This guide is to assist current and future Research-MAP faculty and their HR correspondents.
What is Research-MAP?
- The Research Mentorship and Apprenticeship Program provides a cohort of 10–15 first-time student researchers with professional development and research presentation experience, and funding to support their activity as research assistants. If students do not already have a faculty mentor, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) helps connect the students with one.
What are the students doing each semester?
- In their first spring semester after being accepted into Research-MAP, students take a one-hour credit course introducing them to the research process. During this time, students who need mentors are connected with them. The following fall semester begins their work with their faculty mentor. In their final spring semester with the program, students will take a second one-hour credit course centered on research communication; they will also participate in events such as a poster session to present the research they have been assisting with.
How many hours a week will a student work?
- Students are asked to work 10 hours per week to ensure all students receive the correct amount of funding, though if exceptions are needed by either the faculty mentor or the student, we can of course accommodate.
How much in funding are faculty asked to contribute?
- OUR, with the support of the vice president of student affairs, will provide $2,000 in funding for the year students work with their faculty mentor—$1,000 each semester. Faculty mentors are asked to match the funding where possible, providing the students with a yearly sum of $4,000.
- The breakdown of this funding each semester is as follows: $2,000 per semester, $14.28/hr, 10 hours per week, 14 weeks per semester.
- Some students may qualify for work-study. If so, they are able and encouraged to use it for their Research-MAP RAship. Typically, this cuts down the yearly matching ask from $2,000 to $600, though it can vary depending on the student’s award package.
Is the financial contribution a requirement for mentoring a student?
- No. We understand that not all faculty mentors are able to match the $2,000. In this case, we ask if a partial match is possible. If not, we then move on to seeking out matching funding from the departmental or college level. Our goal for Research-MAP is that funding not be a barrier to a student’s involvement in research—and that includes their faculty mentor’s funding abilities.
Expectations and suggestions for faculty involvement
- Establish communication expectations with the student: Who is their daily point of contact? How do they contact this person? Will you have check-in meetings? How often, when, and how?
- Discuss each other’s goals and expectations for the coming semesters: In terms of your project as well as what the student wishes to gain from this experience (knowledge, skills, confidence), and in terms of student responsibility (schedule, communication, duties for the project).
- Help students decide on appropriate findings to present at on-campus research events.
- Maintain contact with our office in case any questions about the program or the student arise.