Decide on your research area of interest. What grabs your attention? What are you curious about? What do you enjoy studying? What questions need to be answered? Choose a research topic in which you are genuinely interested and think you will enjoy investigating. Don't try to solve all the problems of the world, but choose something that is doable in one or two semesters of part-time research.
Find a faculty mentor. If you know a faculty member with experience in your field of interest, you may contact the faculty member directly. If you don't have a faculty member in mind, browse the departmental contact list for suggestions or contact Dr. Jim Murowchick, SEARCH Director. Dr. Murowchick will listen to your research ideas and help you find a faculty mentor who has expertise in your area of interest.
Complete a SEARCH application. Applications are available online or you can request one from SEARCH@umkc.edu. Within the application is the opportunity to request research support in the form of a SEARCH grant. Please submit an electronic version of the application and proposal (MS Word .doc or .docx file) to SEARCH@umkc.edu and a signed paper copy to Dr. Murowchick (c/o Dept. of Geosciences, 420 Flarsheim Hall). Be sure to follow the directions!
Application deadlines: Fall
Semester 2012—Completed SEARCH grant application materials with proposals are
due by 5:00 PM Friday September 28, 2012. Registration materials for the 13th
Annual SEARCH Undergraduate Research Symposium (planned date: Friday, April 19,
2013 in Pierson Auditorium) are due by 5:00 PM Friday, March 22, 2013.
Special funding for Women’s and Gender Studies-related projects: There will be funding reserved for one or more Women's and Gender Studies undergraduate research projects, thanks to a donation from the WGS office.