a faculty member at Huron. The funding may be used for project resources or to reduce the need for a part-time job while students complete this important work.
CURL views research as a process, not a product, and we value research that is widely accessible. Your Fellowship could culminate in a research paper, a community event, a proposal for a larger project (such as an app or local organization), or even a comic book!
Fellowship Basics
A CURL Student Fellowship is a major independent research project that is proposed and completed by you! These Fellowships are designed to support undergraduate students at Huron in obtaining immersive research experience and developing strong research skills. Here are some preliminary facts you need to know:
- Fellowship recipients are awarded $1500.
- A Faculty Mentor will provide hands-on support and advice throughout the project. You must obtain a Faculty Mentor BEFORE applying for a Fellowship. They can be any professor at Huron, and they will complete a separate application form. Try asking your favourite professor!
- Two students may apply as research partners. Partners share one Faculty Mentor.
- Your application must contain a complete research proposal that includes your research question, inspiration, methodology, and plans for dissemination. Applications with realistic scopes (i.e., projects that seem realistically doable within one summer term or one school year) are the most likely to be awareded Fellowships.
- Your Fellowship is not required to culminate in a scholarly paper. You could create a website, an app wireframe, or even a proposal for your future Master’s thesis.
Project Terms and Timeline
CURL awards its Fellowships twice each year. (Specific due dates will be posted at the top of this page and on our Instagram!)
- Fall-winter term: Fellowships are awarded in early November. We recommend students begin work on their project immediately and aim to complete it by April 30.
- Fall-winter term applications open mid-September and close mid-October.
- Summer term: Fellowships are awarded in early April. We recommend students begin work on their project immediately and aim to complete it by August 30.
- Summer term applications open mid-February and close mid-March.
We understand that research can be an imperfect, unpredictable process. Some Fellows fit their projects neatly into the above timeline, while others benefit from a slower approach. That’s okay! Refine and adjust your timeline as needed with support from your faculty mentor, and keep CURL up to date with your progress.
Obtaining a Faculty Mentor
CURL Fellowship projects require a Faculty Mentor. This Faculty Mentor submits a separate application for the project at the same time as the student applicant.
As early as possible before applying, you should ask a Huron professor to be your CURL Faculty Mentor. Here are some potential steps to keep in mind:
- Whether you’re just starting to form an idea or feel pretty set on one, we encourage you to meet with professors you already know, discuss potential ideas, and receive advice. Most professors will be happy to help, even if they don’t become your mentor!
- If you have a specific project in mind but aren’t sure who to talk to about it, please email us at curl@uwo.ca and we can direct you to individual faculty with similar research interests or other research resources at Huron to help you. However, we don’t formally match students to mentors: you and your mentor will create that partnership yourselves.
- When choosing which professors to officially ask about mentorship, consider more than just their area of expertise: comfort, ease of communication, and compatible teaching/learning styles are extremely important to a successful mentorship experience.
The student applicant AND the CURL Faculty Mentor must submit separate applications. These applications will have the same due date.
Eligibility
All students currently enrolled in a Major or Minor program at Huron University College are eligible. There are no grade or course load requirements. This means part-time students, Western/Huron dual degree students, and students with various GPAs are welcome to apply.
Research projects from all disciplines will be considered, but priority will be given to interdisciplinary projects and/or projects that describe innovative methodology or learning outcomes. For examples of possible projects, please see the “Example Project Ideas” section.
Necessary coursework is not eligible for this award, but substantial extension and mobilization of past coursework is. For example, you could not receive a Fellowship to complete an essay assigned to you in class; however, if that essay inspires you to explore the topic further, you could receive a Fellowship to create an expanded research paper, to prepare an early proposal for a Master’s thesis, or to create an online archive on that topic.
CURL typically awards 8 Fellowships per calendar year; however, thanks to a generous donation from CURL Fellow and Huron alumnus Taylor Boyd, one extra Fellowship may be awarded yearly in support of a project in the fields of Psychology and/or Education.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the research period, winners are asked to submit two items:
- A completed project (scholarly paper, infographic series, podcast episode, etc.). If the project is not in the form of a scholarly paper, we ask that students also provide a brief written report that describes their research question, methodology, and outcomes.
- A written reflection outlining their Fellowship experience.
Please see the Rules and Instructions document below for more information and the reflection template.
Example Project Ideas
CURL views research as a process, not a product. We envision our Fellowships as opportunities for immersive learning and growth that serve our students long after they leave Huron and in whichever careers they wish to pursue. We therefore welcome a variety of project ideas, including those which are intended to become proposals or building blocks for larger projects you might develop in the future.
Your research could culminate in:
- A community event, such as a workshop or poetry reading at a local library
- Publicly-available educational materials, such as a website, info booklet, or webinar
- An informative podcast that does a “deep dive” analysis of your favourite television show
- A pitch deck for a non-profit organization or app you want to form in the future
- An introduction or proposal to the Master’s thesis you hope to write one day
- A petition to a local government about a particular policy
- A scholarly research paper for publication in a journal
- Video interviews with persons affected by a contemporary ethical issue
- A helpful “how-to” guide
- And more!
If you’re unsure whether your project would be eligible, please send a brief summary to CURL@uwo.ca!
Student Application
Open – Due March 18!
Mentor Application
Open – Due March 18!
Rules and Instructions
See the rubric, report guidelines, and more!
Preparation Form
View the application questions and prepare your answers.
Fellowship Winners
Check out some projects by past winners!