Undergraduate Research Awards is a program from South Dakota State University (SDSU) that funds competitive summer research stipends for undergraduate students. Students may apply for support from multiple funding sources through a single application, including the Joseph F. Nelson Mentorship Program and the Honors College Undergraduate Research Fund.

All awards are capped at ,500 per student. Applications must include a research proposal, educational goal statement, and unofficial transcript. Eligible applicants are SDSU undergraduate students.

Applications for 2026 summer funding closed February 22, 2026.

Summer Research Funding | South Dakota State University Below is the application process for selected summer undergraduate research programs at South Dakota State University. Applications for 2026 funding are now open. The application link can be found below, along with application guidelines for both students and mentors.

Awards will be competitive and based on the design of the proposed studies, quality of the application and potential for project success. Students are able to submit one application for research support from a variety of different funding sources, including the Joseph F. Nelson Mentorship Program and the Honors College Undergraduate Research Fund.

Proposals will be matched according to the criteria associated with the various funding sources. All awards are capped at $2,500. Keep in mind that this is not a universal undergraduate research application.

Many departments, colleges and programs manage their own undergraduate research programs, and interested students are encouraged to pursue these opportunities as well. *Note: This call for proposals was formerly distributed under the title of the Joseph F. Nelson Mentorship Program.

In its current form, the common application materials submitted herein make students eligible for support from the Joseph F. Nelson Mentorship Program in addition to Honors funding. Undergraduate Research (UGR) Program Application Requirements UGR Program applications for 2026 summer funding are now open.

Applications are due by 11:59 p. m. , Sunday, Feb.

22, 2026. The following materials will be requested within the online application: A one-page statement of the applicant’s educational and professional goals and an explanation of the role of the mentorship in allowing the applicant to achieve these goals. This should include reference of the impact of the proposed research.

A one- to two-page original proposal for the student’s research written by the student. Applicant's unofficial transcript and/or course listing. Applicant's resumé or description of co-curricular activities (not to exceed one page).

Mentor Assessment of Applicant Mentors are welcome to offer insight and to discuss the scope of what may be possible in a summer project, though they may not contribute to the writing of the proposal. The Mentor's Assessment of Applicant form will automatically be sent to the project mentor after the student has submitted their portion of the UGR application.

Undergraduate Research (UGR) Evaluation Tool The UGR Evaluation Tool is included below. Students should not submit this with their application but should refer to this when building their application. One page statement of goals and mentorship experience (15 points) The statement is well written (syntax, grammar, style).

The statement clearly reflects the student’s goals and the value of the mentorship experience to achieving these goals. The proposal is original: While mentor guidance is expected, must be written by the student Research is novel and not a repetition of previous work The proposal is well written. The abstract is a clear, concise summary of the proposal.

The proposal is described in a standard format (background/introduction, hypothesis/goals, materials and methods, expected outcomes/implications). The hypothesis/research question is sound and clearly stated. The research methods/approach are appropriate and described in sufficient details to demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding.

The research plan is feasible and of appropriate scope. The importance of the research topic is clearly presented. Students Transcripts and Curricular Activities (15 points) The student’s grade-point average and courses taken indicate academic excellence and preparation for success in research.

Extracurricular activities indicate engagement, leadership and achievement. Previous experiences indicate initiative, interest and aptitude for research. Mentor’s Assessment of Applicant (15 points) The applicant assessment supports excellence of the student by providing specific examples/sufficient details.

The applicant assessment describes a detailed mentorship plan for the student and demonstrates a commitment to scientific training of the student. 2025 Undergraduate Research Recipients Advised by: Allison Barry Project Title: Health and Wellness Policies in South Dakota Volunteer Fire Departments Project Title: AI-Vision Driven Rear-Collision Detection and Trajectory Estimation on Edge Devices for Worker Safety Advised by: Benoit St.

Pierre Project Title: Effects of Condensed Tannins on the Rumen Microbiome Advised by: Chaise Murphy Project Title: Metabolic Analysis of Deskbound Physical Activity Usage Advised by: Volker Brozel Project Title: Characterizing a Streptomyces Coculture Isolated From Natural Grassland Majors: Human Biology: Premedicine Advised by: Suvobrata Chakravarty Project Title: The Accurate Structures of Human Proteins Variants Majors: Wildlife and Fisheries Science Advised by: Amanda Cheeseman Project Title: The Old and the New: A Comparison of the Efficacy of Avian Point Counts and Acoustic Surveys for the Declining Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) Major: Ecology and Environmental Science Project Title: Estimating Upper Leg Muscle Cross-Sectional Area in Adult Women with Implications for Sarcopenia Assessment Advised by: Chaise Murphy Project Title: Botanical Exploration of Postmined Land Reclamation: A Comparative Study of Native Legume vs. Nonnative Legumes Major: Nutrition and Dietetics Advised by: Marni Shoemaker Project Title: Effects of Nutrition Education on Sarcopenia-Related Outcomes in Older Adults Project Title: The Differences Between Gene Expression and Protein Secretion by Male and Female Bovine Embryos Advised by: Brittney Meyer Project Title: Analyzing Immunization Knowledge and Perceptions Among College Students 2024 Undergraduate Research Recipients Advised by: Allison Barry Project Title: Perceptions of Exercise Beliefs and Nutrition Patterns in South Dakota Firefighters Major: Ecology and Environmental Science Advised by: Amanda Cheeseman Project Title: Assess Efficiency of a Noninvasive Modified Camera Trap Design for Surveying Small Mammals vs. Traditional Trapping Methods Advised by: Marni Shoemaker Project Title: Relationship Between Loneliness, Nutrition and Physical Activity in Older Adults Project Title: Effects of Essential Oils Alone or in Combination with Monensin on Degradation Profiles of Dry Matter, Organic Matter and Crude Protein in Beef Cattle Diets Majors: Biotechnology and Human Biology Advised by: Natalie Thiex Project Title: Determining the Role of PAK1 and PAK2 in Micropinocytosis Majors: Ecology, Environmental Science and Microbiology Project Title: Investigating Microbe-Assisted Phytoremediation of Mine Site Pollution Majors: Ecology, Environmental Science and Wildlife and Fisheries Science Project Title: Flame and Flora: Understanding Fire-Driven Plant Communities and Succession Advised by: Chaise Murphy Project Title: Estimating Upper Leg Muscle Cross-Sectional Area in Adult Women with Implications for Sarcopenia Assessment Van D.

and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College Honors Hall 119, Box 2705A Mon - Fri: 8:00 a. m.

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