2012 Howell-CSUPERB Scholars Award Program
Submission Information
The 2012 Howell-CSUPERB Request for Applications (RFA) is now CLOSED.
Applicants are required to submit an electronic version (Microsoft WORD, Adobe PDF, or JPG format) of their completed application before the deadline. Hardcopy or email submissions are not accepted.
The complete application package must be submitted electronically by faculty mentor before due date. Faculty must set up accounts online using the OARS system. OARS is CSUPERB's Online Application and Review System and is designed to maintain confidentiality and security. Students cannot set up user accounts on OARS. Contact Eric Nedelman (nedelman@sciences.sdsu.edu, 619-594-1203 or the program office, 619-594-2822) if you have any problems with the web page or the electronic submission process before the due date.
The complete application package includes: (1) Completed and signed 2012 Howell-CSUPERB application form, (2) Faculty mentor's letter of recommendation (on campus letterhead), (3) Faculty mentor's short CV, and (4) Student's transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).
Applicants can upload all required documents on OARS.
Howell-CSUPERB Application Form (.doc) including:
- Cover Page with contact information for student and faculty mentor. Be careful to enter correct spelling for email addresses that will be active during the application process (through January 2012); CSUPERB will contact student applicants and faculty mentors.
- Certifications and Budget - The Howell-CSUPERB Award program is open to any CSU undergraduate student in "good standing" and planning to remain at his/her CSU campus for at least one more academic term. Each CSU student applicant must be mentored by a CSU faculty member. The student applicant, faculty mentor and department chair signatures are required in the certification section. The signed certification page can be scanned and uploaded separately on OARS. Note: Funds awarded for "Academic and Living Expenses" will be disbursed through the campus scholarship office as an unqualified scholarship, based on each individual's financial aid/loan situation. It is recommended that applicants meet with their campus office if they have questions on how these funds will be handled in combination with other funds they may receive.
- Summary of Proposed Project [written by the student - limited to 100 words]: Use this section to briefly describe the project and the expected benefits of the proposed research project.
- Relevance to Women's Health [written by the student - limited to 100 words]: Use this section to describe how the proposed biotechnology-related project is relevant to women's health.
- Personal Essay [written by the student - limited to 100 words]: Use this section to describe the relevance and expected impact of the proposed project on your future academic or career goals. Explain how the Howell-CSUPERB award might enable you to do research that otherwise would not be possible.
- Project Description [written by the student - limit to two to three pages including description of the project, figures and references]: Use this section to state the specific aims of the project. Include a description of any previous work you have done in the area and a review of the existing literature. Describe how you plan to address each specific aim experimentally, including a description of the methods you plan to use. Be sure to describe how the results will be evaluated or analyzed. Provide a tentative timeline for the research project.
Faculty Mentor's Letter of Recommendation [The faculty member must sign and write this letter on his/her campus letterhead stationery]: Successful applications will provide evidence of an effective faculty mentor, who will ensure the Howell Scholar’s progress. The faculty mentor should provide a fair and objective assessment of the student's academic and research abilities in the recommendation letter. The letter should demonstrate the faculty mentor's commitment to insuring that the project is accomplished. The faculty mentor will provide assistance and support to the student at all stages of the project, including the development of the research plan, timeline, budget, execution of the project, and preparation of final reports. This letter is a very important element in the evaluation of the applications. If more than one student is applying from the same lab, the faculty member is asked to rank the students.
Faculty Mentor's Short CV [limit to one to two pages]: The faculty member should submit a short CV with the application packet.
Student's Transcript - The applicant student should submit a copy of his/her transcript. An unofficial copy is acceptable.
Contact Information
For questions regarding submission process and application forms, please contact:
Eric Nedelman
Administrative Analyst, CSUPERB
(619) 594-1203 or (619) 594-2822
For information about this program and RFA, contact either:
Susan Baxter
Executive Director, CSUPERB
(619) 594-2822
James Schmitt
Budget Analyst, CSUPERB
(619) 594-5299