The Martin Nelson Summer Awards for Research or Advanced Study provide stipends and expenses to faculty so that they may pursue research or scholarly study during the summer months, free from other gainful employment.
Note: UEC grants cannot be charged to p-cards, but faculty who receive UEC grants will receive information in their grant award letter about the possibility of an advance.
Deadline: The completed application is due by November 1 of the year preceding the summer in which the research or study is to be undertaken.
Description
The Martin Nelson Summer Awards for Research or Advanced Study provide stipends and pay for expenses to faculty so that they may pursue research or scholarly study during the summer months, free from other gainful employment. These awards of up to $4,000 each are intended to replace income (maximum $3,000) and expenses to support faculty in their continued development in teaching and scholarship through further research or study in their disciplines.
These awards have been provided from an endowment established by an anonymous donor, who recognized the central role played by the faculty in developing the excellence of the university. The donor was especially desirous of supporting the summer research or study activities of faculty. In this way there will be a continuing growth of the faculty's mastery of their teaching fields, thereby contributing directly to excellence in teaching which produces men and women of genuine understanding. Faculty may apply for Martin Nelson Summer Awards to support projects using technology in teaching, assuming the project meets the above expectations.
The awards are to be used by faculty to continue developing their abilities as teachers through further research or study. Applicants, therefore, should have demonstrated unusual skill and enthusiasm as teachers, should show that the proposed projects will strengthen their specific abilities, and should indicate clearly the project's long-term impact on their respective departments and the university.
The University Enrichment Committee (UEC) will review applications and select award recipients. Because the UEC consists of faculty from diverse disciplines, non-technical language should be employed by applicants in describing the project and by the chair (in their Chair Support Form) in assessing the project's significance to the discipline and to the university's educational program.
Faculty engaged in projects that involve travel outside the United States will need to register their travel at least four weeks prior to departure. Information on how to register travel and request approval for travel to high-risk areas is available on the University’s Travel Advisory site. University funding for projects that involve international travel will not be released until the travel is registered.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Martin Nelson Summer Award, you must be a full-time, ongoing faculty member or artist-in-residence with at least one year of service at the University of Puget Sound as of September 1 preceding the proposed summer research or study. You must also be recognized for outstanding teaching and professional growth. Faculty are eligible to receive a Martin Nelson Summer Award no more often than every five years.
Application
Application for the Martin Nelson Award for Summer Research or Study should be made to the University Enrichment Committee through the online form. The application should include:
- A one-paragraph summary of the project. The summary of your proposal may be used in publicizing the awards.
- A project proposal (1,500 words maximum). Describe a manageable project with clear focus for summer research or study which includes a clear explication of the direct relationship of the project to your teaching, service in the department and the University. Include evidence of teaching excellence. Strong university service is an expectation of persons with five or more years at the university. If you plan to be at another university or research institution as a part of the summer program, a letter of agreement regarding the assignment must be included.
- An itemized budget, including brief explanations for expenses.
- A Chair Support Form. Please ask your chair to submit their Support Form assessing the value of the proposed activity to you, the department, and the university.
- For projects that involve the use of human participants or animals, please be aware that appropriate approval must be obtained before award funds will be released. Please consult IRB or IACUC approval processes information on the university's website for details.
If there are more applications than awards, faculty without leaves, Nelson, or Lantz awards within the past two years will be given preference.
Deadline
The completed application for the Martin Nelson Award for Summer Research or Study is to be completed using the online form by November 1 of the year preceding the summer in which the research or study is to be undertaken.
Reporting
Recipients of Martin Nelson awards shall submit a written report of the activities undertaken, by August 31 of the year the award is granted. The report should include the following: (1) a detailed description of how the goals and objectives outlined in the original proposal were achieved, including any research reports or other written materials you have produced, and (2) a description of the benefits of the experience in relation to teaching and professional development. The report should be submitted to enrichment@pugetsound.edu.
Special Conditions
Recipients of the Martin Nelson Award for Summer Research or Study agree to return to the university for a period of at least one year after the conclusion of the summer work, or to repay the university all funds received as a part of the award.