The CURCA Westfield State University 1 What is

The CURCA @ Westfield State University. 1. What is the CURCA? 2. CURCA Initiatives. 3. Questions?

The CURCA @ Westfield State University. Undergraduate research (UR) and creative activity (CA) form a core academic experience and offer an inclusive and diverse framework for every student, faculty, discipline, department, or major on-campus. ● The CURCA grounds and increases UR/CA through coordination and funding. ● Goal: make Westfield State a hub for UR/CA in New England - a reason for students from across the region to chose and to stay at Westfield State University. Ultimately this is about creating an awesome academic experience for the students.

Defining UR and CA. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) definition of UR. “a faculty-mentored inquiry or investigation conducted by a student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline” The Jenny Shanahan modification. “a faculty-mentored inquiry or investigation conducted by a student that seeks to make an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline” ⇒ Shift the focus from product to process.

The Four Characteristics of UR and CA. 1) Mentored by Faculty. ● Faculty are engaged throughout the process as mentors. ● Primary focus is on student success, not faculty success. 3) Acceptable in the Discipline(s). ● ‘Looks’ like what scholars or professionals do. ● Uses appropriate methods and processes in the discipline(s). 2) Original. ● Makes a meaningful contribution to the field at the appropriate level for the student and includes inquiry and discovery processes. 4) Shared. ● The final product(s) is reviewed by and shared with peers, experts, stakeholders, and/or the community or public. (after Osborn & Karukstis, 2009; Crawford & Shanahan, 2014)

UR/CA as Apprenticeship. Independent UR/CA with faculty mentor. UR/CA in Discipline. Embedded into (themed) upper-level courses. UR/CA as Pedagogy. Scaffolded into courses across the curriculum, including FYO courses. Increasing Student Choice Increasing Student Participation Three-Tiered UR and CA across the Curriculum.

CURCA Initiatives. 1. Fall and Spring Celebrations of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. 2. Grants for students and faculty. 3. CURCA Advisory Committee. 4. CURCA Space. 5. CURCA Director.

Spring CURCA 2016 and 2017.

Fall 2017 CURCA (Friday 1 December). https: //sites. google. com/site/fall 2017 curca/

Spring CURCA 2017.

Spring CURCA 2016.

Spring CURCA 2017.

CURCA Grants for Students and Faculty. Acronym Grant Description SMARTS Seed Money for Academic Supports students who participate in scholarly/creative or Research Travel for activities off-campus, and/or beyond the material Students means provided for typical coursework, for example attending/presenting at academic conferences or workshops; participating in off-campus research or creative projects; or engaging in service learning directly related to an academic program or purpose. G-SMARTS Group Seed Money for Academic or Research Travel for Students Caps / Conditions Due Date $750 per student. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. As above, but when traveling as a group of two or more $750 per student. The total amount for Applications to the same conference, event, or project. Or when the group is limited to $5, 000/year (not accepted on a traveling with faculty accompaniment. including the possible additional rolling basis. funding of $1, 000 for accompanying faculty travel). Conditions for SMARTS and G-SMARTS Grants: Funded students must submit a 250 -300 word reflective summary upon their return and participate in our Celebration of Undergraduate Research ann Creative Activity poster symposium. Funded faculty are required to provide a 350 -500 word reflective summary upon their return. Acronym Grant Description Caps Conditions Due Date EZ-SMARTS EZ Seed Money for Academic or Research Travel for Students Supports student participation/attendance at conferences and other scholarly/creative destinations when a professor is sponsoring a group, typically local or regional destinations. $50 for per student, $500 per group. Additional $250 is available for related group expenses, such as campus van costs, or for the professor’s expenses. The combined total cannot exceed $750. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

CURCA Grants for Students and Faculty. Acronym Grant Description Caps / Conditions Due Date FF Award (FFA) Faculty Facilitation Award Supports direct costs of research and creative scholarship by students, for example purchase of equipment and supplies; compensation for research participants; clerical assistance; data analysis; and costs associated with performance, exhibition, publication or conference presentation of work. $1, 500 per faculty. Applications Funded faculty are required to provide accepted on a a 2 -page grant report upon completion rolling basis. of the student project. Note: this grant does not cover travel costs for faculty or students. SSu. RF Program Student Summer Research Fellows Program The SSu. RF Program funds faculty-mentored high-level undergraduate research and creative scholarship projects conducted over ten weeks of the summer from June 1 to August 10, 2018. If on-campus housing is needed, some need-based support may be available. Students receive a stipend of $4000 to 5 February complete the program and mentoring 2018 faculty will be paid a stipend of $2000 per student. A small budget (maximum $500) is be available for supplies. Acronym Grant Description Caps / Conditions CRE Award Course-based Research Experience Award (formerly CDA) This grant funds the revision of existing courses to include a new significant UR/CA learning experience / milestone project. Full-time faculty, adjunct, and parttime faculty are eligible and about ten awards can be awarded. $1, 500 per faculty. 3 Nov 2017 Include the new CRE into all future course offerings and students should 9 March 2018 participate in our Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity poster symposium. Due Date

CURCA Grants for Students and Faculty.

CURCA Advisory Committee. https: //sites. google. com/site/westfielddiscovers/home Charge. The Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Committee is charged with making recommendations regarding the establishment of the Center and to advise on the following areas: programming models for supporting and improving undergraduate research, processes for the distribution of resources in implementing that support, and necessary facilities and technology. The committee will also have the ongoing responsibility of advising the administration on issues related the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. The committee will actively seek input from the campus community in formulating recommendations and will communicate with the campus on a regular basis through the posting of recommendations.

CURCA Advisory Committee. https: //sites. google. com/site/westfielddiscovers/home Carsten Braun (Geography and Regional Planning, chair) Louann D'Angelo (Faculty Grants and Sponsored Programs) Marcus Di. Bacco (SGA) Corinne Ebbs (Library) Michael Filas (English) Brian Jennings (Mathematics) Sonya Lawson (Music) Nora Padykula (Social Work) Diane Prusank (Office of the President) Thomas Raffensperger (Dean of Academic Information Services) Elizabeth Stassinos (Faculty Coordinator, WSE) Christina Swaiden (Interim Dean of Undergraduate Studies) Robin White (Biology, secretary)

CURCA Space - Mezzanine Level, Ely Library.

CURCA Director. Westfield State University invites applications for the position of Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA). The CURCA provides the campus-wide framework for undergraduate research and creative scholarship and is an integral part of The Westfield State Experience, our signature 4 -Year student success program focusing on innovation, experiential and projectbased learning, and workforce development.

CURCA: More Information. Official CURCA website: http: //www. westfield. ma. edu/CURCA Committee website: https: //sites. google. com/site/westfielddiscovers/home

The CURCA @ Westfield State University. 1. What is the CURCA? 2. CURCA Initiatives. 3. Questions?