Student-Faculty/Staff Summer Research Application

due Friday, February 8, 2019

EnviroLab Asia is a grant-funded initiative at the Claremont Colleges that aims to advance scholarship on environmental issues in East and Southeast Asia. In response to faculty and student demand, we are providing support for Student-Faculty/Staff Summer Research. We look to fund projects that range from $2,000-$4,000, and projects may include travel to Asia to conduct research. Eligible expenses include honorarium for collaborators in Asia, lodging, ground transportation, airfare, and per diem (meals). Team members of the Summer Research Projects must deliver an academic product (art work, video, presentation, article, etc.) by the following Fall semester. Graduating seniors are also eligible to participate, though they must be able to complete the academic product.

We invite applications from 5C students, faculty, or staff, however, the summer research must be a collaboration between students and a faculty or staff member. We will not support student-only, faculty-only, or staff-only projects.

One lead applicant must apply for the group, and the lead applicant may be a student, staff, or faculty member. This person is responsible for the main communication with EnviroLab Asia, especially in regards to reporting, documenting, and tracking budget expenses for the research project.

Projects that receive funding must also participate in assessment activities and write a piece that will be published on EnviroLab Asia’s blog.

Priority will be given to projects that support our guiding principles, which are summarized below:

• To create a space for the production of new knowledge about the interaction between nature, the built environment, and human populations in East and Southeast Asia
• To utilize cross-disciplinary approaches
• To encourage 5C exchanges between and across campuses, utilize the current resources at the Claremont Colleges, and/or encourage community-building between and among 5C campus communities
• To increase faculty and students’ capacities to effectively influence debates on environmental issues as well as present innovative solutions to challenges resulting from environmental problems

Please submit a1-4 page written proposal in a single PDF document with all the following information:

Lead Applicant Name:

Lead Applicant School and year:

Lead Applicant Email:

Lead Applicant Role (Student/Staff/Faculty):

1. How did you hear about this opportunity?
2. Describe the summer research project, its goals, and the academic product that will come out of the summer research. Some examples of academic products include: art project, exhibit, public presentation, video, article, etc.
3. Provide short biographies and contact information (name, email, school, year, role) of each team member. Also describe each team members’ responsibilities and qualifications. How will each team member be able to complete the summer research?
4. Describe the project timeline, description of activities, and locations of research. If a graduating senior is participating, describe how she/he/they will be able to complete the project. If travel is involved, please share specific locations and why it is important to travel there.
5. If you are working with a partner in Asia, describe how the summer research is mutually beneficial to you and your partner. In what ways would the Summer Research impact each team member’s growth as a researcher, scholar, or activist?
6. How does the Summer Research Project support the guiding principles of EnviroLab Asia? Projects do not have to meet all aspects of the guiding principles, but should aim to achieve at least one. For example:
   1. What new research will you be conducting?
   2. Describe how participants would work together? How do you plan on being cross-disciplinary?
   3. How does the project support 5C community building?
   4. How may the research effectively influence debates on environmental issues as well as present innovative solutions to challenges resulting from environmental problems?
7. Please provide a detailed budget. If travel is part of the research, please detail airfare, lodging, per diem, stipends, honorarium for collaborators in Asia, etc. What other sources of funding are you receiving? Please list other groups you are seeking funding from with amounts requested.
8. Is there any other information you would like us to know?

Optional:

If you are working with a partner in Asia (college, university, researcher, NGO, etc.) please provide a brief letter of support.

Please submit final written proposal (in a single PDF document) to kmak[at]cmc.edu Questions should also be directed to Karin Mak, Project Administrator (kmak[at]cmc.edu). Applications are due Friday, February 1, 2019.