Student Funding Opportunity [$4500+] | Office of Research Services

Brock Research Ventures

The Opportunity

Introduction

‘Research Ventures’ is a stream within the new Brock ‘match of minds’ program, the latter being a co-curricular program available to all Brock students, with the aim of providing them with research experiences at the various stages in their student life. The Research Ventures stream seeks to provide the opportunity for students to develop a social, commercial or technology venture in partnership with a Brock professor (or member of staff) and at least one external mentor. (The external mentor can be an individual or a representative of a company or not-for-profit organization.)

The Awards

Managed by the Office of Research Services, the program will award stipends of $4500 to successful applicants, optionally; the $4500 stipend can be used to leverage a further $10,500 using the OCE TalentEdge program. The OCE TalentEdge application process takes around 6 weeks and success is not guaranteed. However, if this path is chosen, and the OCE award is successful, the student will be an intern of the partner organization as per the OCE TalentEdge rules; the research project may still be conducted on campus.

Application

Interested students should make an application to the Office of Research Services (ORS). The applicant will describe the Research Venture using the headings given below, with the application being no longer than 2 pages. Applicants are encouraged to suggest both internal and external mentors but this is not a requirement.

Headings:

  • Venture summary
  • The research challenge or opportunity
  • The project
  • Finances
  • The audience or market
  • Benefit to the student
  • Project milestones and goals

Adjudication

Adjudication will be made by a committee assembled by ORS. Research Ventures will be selected using the criteria below; awards will be a mix of social, commercial and technology ventures.

Criteria:

  • Social/Technology/Commercial Impact
  • Research Impact
  • Student Experience
  • Student Development

Timelines

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and adjudication will take place as committee members’ schedules allow. All awards for this year’s program will be made by the 30th of March 2015. Projects should start as soon as possible but no later than the 1st May 2015. Stipend projects can be part-time or full-time, OCE TalentEdge projects must be full-time.

FAQs

1. Q-What counts as a “research venture”? A-Student projects are expected to produce one or more clear deliverable in collaboration with a mentor at Brock and another mentor with an external organization. For example, students might work to develop a training program for a local or international partner. Note that OCE TalentEdge interns are required to work with an organization in Ontario. Other examples include a photo exhibition, film, theatre or performance piece, workshop, training manual, or pedagogical tool.

2. Q-Can these funds be used to cover research expenses? A-While the expectation is that funds go primarily to student salaries, there is some flexibility. Any other proposed expenses should be clearly outlined in the award application. Note that rules and regulations governing eligible expenses vary between external grants. For example, through the OCE TalentEdge program up to $10,000 can be allocated to direct research costs.

3. Q-Are all Brock students eligible? A-Yes, the research ventures competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students.

4. Q-What is the application deadline? A-There is a rolling deadline. However, all applications must be received before March 30, 2015.

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