Posted: November 10, 2023

Undergraduate research awards in the amount of $3500 will be granted for Summer 2024.

The Rodney A. Erickson Discovery Grant Program, named in honor of Penn State's seventeenth President, supports undergraduate student engagement in original research, scholarship, and creative work under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Approximately 60 Erickson Discovery Grants, each in the amount of $3,500, are available through the Office of Undergraduate Education for summer 2024. Additional grants may be funded through college support.

The Erickson Discovery Grants are directed to student-initiated projects in the arts, humanities, engineering, sciences, and social sciences that provide experience in all facets of the research, scholarship, or creative processes. This includes conceptualization of a question or focus, proposal writing, identification and implementation of methods, and communication of results (reporting, exhibition, or performance). Projects should be primarily the student's own work; although the project may be related to the supervising faculty member's research or scholarly interests, it should not simply provide assistance to faculty work.

The grants may be used to cover living expenses and project costs (supplies, materials, books, specialized software, travel for the purpose of data collection, etc.). Note: Funds will be deposited to student accounts and therefore may have an impact on student aid or be applied to outstanding charges.

The deadline to apply is February 11, 2024.

Applicants will be notified by the end of Spring Break regarding funding decisions. Grant funds will be distributed to student accounts by June 1, 2024. Questions about the Erickson Discovery Grant Program should be directed to Alan Rieck, associate vice provost and associate dean for undergraduate education, at 814-863-1864 or ajr83@psu.edu.

The Erickson Discovery Grants are presented by Penn State Undergraduate Education. Learn more about Undergraduate Education at undergrad.psu.edu.