Month: September 2023

IBACS Undergraduate Award Application is Open!

IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research grant program! 
 

Please note that our dates have changed from past cycles. The academic year application is open and Fall 2023 applications are due at 11:59 pm September 182023. Spring 2024 applications are due on February 6, 2024

It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.

Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on December 1, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on January 30, 2024

The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
  • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
  • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
  • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
  • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
  • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
  • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.

      IBACS Fall 2023/Spring 2024 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2023_spring_2024/

      Please contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions or visit our information page.

      IBACS Fall 2023 Call for Seed Grant Applications

      The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) is pleased to announce a new call for applications to its seed grant fund.  

      The seed grant program is intended to fund research consistent with the IBACS mission. Large Seed Grant applications (>$10,000 but <$25,000) are time-limited to accommodate GA assignment; the Fall deadline is October 2nd, 2023 (due to the 1st falling on a weekend)Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 9/15/23), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal. 

      A reminder that our Spring deadline will be April 1st, 2024Small Seed Grant applications (<$10,000) are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

      Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Review criteria seek innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences.  Postdocs can also apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. Undergraduates are directed to separate academic/summer funding. Full details on the seed grant program, including applications (letter of intent and full seed app) and allowable costs, please check our website. 

      The Institute also invites applications for affiliate memberships 

      Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937. 

      Welcome Back!

      IBACS is pleased to welcome our affiliates back to the 2023/2024 academic year! We are excited to embark on yet another year of cross-disciplinary and collaborative research.   

      Please find below some very important Fall 2023 reminders and updates:  

      Fall 2023/Spring 2024 Large & Small IBACS Seed Grant Funding  

      Effective Sept 1, 2023, we call for Seed Grant applications from affiliates to fund interdisciplinary research consistent with the IBACS Mission. Large Seed Grant (>10K) applications are time-limited to accommodate GA assignment. Fall deadline is October 2nd 2023; Spring deadline is April 1st 2024. Small Seed Grant applications (<10K) are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Review criteria seek innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences. Postdocs can apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. Undergraduates are directed to separate academic/summer funding. For more information on the Seed Grant and other funding programs, including allowable costs, please check our website.

      IBACS Publication Awards   

      The IBACS Publication Award provides a lump-sum up to $1.5K to cover full publication costs, or up to 50% of the costs with a $3K cap on IBACS contribution. The application process is rolling and will close once funds are exhausted. Please visit our award page for more information, including eligibility requirements and the form to apply.     

      Summer Graduate Fellowships   

      IBACS Summer 2024 graduate fellowship application opens on December 1, 2023, and will close January 30, 2024. Details can be found on the webpage.   

      Undergraduate Research Awards 

      We will be offering IBACS Undergraduate Research Grants this academic year and during the summer. Please note that our dates have changed from past cycles. The academic year application is now open – the Fall application will close on September 18, 2023, and the Spring app will close on February 6, 2024. A separate email with more information will be sent out soon. Our Summer 2024 application will open on December 1, 2023 and close on January 30, 2024. Please visit our undergraduate fellowships page for more information, including deadlines and instructions, as they become available.  

      IBACS Meeting Support 

      Please note that our mechanism for applying for meeting support is changing. Instead of applying through our small seed grant application, please visit our meeting support pageIBACS offers meeting, workshop, or conference support (either one-time or recurring) to IBACS affiliates and external/non-profit organizations. The event must relate to the Institute’s mission. The deadline is rolling and funds are limited, so the application will close once funds are exhausted.  

      Travel Awards Program  

      The IBACS Travel Award Program funds up to ten $500 awards to be used for meeting/conference travel expenses where data will be presented that was directly supported by IBACS. These awards are available to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as post-docs. This program operates with a rolling deadline. Please visit the travel award webpage for more information.      

      Arjona Desks Available  

      There are desk spaces available for graduate students and sponsored undergraduates working in IBACS-affiliated labs in Arjona 311. Please contact Crystal to sign out a desk.  

      Arjona Meeting Space Available   

      IBACS has some Arjona meeting spaces available for use by affiliates, including OWL/hybrid support. Room booking requests and OWL reservations should go through Crystal.   

      IBACS Soapbox 

      Have something you want to share with our affiliates? Please submit to the IBACS soapbox at soapbox.uconn.edu. Anyone can submit on topics such as events, courses, talks, funding opportunities, and more. Our soapbox is sent out on our listserv every Monday at 2pm.  

      Refer a Colleague to IBACS  

      The Institute is always looking to expand our base of University affiliates, helping researchers network and connect to generate collaborative research.  If you know of others in your department that would like to be affiliated with the Institute, please forward this email or recommend they check out the benefits of affiliation on our IBACS website 

         

      Best wishes for a safe and productive year ahead!  

        

      John Salamone, Director of Communication and Outreach, IBACS  

      Inge-Marie Eigsti, Director of Research, IBACS 

      Emily Myers, Director of Training, IBACS 

      Crystal Mills, Senior Institute Coordinator, IBACS