INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
NSERC UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARDS
LAING UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH AWARDS
WARR UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH AWARDS
FAYE SOBEY UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH AWARDS
ONLY ONE APPLICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ALL FOUR OF
THESE AWARDS, although students will only be able to hold one of them.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS Monday January 21st 2013
Submit to Bill Pohajdak, BIOLOGY MAIN OFFICE
The intent of all of these awards is to encourage students to pursue a career in research by
providing undergraduate science students with an opportunity to conduct research during the
summer with a Biology faculty member who holds an NSERC research award (for NSERC-USRA) or
external funding for the other awards.
Terms of the awards:
1. Supervisors must be affiliated with Dalhousie and hold an NSERC research grant (for the
NSERC-USRA or external funding for the others) through Dal. If students wish to apply with
a faculty member who has applied for, but not yet received an NSERC operating grant, they
must also provide the name of an alternate faculty who would agree to supervise them should
the first supervisor not be awarded an NSERC grant.
2. Students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
3. Students apply through the department in which the supervisor resides, regardless of what their
major may be. For example, even if a student is a Biology Major, if the supervisor is a member of
the department of Microbiology and Immunology, the student submits their application to that
department and not to Biology.
4. Students must be registered as a full time student in a B.Sc programme in the natural sciences.
5. To apply through the Biology department, students MUST have obtained a cumulative GPA
(including this year’s Christmas Grades) of at least 3.7. (A 3.8 GPA is actually the more
realistic grade requirement.)
6. Students MUST have completed at least their second full year of study when they hold the award.
Students who will have completed their B.Sc and will graduate in May ARE also eligible as long
as they have not yet started a graduate programme.
7. Students submit ONE application only. The awards are given to the students, not the department.
They can change their choice of departments and supervisors to work with if they are offered an
award in February although they should put their application in with their first choice of supervisor.
8. The awards are to be held during the period May 1 through August 30, 2012. All awards must
be for a period of 16 weeks at the mutual convenience of the student and the supervisor
within this time period.
9. The recipients must be employed full-time in research and development activities in the natural
sciences while holding an award.
10. Students can hold a maximum of three of these awards during their University programme.
11. Supervisors will be expected to supplement all awards by a minimum of 25% for the full four
months. The values of each of the awards are as follows:
NSERC provides $4,500 + a minimum of $1,125 from the supervisor for a total of $5,625
Laing & Warr each provide $5,000 + a minimum of $1,250 from the supervisor for a total of
$6,250. The FAYE SOBEY award is $5500 plus a minimum of $1125 from the supervisor.
12. Students can apply for an NSERC award to work at a University other than Dalhousie. It is
the student’s responsibility to find out the application procedures and deadlines for the other
Universities. They can apply through a maximum of two different Universities; each has its own
quota of awards.
Value of Awards:
NSERCs will be valued at $5,625 and the Laing and Warr funds will each provide $6,250.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: by January 21, 2013
1. Complete a BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT APPLICATION FORM (next page)
2. Get your potential supervisor to complete the EVALUATION OF THE STUDENT FORM
(following page)
3. A transcript will not be required for Dal students. However, if you are currently
registered in any X/Y courses, you will need to obtain a signed, written statement
from your professor(s) indicating your midyear grade for each X/Y class. These
grades will not appear on your transcript but will be included in your GPA calculations.
Submit these letters in a sealed envelope with the professor’s signature across the flap.
4. DO NOT submit any parts of the NSERC forms now. Only students who are offered an award
in February will then go to the NSERC website and they and their supervisor will complete the
NSERC forms online at that time. For the first round of applications all that is required about
the supervisor is the information on the departmental application form and their Supervisor’s
Evaluation of the Student Form.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A PROFESSOR TO WORK WITH?
1. Go to the Honours page on the Biology Department’s Website:
http://www.biology.dal.ca/honours/index.htm, “Available Projects” for a list of potential projects
and supervisors. You can also see a description of the research done by all Biology faculty from the
department’s web site. Potential supervisors for ANY of the awards must be affiliated with
Dalhousie and hold an NSERC operating grant through Dal.
2. Approach professors you would be interested in working with, see if they are eligible to supervise,
and whether they would agree to do so.
Biology Department
APPLICATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
AWARDS; NSERC, LAING, WARR, FAYE SOBEY;
NAME :
STUDENT #:
(or name of University if other than Dalhousie)
LOCAL ADDRESS:
LOCAL PHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
CANADIAN CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT?(yes or no?)
PROGRAMME AND YEAR OF STUDY:
FULL TIME STUDENT? (yes or no?):
NAME OF PROPOSED SUPERVISOR:
LOCATION OF SUPERVISOR:
SUPERVISOR’S E-MAIL ADDRESS:
SUPERVISOR IS FORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH DALHOUSIE? (yes or no?):
SUPERVISOR HAS AN NSERC RESEARCH AWARD? (yes or no?):
SUPERVISOR HAS AN EXTERNAL RESEARCH AWARD? (yes/no? Agency):_________
PROPOSED DATES OF TENURE OF AWARD:
Submit:
1. This form,
2. The Supervisor's Evaluation Form (next page)
3. If you are currently taking an X/Y class, PROVIDE A SIGNED, WRITTEN
STATEMENT FROM YOUR PROFESSOR GIVING YOUR GRADE FOR THE FIRST
TERM.
TO BILL POHAJDAK , Biology Department, Dalhousie University by Monday January
20, 2013. A transcript is not required for Dal students.
Potential Supervisor’s Evaluation for
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award
Faculty of Science
Please complete the following form as it pertains to the NSERC USRA applicant who has applied to
work under your supervision. Return the completed for to your departmental coordinator of NSERC
USRA awards.
Student Name:
Potential Supervisor:
Banner Number:
Department:
1. Context in which you know the student:
Low
Unable to
High Comment
2. Level of academic preparation of the student:
3. Level of student’s motivation and commitment:
4. Likelihood of student pursuing a career in research:
5. Confidence that the student will make a meaningful
contribution to your research program:
6. Overall research ability/potential of the student:
Comments:
Please provide a justification for each of the above rankings as well as any other relevant information.
For students who intend to graduate in May of this year, specify how the student will benefit from this
USRA, and if/where the student has applied for graduate studies.
Signature
Date