Proposal &
project support
Find resources to help you develop a strong project proposal, conduct research, improve your writing, and prepare effective posters and presentations.
Getting started with URSA
These terms refer to a project conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an
original intellectual or creative contribution to a discipline, and applies to every
discipline at UAF.
In a science field, a research project might include the testing of a scientific hypothesis
by collecting and analyzing data. In the arts and humanities, a scholarly activity
might include the creation of an original piece of art or the composition of music.
In engineering, a creative project might include the creation of new software or technology.
There are many ways to think about these terms.
Here are some examples of creative and scholarly projects:
- English - A summer-long writing project that interrogated the relationship between geographic place, history and image.
- Art 鈥 A student worked with an internationally acclaimed artist at a workshop about portraying figurative sculpture in clay.
- Theatre 鈥 A student created original costumes for UAF theatre productions.
- Music 鈥 A student traveled to Italy with the Alaska Chamber Chorale Tour and explored the role of a music educator.
- Art/Photography - A student created an art exhibit focused on homelessness.
- See our list of 鈥Award Recipients鈥 we have funded to date.
How many of these awards do you give out each year?
The number of awards varies each year. Our award year is based on the UAF school calendar. Fall is the start of the award cycle and it ends the following summer (September to the following August).
Learn more through our annual reports.
Is URSA only for science majors?
No. URSA funding is available to student of all disciplines. To date, we have funded
students in almost every department at UAF.
I'm not an Honors student - do I have to be super smart to do this?
No. In fact, over 41% of all UAF students get involved in research or creative activities
during their undergraduate years at UAF. The minimum GPA requirement is 2.3 to be
eligible for URSA-funded projects.
I can only afford to go to school part-time - can I apply?
Yes! URSA is open to degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in at least three
credits working toward an Occupational Endorsement, Certificate, Associate' Degree,
or Bachelor's Degree. Once a student has graduated, they are no longer eligible for
URSA funding.
One of the key aspects of an URSA award is the relationship that takes place between a student and their mentor. This is key to creating an opportunity for the student to pursue their area of interest and to learn valuable skills from their mentor such as; new arts or laboratory-based techniques, qualitative research methods, or presenting to a large audience at a national conference. Faculty mentors are experts in their field and they welcome students to learn about their discipline through interactions with the members of their lab group, other experts in their field, and introducing opportunities that a student might never know exist at UAF.
Who can be my mentor?
This person must be UAF faculty member, postdoctoral researcher, graduate student,
or staff member who is willing to mentor you for the duration of your project or travel.
Undergraduate students cannot mentor other undergraduate students.
Do you provide mentors for students?
URSA will not assign mentors, but we are a resource to help you find one! Many students
find their mentor by asking current professors. If you need assistance securing a
mentor, please contact the URSA office and we can guide you to faculty members that
may be helpful for your specific interests. URSA also maintains a list of active projects
on our website: Opportunities at UAF. This list provides project descriptions for faculty mentors looking for students
to join their active programs.
Can I get help with my application?
Yes! Work with your mentor on a first draft and then stop by the URSA office. We have
a notebook with applications that have been funded in our office. You are welcome
to look at them, but we will not make copies or email them to you. Many students have
found these very useful in creating a successful application.
Timeline
Students that receive funding are required to complete their work within the semester
in which they receive the funding. For example, a student that receives a Spring Project
Award must complete the work by the end of the spring semester.
Award Reflection
Students must provide a brief synopsis of their work and they must complete a written
reflection of their experience within two weeks of the end of the semester in which
they received funding.
Research and Creative Activity Day (held in April each year)
- All students that receive awards are required to present their work with either a poster, display, or performance at the annual Research and Creative Activity Day.
- Students that receive funding for spring semester may present their work to date (i.e., work in progress).
- Students that received travel awards are also required to participate in Research and Creative Activity Day.
- Students that will not be attending UAF during the spring semester (e.g., study abroad, or graduating the previous December) are still required to provide URSA with a poster to display in your absence at Research and Creative Activity Day.
- Students that receive funding for summer semester will be expected to present at the following year's Research and Creative Activity Day.
Mid-term check
URSA will contact you and your mentor in the middle of the semester to check on your
progress. If your project is not progressing or your mentor has concerns, you will
need to schedule a time to speak with the URSA director (Trent Sutton) to discuss
your options.
Failure to complete your project
URSA expects you to complete the project or travel for which you received funding
to the satisfaction of your mentor. We are very willing to work with you to ensure
your success. However, if you fail to complete your project according to your timeline,
you will be required to return all of your funds to URSA. In addition, you will no
longer be eligible for URSA funding.
Proposal development
Writing Center
The Writing Center is a student-staffed tutoring service focused on building the writing skills of the UAF learning community. Tutors include English Department teaching assistants and a few outstanding undergraduates. Tutors collaborate with each student on a one-to-one basis, and we will work with students at any phase of the writing process鈥攑lanning, drafting and revising. We can also help writers discover ways of improving grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
Book an appointment to go over your URSA Proposal prior to submission!
Research consulations
If you're spending more than 15 minutes navigating library resources, then you're wasting precious time. UAF Librarians are standing by waiting to help. today.
Student Success Center Research Librarian
The UAF Writing Center has launched a new partnership to strengthen support for students engaged in research-based writing. Drake Jesse, visiting assistant professor of library science and instruction librarian, is now available for one-on-one research consultations directly in the Writing Center. Drake provides expert guidance at any stage of the research process 鈥 from developing research questions to locating and evaluating credible sources. He is available for drop-in consultations on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Students may also via Zoom, or in person.
Citations
The Rasmuson Library offers online you may use in your research and/or poster development processes.
Posters & presentations
Poster printing
Free poster printing is available for undergraduate students who participate in Research and Creative Activity Day.
Design specifications
- Posters may be sized up to 36" x 48" (the maximum size our printer will accommodate).
- Files must be less than 50 MB.
- URSA-funded research posters must include the URSA logo (please see following section for files). If your poster has been printed for another event and does not have the URSA logo, that's fine - you may use that poster for RCA Day.
- Please do not use gradient backgrounds as they will not print correctly.
- Posters are printed on matte poster paper. Please contact the URSA office for any additional details.
Exampled & templates
See for examples of past URSA Posters! You may also see the RCA Poster Archives for more inspiration.
There are numerous poster templates available online for free. Here are two of the many examples available:
URSA logo
Every URSA-funded poster must display URSA's logo.Logo position is at the discretion of the student.
UAF logo
If you choose to also include a UAF logo, please make sure to follow the institution's branding guidelines. The UAF logo page offers a variety of styles and sizes.
Poster board loan
22 poster boards are available for loan for research-related events. These 4' x 8' boards belong to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and are managed by the Biology & Wildlife Department. Borrowers must arrange for pick up and delivery from the Murie Science Building. Please see the calendar below for poster board availability and contact the URSA office and B&W (uaf-bw-dept@alaska.edu) to reserve:
Poster Printing for Undergraduate Students
URSA has an in-house large format printer and will print posters for any undergraduate student presenting at a conference for free!
As soon as you confirm your presentation and finalize your poster, please . Advance notice of at least a week is requested to ensure the printer is supplied and properly serviced.
Don't forget to review the poster design tips and tricks listed on this page.
Video format
Please format video recordings in widescreen format (rather than portrait).
Recording and editing
Recommended / accessible tools
- (Presentation with poster shared on screen)
- (Mac & Windows)
Additional resources
- Basic recording tools:
- Mac: Photo Booth, Quicktime
- Windows: , Windows 10 Game bar
- Multiplatform: (Mac, Windows, Chrome OS)
- Entry-level editing tools:
- : (Mac)
- : (Windows)
- (Apple iOS)
- (Apple iOS/Android)
- Intermediate & Advanced Editing Tools
- (Mac, $89)
- (Mac/Windows)
- (Mac/Windows/Linux)
- (Mac/Windows/Linux)
Communication Center
The UAF Communication Center increases the personal, professional, and civic impact of UAF by enhancing the communication competence of its community members.
They are a student-focused resource center that offers assistance and coaching services for a wide range of needs, including: speech outline structuring, critical listening, topic selection, presentation practice, thesis statements development, nonverbals, communication anxiety management, mock interview prep, visual aid assistance, video review, and more!
with a Communication Coach. (*The majority of coaching sessions will be held virtually.)
Equipment rental
Outdoor Adventures offers outdoor gear rentals for a standard rental fee. Equipment fees may be written into a proposal as a "service."
Rasmuson Library offers technology and equipment that's available to be checked out (e.g., computers, calculators, microphones, and much more!)
*Note: the standard reservation period may be one week. If you have extended use needs, please meet with the library about extending your reservation time!