January 22, 2023

Objective: To expand undergraduate research in the humanities by providing an intensive summer research experience in which students will be introduced to important research questions, trained in methods of research and analysis, and guided in the development of critical thinking, independent learning, and communications skills.

Format: Faculty directors recruit 2-5 students each to participate as Glasscock Summer Scholars (a joint program among the Glasscock Center, LAUNCH Undergraduate Research, and the University Writing Center). Students will enroll in a two-week intensive seminar taught by a faculty member at the beginning of the summer 2023 ten-week session. In the seminar students will be immersed in a focused topic and develop a research question that they will then investigate under the mentorship of the faculty member for the remaining eight weeks of the summer. Students will be required to meet with each other for peer writing activities at the Glasscock Center and to attend writing studios created especially for this program through the Writing Center during weeks three through ten of the program. Students must produce a completed written proposal by the end of the term and will give a public presentation on the proposal and future research. Faculty are to meet with students every two weeks after the intensive two-week seminar to discuss progress on each phase of the project after each of the Writing Center Studios. Faculty will mentor students through the LAUNCH Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) thesis program the following year (2023-2024).

Criteria:

1. Applicants must be full-time faculty at Texas A&M University, including Academic Professional Track (APT).
2. Two-week seminar will have both morning and afternoon sessions. No more than 5 students will be allowed to participate in each seminar. Students will be recruited by faculty (sophomore/junior level). Students must be eligible for the LAUNCH URS thesis program (see LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research requirements below).
3. This program is modeled on the NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) summer program in which a faculty member uses the two weeks to teach a seminar on his/her scholarship. These two weeks will be used for immersing students in the topic, background, research methods, and theory associated with the field of inquiry. Students will then develop their own original research question related to the topic and develop it over the summer through supervision by the faculty member and in conjunction with the Writing Center through specially designed workshops.
4. Faculty are expected to deliver 40 contact hours of instructional time during the two-week seminar. It is their choice how these hours are distributed, and faculty should check with their department about guidelines for offering remote or hybrid instruction if desired. Faculty may or may not be on campus for the remaining eight weeks. Syllabi should, however, require weekly assignments and contact between the faculty member on a bi-weekly basis (via email, Zoom, or other platforms). Faculty are also expected to provide mentoring and guide students through the LAUNCH URS thesis program the following year. Students are expected to be in residence throughout the summer.
5. The summer experience is conceived as a gateway for students to enter the LAUNCH URS thesis program for the 2023-2024 academic year (fall-spring sequence only). Faculty are expected to guide students through the URS thesis Program the following year. Students must apply in the fall for the LAUNCH URS thesis program with their faculty advisor. Therefore, students are required to produce a written proposal for the LAUNCH URS thesis program during the summer program and deliver a public presentation (roundtable, panel, poster, etc.) of their work at the end of the ten-week period. Faculty may also want to consider other publication opportunities and venues for showcasing student work as part of the requirements for the course. Students who do not complete the year-long thesis they will be required to pay back their scholarship.
6. Seminar rooms, student office space, and student computers will be provided by the Glasscock Center.
7. This course must be opened under an existing listing in the faculty member’s department (i.e., 491, 485, etc.).
8. Two faculty may apply to share the Faculty Director role, co-teach the summer seminar and split advising and mentorship duties. In this case, co-directors will split the 5,000 bursary or non-fringe salary provided with the role. One of the faculty members will need to fill out the form below as the primary applicant, as their department will schedule the relevant courses.

Funding: Faculty: $5,000 (bursary or non-fringe salary); Students: $2,000 (scholarship)

LAUNCH Undergraduate Research Scholars:

• • actively participate in an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty member,
  • produce an undergraduate thesis, which is deposited into the Undergraduate Research Scholars Capstone collection in the OAKTrust repository,
  • present their research publicly to the scholarly community,
  • increase their competitiveness for graduate and professional school admission, as well as national fellowships, grants, and awards,
  • may enroll in an optional Thesis Writing course, which is only open to students in the LAUNCH URS thesis program (a 1 credit-hour 405 course, must have the 1-credit attached for the W) (Example syllabus),
  • may obtain course credit for independent study,
  • may receive up to a $300 reimbursement for research expenses, which is first come first served,
  • receive a university-level honors transcript distinction upon graduation, graduation regalia, recognition in the graduation program, and
  • are invited to LAUNCH graduation ceremony event

LAUNCH Undergraduate Research Scholars: To qualify for the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program, students must have completed at least 60 hours of undergraduate course work, with at least 24 hours at Texas A&M or 12 hours for transfer students. Students should also have and maintain a cumulative Texas A&M GPR of 3.0 or higher, be currently involved or planning to start a suitable undergraduate project, and be expecting to graduate May 2024 or later (for the 2023-2024 program). Further information on the application process for Undergraduate Research Scholars is available on the LAUNCH website.

Any type of honor code violation from student rules will result in a review and possible dismissal from the program.

• • Students in the URS thesis program must be in good standing at the university to participate
  • Students who receive the F* sanction for academic misconduct are ineligible to participate in the URS program or receive the university honors transcript designation effective immediately
  • Students who are sanctioned for student conduct codes and who receive a sanction of either suspension, expulsion or any combination of sanctions are ineligible to participate in the URS program or receive the university honors transcript designation effective immediately
  • Students may not be awarded the honors transcript retroactively after completing the Academic Integrity Development Program

FACULTY APPLICATION DEADLINE:
January 22, 2023

Applicants are normally notified of award decisions by three weeks from the application deadline.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Department Head must sign the application's signature page approving the course to be opened in the department. Applicant must also include a document containing a tentative two-week class description and course of study. (Students must have a written proposal and deliver a public presentation -- such as a roundtable, panel, or poster -- at the end of the ten-week course).

Applications will be considered incomplete until all information has been received, at which time an e-mail confirming receipt will be sent to you.

CONFIRMATION: If you do not receive an email confirming receipt of the application from the Glasscock Center by the application deadline, please call (979) 845-8328 or email glasscock@tamu.edu.

We recommend answering application questions in a Word document and saving it for your records before pasting it into our form for submission.