SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH GRANT
INSTRUCTIONS
Winter & Spring 2015
About the Student Sustainability Initiative
The Oregon State University (OSU) Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI) is a student fee funded, student-led organization, whose mission is to create a culture of sustainability at OSU through opportunity, education, and action. The SSI strives to address all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic.
About the SSI Research Grant Program
"On a sustainable campus, the built environment, operational systems, research, scholarship, and education are linked as a “living laboratory” for sustainability. Users (such as students, faculty, and staff) have access to research, teaching, and learning opportunities on connections between environmental, social, and economic issues." - International Sustainable Campus Network-Global University Leaders Forum (ISCN-GULF) Sustainable Campus Charter
SSI believes our campus can be a model living laboratory for sustainability. To better integrate OSU’s renowned research into daily operations and improve the student experience, SSI will fund applied research projects designed to advance the sustainability of the Corvallis campus’ built environment, operations, policy, academics, and/or student engagement.
SSI is now accepting applications for cooperative student-facultySustainability Research Grants for the 2015winter and spring terms. SSI established this program to support student research with an applied focus to encourage change in our own community. In line with the SSI’s vision, applications must advance a culture of sustainability at OSU through action, education, and opportunity. Preference will be given to proposals that clearly impact the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the Corvallis campus.
Research Grant Terms
Students in good academic standing with Oregon State University who are enrolled in at least 6 credits at the Corvallis campus the time of application are eligible to apply in partnership with an OSU faculty member.Unfortunately, students who are exclusively eCampus, online, or Cascades campus student are not eligible due to the student fee structure. Awarded funds can support payroll for nominated students at a rate of $10.15/hour. Maximum awards are $1,500 for single-term projects and $3,300 for Winter and Spring term projects. Student applicants must be eligible to receive payroll as student employees through the term of the award. Students will be hired through new or existing positions at SSI and will be directly supervised by the faculty applicant.
Research can include:
●Projects that identify best practices for a sustainability program, practice, or policy by researching comparator institutions
●Projects that include impact assessments, stakeholder interviews, and/or budget development
●Data collection
●Product design
●Prototype development
●Site assessments
●Behavior change research
●Assessments of student or department usage of existing or pilot sustainability amenities to identify barriers and/or impetuses for usage
Research results should be applicable to the Corvallis campus and available to:
●be implemented by the sponsoring department
●meet a specific need identified by a campus department or organization with a desire to implement it
●be used to develop a Sustainability Project Grant for student implementation (see more information)
●be presented as policy change recommendations for campus
●support the development of a behavior change campaign by SSI or other relevant student organization
Example project ideas:
- View examples of successfully-funded projects here:
●Assess impacts of sustainable landscaping features (green roof, bioswale, edible garden, permaculture feature)
●Assess impacts of stormwater features (rain garden, bioswale, rainwater catchment)
●Design recycle bin prototypes
●Assess dining hall compost system
●Evaluate opportunities to expand Eco-to-go container program
●Assess biofuel production opportunities
●Assess campus food practices and policies
●Assess fossil fuel divestment opportunities
●Assess transportation options (parking fee comparison, bike loan program, shuttle service)
●Research to ground sustainable behavior change programs or policies
Budget Guidelines
Available Funds
During fiscal year 2015, the SSI may release up to $10,000 to the OSU Corvallis campus community in the form of Research Grants. Students may only apply for funding once per fiscal year.
Awards are made to support students performing scholarly, creative research activities. SSI funds cannot be used in lieu of existing grant funds designated for student research assistance or faculty grant funds that could potentially support student research.
Funded laboratories and studios are expected to provide expendable supplies, services, and other incidentals at no cost to the student project(s). Supplies and services will be acceptable as part of project budgets if the faculty supervisor provides an explanation of why it cannot be supported through their operations. The SSI Fee Board strongly encourages that the bulk of funds be devoted toward student wages.
Budget Items ELIGIBLE for support
●Student wages or stipends
●Travel to conduct research or visit libraries/archives
●Library costs (i.e. duplication costs, acquisition of reference materials)
●Equipment rental (requires justification from the faculty supervisor)
Budget Items NOT ELIGIBLE for support
●Faculty, postdoctoral or graduate student travel
●Equipment purchases (includes computers)
●Costs to prepare, copy or bind theses
●Travel to meetings or conferences (includes related fees, lodging and travel expenses)
Review Process
The SSI Fee Board and advisors will convene a panel to review applications and may request interviews to ask applicants further questions.
Evaluation Criteria
Research Grants will be graded according to the following criteria:
●Student learning/impact that will be achieved through research project
●Research project impact (including lasting institutional impacts, description of how research could be implemented or applied, who will results be shared with and how?)
●Demonstrated need for this research project (does this project address a gap in knowledge or resources on campus or in the sustainability field?)
●Aligns with SSI’s mission to advance a culture of sustainability at OSU
●Addresses multiple dimensions of holistic sustainability (environmental, social, economic)
●Project feasibility (including projected timeline, sound methodology, budget, qualifications of applicants, etc.)
●Budget (accuracy, other funding sources sought)
Application Instructions
To apply for a research grant, student-faculty teams must submit a complete application form and required attachments as a single PDF titled “SSI Research Grant FY15 [student’s last name]” to Kim Helm, SSI Grant Manager at Kimberly.helm[at]oregonstate.edu by 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, December14, 2014.
Please include the following:
●Attachment 1:A one-page statement from the faculty supervisor and endorsed by the unit head,describing the proposed project; how it will support boththe student’s training and the faculty member’s research; and its applied relevance to the university’s environmental, social, and economic sustainability
●Attachment 2:The proposed budget and duration of the project. The line-item budget should include all costs (including in-kind donations) associated with the research project.
●Attachment 3:Student’s resume and transcript (unofficial transcript acceptable)
●Attachment 4: Regulatory Compliance verification
●Appendix: Please include any additional materials necessary for the SSI Fee Board to fully understand the scope and purpose of your proposed research. Applicants are permitted to provide a one page supplement that describes the proposed methodology including chart/graph, figures, pictures, etc., if the processes/procedures are sufficiently complex to warrant the additional explanation (optional).If the proposed methodology involves survey research, a copy of the study instrument must be provided in the Appendix (required).
Reporting
Student awardees are required to submit periodic “temperature checks” during the award period and a two-page activity report due two weeks after the research is completed. Temperature checks will be used to evaluate project progress. The board reserves the right to discontinue funding if sufficient progress on the project has not been achieved or adequately explained.The report should contain a summary of activities and an assessment of the impact of those activities on the student’s learning and on the institution. This report will be posted on the Student Sustainability Initiative website. Recipients who fail to submit the required final report will be ineligible to receive future funding from the Student Sustainability Initiative.
The final report should contain the following points:
- Header: including student name, title of project, Faculty Project Advisor name and department, award information (type, date of award, amount of award).
- A brief summary of the work conducted; including a discussion of the information gathered, how the data are being analyzed andifyou are far enough along, describe how the data collected supports or refutes your original hypothesis or discovery goal(s).
- State the benefits from the SSI award, including additional scholarly activities, research progress, collaborative relationships, and any publications or other funding made possible for the student as a result of this award.
- A reflective statement about what you learned and how you’ve been impacted by completing this research project.
- Photos, graphs, charts, video clips, or a poster that reflect your work or findings.
Submit the final report electronically saved as SSI Research Grant Final Report [student’s last name] to Kimberly.Helm[at]oregonstate.edu.
Undergraduate recipients are required to work with Kevin Ahern, Director of Undergraduate Research, and present their research at an Undergraduate Research Program symposium. Undergraduate recipients are also encouraged to submit an article to The Catalyst, OSU's Undergraduate Journal.
All recipients are encouraged to present at an appropriate conference, such as Celebrating Undergraduate Excellence (CUE: the Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (OHESC: or the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference (AASHE:
Questions
If you have any questions or comments, please address them to Kim Helm (Kimberly.Helm[at] oregonstate.edu).
Student Sustainability Initiative
Sustainability Research Grant Application
Winter & Spring 2015
[PROJECT NAME HERE]
Application Date[...
Term applying forWinter 2015Spring 2015 Both
Applicant Name[...
Mailing Address[...
Email Address[...
Phone Number[...
Cumulative GPA[...
Expected Date of Graduation[...
Student Status Undergraduate Graduate
Have you been awarded an SSI grant before? YesNo
If Yes, Project Title, Award Amount & Date [...
Name of Faculty Supervisor[...
Department of Faculty Supervisor[...
Mailing Address[...
Email Address[...
Phone Number[...
PROJECT
Title of Research Project[...
Location of Research Lab[...
Start Date[...
End Date[...
Funds Requested[...
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Briefly describe the research project including methodologies, hypotheses or objectives and the roles of the student researcher and faculty supervisor. What are the expected outcomes from your research (e.g. implementation by Campus Recycling, application for SSI Sustainability Project Grant for student implementation, presentation of policy change recommendations for campus), and how will you achieve these outcomes? (limit two pages, written for a general audience, avoiding jargon and unexplained acronyms)
Statement of Need & Research Value
Summarize the project’s value including why it is needed and how it will advance the culture of sustainability at OSU. Please be sure to address the three aspects of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic, and how it addresses these components holistically (see the NIRSA model of sustainability: ). How will your results be shared? What impact will they have on the general student body? (limit one page)
Value for Student Researcher
Summarize the scholarly and creative aspects of the project, how it will support the student’s educational objectives.Specifically speak to the sustainability knowledge and skills you hope to gain or enhance through this project. Include a brief summary of why you’re qualified to carry out this research and any relevant experience you have (previous research, volunteer work, employment, courses, etc.). (limit one page)
Attachment 1: Letter of Support from the Faculty Supervisor
Include one-page statement from the faculty supervisor and endorsed by the unit head describing the proposed project; how it will support boththe student’s training and the faculty member’s research; and its applied benefit to the university’s environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Attachment 2: Line-item Budget & Timeline
Please indicate all other research awards (such as URISC or programs at other schools) that you have applied for since you enrolled at OSU (including pending applications) and which, if any, of these have been funded.
Refer to Budget Guidelines for complete instructions on use of funds and award information.Itemize and list your budget items in detail (include quantity, item, price and justification).Round figures to the nearest dollar.
[Project title] Research Project Budget
Student Wages (calculate at rate $_10.15/hr x _____ hrs)$______
Travel Expenses(Itemize and justification) $______
The OSU Travel Guidelines can be reviewed at:
Supplies, Equipment Rentals and Expendables $______
(supplies, equipment rental, expendables, lab items, copying, etc.)
TOTAL Budget Request: $______
Matching Funds to be provided: $
Not required. However, a financial contribution by the unit does provide evidence about the level of commitment of the faculty member to the success of the project.
SSI Research Grant: Start FUNDS REQUESTED(Total Budget Request minus Matching Funds):$
The maximum award is $1,500 for one term, $3,300 for winter & spring terms.
Attachment 3:Student’s resume and transcript (unofficial transcript acceptable)
Attachment 4: REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
It is the responsibility of the student and the Faculty Supervisor to obtain approval from the appropriate compliance committee(s) prior to the initiation of the research project. Allow sufficient time for the review and approval process which could take up to 10 weeks. Documentation of approval from the appropriate compliance committee(s) must be received in the Incentive Programs in the Research Office before the award funds will be transferred.
Check each box that applies to your research:
Does this proposal involve the use of human subjects? Yes No
If yes, approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) must be received prior to the initiation of your research.
Will this be a NEW IRB application? Yes No
If the project has IRB approval, provide the following:
Current IRB Study Number:
Current IRB Study Title:
Principal Investigator Name:
Does this proposal involve the use of live vertebrate animals? Yes No
If yes, approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must be received prior to the initiation of your research.
Will this be a NEW IACUC application: Yes No
If the project has IACUC approval, provide the following:
Current Animal Care and Use Proposal (ACUP) Number:
Current Project Title:
Principal Investigator Name:
Does this proposal involve the use of recombinant DNA molecules, transgenic plants or animals, and/or infectious agents of plants, animals, or humans? Yes No
If yes, approval from the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) must be received prior to the initiation of your research.
Does this proposal involve sources of ionizing radiation? Yes No
If yes, approval from the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) must be received prior to the initiation of your research.
Does this proposal involve the use of chemical carcinogens? Yes No
If yes, approval from the Chemical Safety Committee (CSC) must be received prior to the initiation of your research.
SIGNATURES: (allsignatures arerequired)
Student Signature Date
I (the student) give Oregon State University permission to use my name, proposal, final report, a summary and/or excerpts of it, for the OSU website and/or other publications for the sole purpose of sharing information about student research and campus sustainability initiatives.*
Faculty Project Advisor Signature Date
Faculty Project Advisor’s Department Head/Chair Signature Date
*If there is a valid reason for not wanting the final report posted on the web site, submit the justification (200 word limit).