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A new award for undergraduate research, the Yun Family Research Fellows Fund for Revolutionary Thinking. In partnership with the Lemann Program on Creativity and Entrepreneurship, this opportunity is offered by URAF and the College to support undergraduate scholars of talent and promise who want to explore the theory and practice of tackling the world’s problems through bold, innovative, and novel research projects of their own design. The award promotes creative and unconventional approaches that display a high degree of originality and intellectual depth. All disciplines are eligible for consideration, and projects may encompass inter- and multi-disciplinary permutations. Projects also may serve as the foundation for undergraduate thesis submission, as approved by academic departments.
Stipends of up to $5,000 will be made for preliminary project planning and development during the academic year, with the possibility of renewal for up to $5,000 in the subsequent summer cycle (based on evidence of forward momentum on project design and development in the first cycle) for applying a methodological approach to first-stage realization of the plan. The renewal implementation award will cover subsistence expense and associated housing costs during the summer as well as direct operational costs associated with the implementation plans. Collaborative proposals will be considered; however, each applicant must submit their own, independent application and essay responses.
The first cycle of the award is designed specifically for supporting an extensive literature review, preliminary data collection and analysis, and implementation design. The second cycle of the award will provide financial support for an initial operational launch of the project that has been defined and evaluated to be operationally viable.
Revolutionary Thinking awards may be used independently or in conjunction with other institutional undergraduate research activities that support undergraduate research projects (e.g., affiliation with Harvard i-Lab, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, etc.), particularly those that are creative and entrepreneurial in nature. In addition, the implementation awards may be used in conjunction with participation in the programs of Harvard College Summer Undergraduate Research Village (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS).
Requirements for the Yun Family Research Fund are as follows:
Eligibility is limited to Harvard College continuing undergraduates in good standing (i.e., not involved in a disciplinary case or subject to academic review).
Planning awards (first cycle):
- Devote at least fifteen weeks of part-time effort following awardee announcements in early December, during Wintersession, and the spring term to the project;
- A status report will be due February 1, and a final report will be due following the culmination of the project, both submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships by July 1.
Renewal implementation awards (second cycle):
- Submit a proposal by April 1 with a methodological approach for first-stage implementation;
- Devote at least ten weeks of full-time effort beginning June 1 (or aligned with the schedule of the Summer Undergraduate Research Village);
- Submit a mid-term report by July 10, and a final report due September 1;
- Unexpended second cycle funds still may be used after September 1 to follow through on the implementation plan.
Application materials can be found on CARAT, under ‘Yun Family Research Fellows Fund for Revolutionary Thinking.’
The deadline for complete applications is Monday, November 22, 2021 at 12:00 noon EDT.
