Outstanding Social Science Undergraduates Receive Research Funding via PURI Grant Initiative

November 2, 2022 - Emily Jodway

The Fall 2022 Provost’s Undergraduate Research Initiative (PURI) grant recipients were announced this week, with a total of 51 undergraduate students from across the College of Social Science being awarded funding toward faculty-assisted research during the 2022-23 school year. 

Each year, the PURI program gives select undergraduates the opportunity to work closely with faculty on research projects spanning across the College. Students work either one-on-one with faculty or as part of an interdisciplinary research team to assist in that faculty member’s scholarly project. This grant is particularly beneficial to students conducting relevant research who otherwise may not have been able to participate in research projects or lab work due to lack of funding or other circumstances. 

“The PURI awards demonstrate the commitment of our faculty to undergraduate research and illustrate the exciting research conducted across the College of Social Science,” said Brent Donnellan, Associate Dean for Academic & Student Affairs. “The impressive set of funded projects provide majors in the College with advanced research skills and an opportunity to work directly with outstanding faculty mentors.”

Students within the PURI program will participate in in-depth research alongside faculty throughout the year, with the work done frequently being showcased in conference papers, published articles, and at the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). Past students have been given a unique opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom with real-life research and its significance in several important fields, while also learning about the importance of ethical practice in this kind of research. 

“We received over 50 percent more PURI applications this year than during the pandemic cycles, and were able to fund over 40 projects,” Donnellan added. “This nearly $90,000 in funding represented joint commitments from the College and its units, and the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Office.

Additional opportunities to support undergraduate research will be available with a separate funding call next summer, with applications due in late February. To learn more about the PURI program and other scholarship opportunities within the College of Social Science, click here.