Fall 2006 Call for Proposals:
STEPS Institute Grants for Undergraduate Environmental Research
*Submission Date: December 9, 2005

The STEPS Institute for Innovation in Environmental Research has research funds available in 2006 for UCSC undergraduate research projects in the environmental sciences. The funds are from a generous gift by an anonymous donor. Requests will be evaluated by a subcommittee of the STEPS Internal Advisory Board.

Intent: These funds are for undergraduate participation in research projects on the major STEPS research initiatives: "Genes to Ecoregions", and "Climate Change and Water". Priority will be given to research projects that address major scientific questions on one or both of these initiatives within California environments.

Amount: Typical awards will be up to $1,000. Requests may include supplies, travel to research sites, or partial summer salary, but not computer hardware, software, or travel to scientific meetings. The budget page should itemize how the funds will be used. Awards will be administered through the faculty advisor overseeing the research project, and funds for each award must be expended by December 31, 2006.

Criteria:
The proposal should state explicitly how the research relates to one or both of the two current STEPS research initiatives.

1. Projects with an interdisciplinary component are encouraged.
2. Projects should state a clear major research question and plan.
3. Projects should show clear evidence that the proposal has been written with guidance from a UCSC faculty member who will oversee the proposed research and take responsibility for helping the student with the design and analysis of the proposed research. The proposal should state explicitly that the student and faculty member have discussed the project and have agreed upon its feasibility.

What to submit by email:
A two-page single-spaced description, including the research question and plan, plus a one-page budget in the following order:

1. Title of research project
2. Name of student, major and year of study, and email address
3. Faculty sponsor, departmental affiliation, and email address
4. Research question and plan and its link to one or both of STEPS research initiatives
5. Budget itemizing how the funds will be used.

Project completion request:
As part of the conditions of the grant, each student is encouraged to create a poster displaying research results for the spring 2006 or spring 2007 UCSC undergraduate research day.

*Submission Date:December 9, 2005 with decision by January 31, 2006

Email proposals to: Abby Young at steps@ucsc.edu

Questions: Please email John Thompson at steps@ucsc.edu or Abby Young at abyoung@ucsc.edu with any questions.