Undergraduate Research Scholarships Fall 2020 and Academic Year 2020-2021

The deadline for proposals is August 31, 2020 by5:00 p.m.

(Earlier proposals accepted for earlier start date)

The mission of the MSU IRAEA is to engage undergraduate and graduate students with faculty in academic research that will further the understanding of economic regulation and policy’s impact on societal well-being. IRAEA facilitates research, analysis, and teaching of regulatory economics as applied to agriculture, healthcare, technology, finance, natural resources, education, public safety, and other sectors. 

IRAEA Undergraduate Research Scholars Program

IRAEA funds research scholarships for undergraduate students from a wide-range of disciplines to participate in faculty-led research projects that address issues relevant to the IRAEA mission. Awards are available for semester-, academic year-, and summer-length research projects. Additional support is available for student travel to regional or national conferences at which the student presents the results of the sponsored research project.

With IRAEA undergraduate research scholarships, faculty and students have the opportunity to explore academic interests beyond the classroom. Students get hands-on experience with research and acquire academic and professional skills and credentials, and faculty get help with their research projects. Faculty at MSU must apply on behalf of student researchers.

Eligibility

All MSU undergraduate students in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled at MSU (for awards made during the academic year) and be expected to return to MSU in the fall semester (for awards made during the summer).

Students are encouraged to connect with faculty to discuss potential research projects.

Faculty are encouraged to reach out to eligible students who would be a good fit as research assistants for their faculty research projects. 

Research must include a component that addresses the impact of U.S. regulation and/or policy.

Interdisciplinary research proposals and proposals directed by multiple project leaders are welcome, and faculty members outside economics are encouraged to contact Dr. Vincent Smith (994-5615, vsmith@montana.edu) or Dr. Wendy Stock, (994-7984, wstock@montana.edu) with questions, discuss potential project ideas, or for assistance in identifying potential ways to include regulation and policy analysis in their projects.

Award Amounts

Awards may be requested up to $1,500 per semester, contingent on the level of student involvement in the research.

Additional support is available for student  travel to regional or national conferences at which the student presents the results of the research. Faculty requesting student travel funds should include a description of the conference, including dates, and an anticipated travel budget. Awards are contingent upon funding availability.

Application Process

A member of the MSU Bozeman faculty must apply on the student’s behalf, and applications from researchers in disciplines outside economics are strongly encouraged.

The proposal should include:

  1. Student name, major, expected graduation date/academic level, contact info
  2. Faculty member name and department, contact info
  3. Research project title
  4. A brief description of the research project (fewer than 400 words), including a clear research plan and a clear statement of the relevance of the project to the IRAEA mission
  5. A brief description of the role of the student in the project (fewer than 200 words), the expected weekly number of hours the student will commit to the project, the amount of support requested for the student, and a budget justification
  6. A brief statement of the expected outcomes of the project (fewer than 150 words), including the journal(s) to which the research paper will be submitted and anticipated submission date
  7. A brief description of the qualifications of the student to conduct the research (fewer than 100 words)
  8. The student’s curriculum vitae (including the student’s GPA at the end of the previous semester)

Deadline and Submission Requirements

The deadline for proposals is 5:00 p.m. August 31, 2020.

Faculty should submit their applications to Tamara Moe, IRAEA Business Manager, (tamara.moe@montana.edu).

Proposal Review

Proposals will be reviewed by the Initiative's Undergraduate Research Scholarship Selection Committee (comprised of the IRAEA co-directors and IRAEA Research Fellows) soon after the submission deadline.

Research Project Expectations

  • Undergraduate Research Scholars will participate in up to two lunchtime brownbag seminars during the semester, where students will informally share their research and get feedback from peers and faculty.
  • Within 60 days of the end of student involvement project, submit a brief (500 words or fewer) end-of-project report that describes the student's activities and the progress regarding the outcomes of the project. This final report should be sent in a PDF format to Dr. Wendy Stock, (wstock@montana.edu).
  • Complete a brief survey at the end of the semester detailing any papers, presentations, etc. that are associated with the research.
  • Students are also strongly encouraged to submit their research for presentation at the MSU Student Research Celebration each year.