Divisions – Psychology Mid-Career Mentoring Award

The Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research requests nominations for a Mid-Career Mentoring Award. This award is for a CUR Psychology Division member who has influenced undergraduate research through their own research, through scholarly or creative projects with undergraduates, and/or through demonstrated leadership activities. The award consists of $500. In addition, the awardee will have the opportunity to present their research mentorship style and philosophy with the CUR community and the profile and accomplishments of the awardee will be featured on the Psychology Division’s website.

Awardees play a major role in advancing undergraduate research by promoting discipline-specific activities that may include the following:

  • demonstrating a strong track record of scholarly and/or creative projects involving undergraduates
  • providing mentorship to undergraduate researchers or scholars who have produced significant work in psychology
  • securing support for their work and for their students
  • spearheading efforts to institutionalize undergraduate research on their campuses and across the nation.

In sum, award winners are leaders and role models for a broad range of faculty and students.  

Recognizing that significant and meaningful scholarly/creative activities with undergraduate students can take many forms, the following criteria will be considered by the selection committee.  

A successful candidate must demonstrate:    

  • sustained involvement with undergraduates in research activities
  • mentoring undergraduates whose work leads to conference presentations and/or peer-reviewed publications

In addition, a strong candidate will also demonstrate some combination of the following:

  • publications and presentations about undergraduate research activities
  • innovative approaches to mentoring undergraduates
  • extramural support for research activities through grants, contracts, commissions, or fund-raising
  • admission of students to postgraduate and professional programs
  • postgraduate honors and recognition resulting from a student’s undergraduate research experience
  • engagement of varied student populations and backgrounds in undergraduate research activities
  • incorporation of research activities and experiences into courses, the overall curriculum, or the culture of undergraduate research on a campus
  • advocacy of undergraduate research on the home campus and beyond.

Eligibility

Any member of CUR may nominate any active CUR Psychology Division member for the award. Self-nominations are also accepted. Nomination materials should elaborate on the perspectives, innovation, and value-added to undergraduate research. 

Deadline

Fall 2025

Application Process

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Name and Email of Nominee
  • Name and Email of Nominator (if different from nominee)
  • A single PDF including the following:
    • A two-page nomination letter highlighting the nominee’s contributions to all areas of undergraduate research. (This can be a self-nomination or a nomination by a colleague.) 
    • If the candidate is self-nominated, include one letter of support from a colleague.
    • Two one-page letters of support from students.
    • A full CV with undergraduate research student co-authors clearly marked.

All CUR Award recipients are responsible for any and all applicable tax obligations associated with receipt of the award.

All students, faculty, mentors, organizations, and institutions honored with becoming a part of the CUR award recipient community, you have the professional and ethical responsibility to maintain the highest professional conduct standards and embody the CUR Code of Ethics for Undergraduate Research in your words, actions, and deeds. In addition, all participants are expected to abide by the CUR Code of Conduct. Expectations for awardees are to show courtesy and civility in both their personal and professional communications while forever representing CUR and the distinguished honor of the specific award rewarded. One must conduct oneself in a manner both professional and ethical.

Questions

Questions may be addressed to any member of the Mid-Career Mentoring Awards Committee:

Joanne Altman
Sarah K. Johnson
Marcus Leppanen
Nestor Matthews

Previous Winners