• About the Tanner Dean's Scholar Program
• A Message from Dean McMillan
• Calendar of Events
• Research Grant Information 2007-2008
• About Harold Tanner
• Background of the Pauline and Irving Tanner Dean's Scholarship
• Recent Research Projects
• Open House Schedule 2008

Summer 2008 Research Grant

TO: Juniors who are Pauline and Irving Tanner Dean's Scholars

FROM: Clare A. McMillan, Assistant Dean and Director of Dean's Scholar Program, College of Arts and Sciences

DATE: November 1, 2007

RE: Summer Project Grants

We are pleased to announce a call for research proposals from juniors in the Pauline and Irving Tanner Dean's Scholar Program. Grant support of up to $2500 is available to help you pursue your academic and/or scholarly interests in a serious and sustained manner during the upcoming summer. Your project must be independent work that does not carry any academic credit, and you can work on it either on campus or away. Dean's Scholars often use their summer projects to begin exploratory or background work that will lead to an honors thesis, but your project does not have to be in your major. While you are not required to work directly with a Cornell faculty member during the period of the grant, you do need a Cornell faculty member to guide your efforts and to recommend your project for funding.

The process for submitting proposals will occur in two stages:

Stage 1: ABSTRACT (due December 3, 2007):

• Please outline your project in a fully developed paragraph or two on an attached sheet of paper.
• Please indicate which Cornell faculty member(s) you have consulted about your project.
• Please indicate the proposed location of your research.

Note: You must hand in an abstract to have your proposal considered.

Stage 2: PROPOSAL (Proposals may be submitted beginning January 14, 2008. The final date for all proposals and letters of support is February 25, 2008.):

Please include the following with your proposal:

• A fact sheet stating your name, local address, phone number and email, major(s), and faculty advisor(s).
• An updated proposal abstract (that is, a paragraph-long summary of your project), and a brief biographical sketch.
• A statement of purpose, 3-5 typed pages long. You should include within this statement an expanded explanation of your project, an explanation of the significance of your research and your reasons for wishing to engage in it, where you will carry out this research, and resources you will use. You should also include a brief discussion of how your project relates to existing research in your field on the same subject.
• Bibliography.
• A proposed budget. This should include living expenses like room and board, travel, copying costs, and other costs directly related to your project, but it cannot include equipment. You must also indicate whether you have applied for and/or received funds from other sources, and include the name(s) of the funding source(s), as well as the amount(s) granted. ** Note that if you receive financial aid, the grant will replace your summer earnings component.
• The name of the faculty member who is willing to guide your project.
• A letter of recommendation from the faculty member, along with a statement signed by you of your willingness or refusal to waive your right of access to the letter.

NOTE: All of the above items must be delivered to 172 Goldwin Smith in a sealed envelope with the signature of the faculty recommender written across the seal.

Conditions of funding are that your proposal abstract and biographical sketch may be included in program reports to the donor and in information sent to prospective students. Grant recipients are expected to present the results of their projects formally the following year.

Award decisions will be made on a rolling basis with approximately a four-week turnaround time after we have received all the items listed above. Final decisions will be announced by April 1, 2008. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dean McMillan at cam23@cornell.edu.