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Program for Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE): 2009 Award Information

The Program for Undergraduate Research Experience is taking applications for the 2009 funding year.  Below you will find Information about, and links to:

Purpose

The University of Calgary believes that teaching, learning and research are interrelated activities.  Teaching is based on research; learning includes research experience; and research generates new knowledge.  Consequently, undergraduate students should have opportunities to do research of their own and to participate in and learn from existing faculty research. 

Such research opportunities express the university's commitment to experiential learning.  They also encourage undergraduates to consider applying for graduate studies and undertaking careers in research and teaching.

While research opportunities are available through students' course work, the university believes that qualified students should also have the opportunity to experience research as an activity outside the classroom.  Especially important are opportunities which provide extensive periods of time to focus on research projects of interest to the student and which fit into existing research activities in the University.

Undergraduate students planning to pursue graduate studies should have opportunities to learn how to write research proposals, seek research funding, undertake or participate in substantive projects, learn discipline-specific skills, and report research results.

PURE awards are meant to benefit students at any stage of their undergraduate program, and applications from students in the early stages of their program are strongly encouraged.

Download the FAQ about PURE.

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Terms and Conditions

Awards will be available for periods of either sixteen weeks, twelve weeks, or eight weeks between May and August of 2009. Sixteen week awards are in the amount of $6,000, twelve week awards the amount of $4,500, and eight week awards the amount of $3,000.

Students must make a full-time commitment to their research during the period of the PURE award.

No academic course credit will be awarded for work funded by PURE.

PURE proposals must originate with and be drafted chiefly by the student applicant.

PURE award holders may not simultaneously hold any relevantly similar award, such as the Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) in Health and Wellness, NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards for research in the natural sciences and engineering, O'Brien Centre Awards (with the exception of travel awards), Alberta heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Summer Studentships for medical or health research.  Students who decline a PURE award may claim credit for an award on their curriculum vitae, noting that the award was declined.

Students offered a PURE award will be required to accept or decline the offer by a date specified in the notification of the offer.

Research funded by a PURE award must comply with all University of Calgary guidelines concerning the conduct of research.  In particular, all research that involves the use of human subjects must be reviewed and certified as acceptable by the appropriate University Research Ethics Board, and any research involving animals must be certified by the appropriate Animal Care Committee.  The responsibility for adherence to these guidelines is jointly shared by the supervisor and recipient.

PURE award holders must file a report, signed by their supervisor, detailing the results of their research by September 30, 2009 and must present those results at the Annual Fall Poster Symposium sponsored by the U of C Students' Union.

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Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for a PURE award, students must:

  • Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
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Criteria of Evaluation 

PURE applications will be evaluated according to:

  • The applicant's academic record
  • The clarity and originality of proposal
  • The degree to which the student will benefit from the project
  • The extent to which the applicant demonstrates relevant knowledge and preparedness
  • The relevance of the project to the applicant's scholarly goals
  • The faculty supervisor's evaluation
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Application Deadline

Applications (including supporting letters from supervisors) are due on February 23, 2009. 

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How to Apply

Please fill out and submit the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM (opens a secure form in a new window).  

You are ALSO REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A SIGNED PAPER COPY OF YOUR APPLICATION of your application (you may wish to print out your completed online application form before you submit it).  Submit your signed hard copy to the Teaching and Learning Funding Committee, c/o the Office of the Provost, Room A100. 

Once we receive your application, your supervisor will also be asked to submit an online evaluation of your application.  To expedite the process, please give your supervisor a working paper copy of the supervisor evaluation form so they can prepare their online evaluation ahead of time.   (We will email your supervisor and provide a link to the online form.)

Please do not submit any additional documents with your application other than what is asked for in the application directions.  If you wish to have any supplemental information considered as part of your application, please give it to your supervisor who can consider it as part of his/her evaluation of your application.

Download a working copy of the application and supervisor evaluation.

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Reporting Requirements

Award recipients must present an interim report on their research activity to the Committee by
August 31, 2009. 

A final report, signed by their supervisors, must be submitted to the Office of the Provost, Room A100, Administration Building, by September 30, 2009. 

This report should be no more than 10 pages in length, including appendices.  The report should include a description of the project and results, what the student gained from the experience, and what, if anything was published.

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Ethics Approval

All projects must abide by the University of Calgary's policies and procedures governing the pursuit of research.

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