Grant Opportunities

Promoting Course-Based Undergraduate Research (CURE)

NEW Proposal Deadline: Extended to November 29 at 5pm

The Office of Academic Affairs is offering seed funding to develop Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE) opportunities in ODU's colleges. This program aims to improve undergraduate students' research skills by engaging them in research activities embedded in course curricula.

Framed around the learning-by-doing teaching philosophy, Course-based Undergraduate Research provides faculty with opportunities to integrate research into their teaching, gather data for potential publications, and potentially influence their promotion and tenure track (mentoring, student satisfaction, and peer recognition). For students, past research shows that CUREs yield cognitive, psychosocial, behavioral, and affective gains:

  • Cognitive gains: increased content knowledge and improved understanding of the research process, skills development, such as analytical, technical, collaborative, experimental design skills, and problem-solving abilities.
  • Psychosocial gains: increased confidence and self-efficacy in conducting research, interacting with faculty, communicating with a wider audience, and gaining real-world experience.
  • Behavioral gains: interest in science majors and potential enrollment in graduate school.
  • Affective gains: increased motivation and enjoyment of class content and research activities (Dolan, 2016).

Who is eligible?

  • ODU's full-time teaching and research faculty, tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track.

Award Amounts

  • Awards range from $1,000 to $2,000 per recipient.
  • As a one-time grant, CURE funds must be spent by June 15, 2024, even if the course is not offered until spring 2025.
  • The funds may be used for course development/teaching (personnel and supplies).
  • Matching funds or in-kind contributions from college deans and department chairs are strongly encouraged.

Each CURE award recipient is expected to:

  • Develop one research-based course, which will become part of their department's future offerings.
  • Serve as the instructor of record for the CURE in its first offering (Spring 2024, Fall 2024).
  • Remain at ODU for the duration of the grant.
  • Encourage students enrolled in the CURE course to present/attend the ODU Undergraduate Research Symposium in Spring 2025.
  • Acknowledge the support of the Provost's Office when publishing or presenting the project findings.
  • Record a short video or use other strategies to showcase their work with the students.
  • Submit a project report to the Director of the Center for Faculty Development by June 30, 2025. (Please use the project report form).

Proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

Section

Criteria

Percentage

 

Course Description

Course description is clear

Project background and rational for proposed research activities is well-articulated

20%

Course Content

Course learning outcomes are well-defined

Course learning outcomes are measurable

Course learning outcomes are aligned with the course research questions

15%

Research Activity Timeline

Proposed research activities are well-defined

Proposed research activities are doable within a one-term course

Proposed research activities targeted CURE gains listed above

15%

Assessment Approach

Assessment plan is well-defined

Assessment plan is aligned with learning outcomes

Assessment plan is doable

25%

Impact

Project impact is related to CURE grant goal

15%

Budget

Budget plan is well defined

Matching funds are provided

10%

The review committee includes faculty from different colleges as well as staff from the Center for Faculty Development.

August 21, 2023

Call for proposals begins.

Use the CFP Form to complete your proposal

Complete the Admin Form

November 17, 2023

To submit your proposal, please email proposals to cfd@odu.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.

January 30, 2024

Announce Award Recipient

January-May, 2024

Award period: Funds must be spent by June 15, 2024.

January-May, 2024

Develop CURE project

Fall-Spring, 2024-2025

Teach course

Summer 2025

Submit project report

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite, Center for Faculty Development Director, at: acroswhi@odu.edu, or Dr. M'hammed Abdous, Center for Faculty Development at mabdous@odu.edu.

References:

Dolan, E. L. (2016). Course-based undergraduate research experiences: current knowledge and future directions. National Research Council Communication Papers, 1, 1-34.
https://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/dbasse_177288.pdf

  • For general questions, please contact Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite, Director, Center for Faculty Development at cfd@odu.edu.
  • Proposal Submission Cover Sheet form and Dean and Chair Signature page are found on the CFD website.