Undergraduate Research Funding from Rice Centers and Schools

Multidisciplinary/Interdisciplinary

Gulf Scholars Program, $ and credit (CCL and Engineering)

The Center for Civic Leadership and School of Engineering sponsor GSP@Rice, a one-year funded program that introduces students to natural hazards and their impact on the Gulf Coast. During the summer, students complete an interdisciplinary research project with a faculty mentor, graduate student mentor, and community partner.

Houston Action Research Teams, $ (CCL)

HART is a paid civic research program administered by the Center for Civic Leadership. Small, interdisciplinary teams of Rice undergraduates work together for a semester with city offices and community organizations to address issues and challenges facing Houston and its residents. A faculty member, CCL staff, and a graduate student mentor the teams.

Loewenstern Fellowship in International Critical Service and Civic Research, $ and credit (CCL)

The Loewenstern Fellowship provides undergraduate Rice students with funding, preparation, mentorship, and support to conduct civic research and/or critical service outside of the United States. Loewenstern fellows work across Latin and South America and Sub-Saharan Africa with partner organizations focused on a variety of social issues including education, healthcare, civil rights, and gender equality. Fellows receive funding to cover the cost of their summer abroad. Fellows enroll in a semester-long, two-credit International Service course in the spring before traveling to the host country in the summer. The course provides a critical lens to international development and frameworks for ethical global engagement. During the course, the fellow will also initiate conversations with their partner organization to prepare for their summer work.

Owl Edge Summer Experience Fund, $ (CCD)

Thanks to generous donations from alumni, parents and friends, the Owl Edge Summer Experience Fund has empowered students to pursue their ideal summer opportunity since 2016. This funding is distributed to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors who secure unpaid or low (less than minimum wage) paid summer experience(s) in order to help defray living expenses for an intern. While many internships and research experiences are paid, industries such as government, non-profit and entertainment remain areas for unpaid summer opportunities. These opportunities are crucial for students pursuing these fields to gain necessary experience and determine whether or not to move forward on that same path.

In addition to money, recipients of this particular fund will participate in online career development activities that include: preparing for a summer experience, establishing professional connections, goal setting and donor appreciation.

Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship, $ (CCL)

The Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship provides students and alumni with the opportunity to conduct research abroad for a minimum of eight weeks and up to one year. A research project may be combined simultaneously with the advanced study of a language (400 level or above); or an introductory level of languages not offered at Rice. Funding is available up to $20,000 per award (Note: funding is considered taxable income). The Wagoner only supports university enrollment when it is required to get a visa in the host country.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Baker Institute Intern Program, $ (Baker Institute)

The Baker Institute intern program offers Rice undergraduates paid internships for up to 10 hours per week in research or administration. Research interns work directly with institute fellows and scholars on national and international policy issues. Administrative interns work with senior staff in a professional office environment, providing essential support in a security-sensitive setting. The work may involve research, writing, editing as well as administrative office work including staffing events, copying, filing, maintaining office supplies, etc. Motivation and dependability are essential requirements.

Community Bridges, credit, summer $ (Kinder Institute)

The Community Bridges program at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research addresses urban inequality and poverty issues by pairing academic study with active fieldwork. Rice undergraduate students who are selected to be Community Bridges fellows simultaneously study the theories of urban sociology in the classroom and undertake internships with nonprofit organization partners to carry out research-driven projects. Students earn a total of five upper-level credits while participating in Community Bridges. The program includes fall and spring semester commitments as well as the opportunity for summer fellowships.

Elizabeth Lee Moody Undergraduate Research Fellowship in the Humanities and the Arts, $ (Dean of Humanities)

The School of Humanities invites humanities majors to join our cohort of the Elizabeth Lee Moody Undergraduate Research Fellowship in the Humanities and the Arts. These competitive fellowships offer undergraduate students the opportunity to experience humanities research in a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields. The fellowship provides a $3,500 summer stipend — available at least once during the student’s undergraduate years at Rice — to support a humanities research project or humanities-related internship. Students remain fellows throughout their undergraduate education at Rice.

Fondren Fellows, $ (Fondren Library)

The Fondren Fellows program funds Rice undergraduate or graduate students to conduct research projects sponsored by Fondren Library that will benefit the library and the scholarly community.

HEDGE Summer Internship Fund, $ (School of Humanities)

The School of Humanities provides competitive funding for unpaid or low-paying professional internships obtained by Humanities majors. While funding supports internships broadly, the following HEDGE funds are specifically focused on undergraduate research: The Reginald Moore Internship Award and The Julie and David Itz Research Fund in Humanities

Houston Asian American Archive Internship Program, $ (Chao Center for Asian Studies)

The Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) is a research archive focusing on Houston's Asian American immigrant experience.

Health, Humanism, and Society Scholars, credit (MDHM)

The Health, Humanism and Society Scholars program (HHASS) provides undergraduates in Humanities and Social Sciences the opportunity to assist in research at various institutions within the Texas Medical Center, giving them valuable experience in a variety of medical and public health settings, research institutes and centers.

Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer in D.C. Policy Research Internship Program, $ (Baker Institute)

The goal of the Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer in D.C. Policy Research Internship Program is to offer Rice University undergraduate students hands-on experience in the world of public policy research and analysis in our nation's capital.

STEM

Rice Engineering Undergraduate Support for Student Development Award, $ (School of Engineering)

The Rice Engineering Undergraduate Support for Student Development Award is given to undergraduate students in the School of Engineering that are participating in activities that contribute to their professional and academic development. This award will not support study abroad programs. Preference will be given to students participating in an engineering project that aligns with their academic goals and with the George R. Brown School of Engineering vision. Students applying to receive these funds are encouraged to also contact their academic department to request matching funds.

Solar Car Team (Student club)

The Rice University Solar Car team is an interdisciplinary group consisting of students from various engineering disciplines and the natural sciences. We’re all current Rice students and we are advised by Dr. Andrew Dick, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Vertically Integrated Projects, credit (ECE, MECH, P&A, BIOE)

The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program at Rice unites undergraduate education and faculty research in a team-based context. Undergraduate Rice VIP students earn academic credits, while faculty and graduate students benefit from the design/discovery efforts of their teams.