Q: I am not sure if I am eligible to be a mentor. Who can apply for the Mentoring Grant for Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Work?
A: Eligible applicants include UHM faculty (I/R/S/B/A/J/M tenured, tenure track, and non–tenure track faculty) and those who have successfully submitted and received a Mentor Eligibility Petition.
If you do not meet the requirements to petition for mentor eligibility, you may not apply for the Mentoring Grant.
Mentor eligibility petitioners should keep in mind the following:
- The Mentor Eligibility Petition must be submitted to UROP at least four weeks prior to the submission of a Mentoring Grant proposal in order to ensure timely consideration of the petition.
- Granting of mentor eligibility is not guaranteed. Applicants who choose to petition for eligibility and are not ultimately granted eligibility will not be considered for the Mentoring Grant.
- Mentoring Grant funds will not be disbursed to successful applicants until eligibility is granted.
Funds will be disbursed to successful candidates via an RTRF account, so applicants should check with their college or unit to ensure they are able to manage such accounts. Prospective mentors who are unable to independently manage an RTRF account may make arrangements with a UH employee who can manage an RTRF account. UROP is not responsible for such arrangements.
Q: I am not eligible to be a mentor. Can my student mentee still participate in SURE?
A: Mentor eligibility is not required for UHM undergraduate students to participate in SURE. Eligibility requirements apply only to mentors applying for Mentoring Grant funds or mentors whose students who are applying for UROP Project and Presentation funding. Undergraduate students may participate in SURE if they are:
- A UHM student conducting research or creative work in the summer with a UHM or a non-UHM mentor
- or a non-UHM student conducting research or creative work under a UHM-affiliated mentor.
Q: Can the student’s project be part of a larger, umbrella project overseen by a mentor? Or does the project need to be initiated by the student?
A: Yes, the student’s project can be a portion of a larger project. It is key that the student is making their own contribution to the project, however, and gaining a valuable research or creative work experience. The ideal project provides training and intellectual growth for the student. Projects may or may not be initiated by the student.
Q: I want to support 3 students on the same project. Do I have to submit 3 separate proposals?
A: No. You may submit one proposal for a single project regardless of the number of students working on the project.
Q: I want to support 3 students, one each on 3 separate projects. Do I have to submit 3 separate proposals?
A: Funding rules have changed as of 2022. Mentors are now limited to submitting a total of 1 proposal per funding cycle. In this example, the mentor must choose one project for which to apply for funding.
Q: Can a student participate in my Mentoring Grant-supported project if they are simultaneously being supported by UROP Entering Research and Creative Work funding or Project funding?
A: No. Students cannot participate in a project supported by a mentor’s Mentoring Grant while being concurrently funded with UROP Entering Research and Creative Work funding or Project funding. This is true regardless of whether the Mentoring Grant Project and the student’s own UROP project are related or unrelated.
Q: Can I simultaneously mentor Student A who has their own UROP Entering Research and Creative Work or Project Funding, while also mentoring a different Student B on my Mentoring Grant-supported project?
A: Yes. This is acceptable, as long as both of the following conditions are true:
- Student A and Student B are not the same student
- The two projects are distinct. The projects may be related in research subject, but each project should have its own specific scope, objective, methods, outcomes, etc.
Q: Can I support a student in the Summer with my Mentoring Grant, and then have the student apply for UROP Entering Research and Creative Work or Project funding in the Fall to continue the project?
A: Yes. This is acceptable, as long as both of the following conditions are true:
- The student is not simply repeating the same work conducted in the Summer
- The student should be building off of the work conducted during the Summer
Keep in mind the timing of the student’s funding application. If a student applies for UROP Entering Research and Creative Work or Project funding in the Fall, funding will not be disbursed until Spring. Funds cannot be used retroactively to cover project expenses incurred during the Fall.
Q: Are non-UHM undergraduate students eligible as mentees?
A: No. Funds are intended specifically to support UHM undergraduate students.
Q: Do I have to know who my mentees are at the time of application?
A: No. You do not have to know who your student mentees are at the time of application. Mentors may choose to recruit students after funding decisions are made in mid-April. If you know your student mentees names when applying, you should include their names in the application.
Q: Will UROP reverse funds not spent by the end of summer?
A: The funds, once distributed to your RTRF account, do not “expire.” UROP will, however, rescind any funds not spent by August 31, as the funds are intended to facilitate summer research and creative work. A competitive proposal will describe how funds will be used to support the student’s summer project (even if the project will not be completed by that time). If you seek funds during the academic year, we encourage students to apply for UROP’s other funding opportunities.
Q: How do I pay students?
A: UROP distributes the Mentoring Grant funds to mentors via an RTRF account, but UROP is not responsible for determining the method used to pay student wages, nor is UROP responsible for hiring students. It is the mentor’s responsibility to work with their human resources representative on options for paying students. Do not, however, distribute payments via Financial Aid as this often has unintended negative impacts on the student’s overall Financial Aid package.
UROP requires students to be hired at the UH student pay scale A14 level rate of $15.40/hour, with a fringe rate estimated by the UH Office of Research Services (ORS).
Q: How is the Mentoring Grant for Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Work different from UROP’s other funding opportunities?
A: The funds differ in several ways:
- Mentoring Grant for Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Work: These grants will be given to UHM mentors with strong summer mentorship plans. They are intended to help mentors support undergraduate student mentees doing research and creative work during the summer. The application period is from February 1 to March 1.
- UROP’s other funding opportunities: UROP provides Entering Research and Creative Work, Project, and Presentation funding specifically for undergraduate students doing mentored research and creative work. Undergraduate students apply directly to UROP for these funds. They must also work with an eligible mentor to apply for funds. Visit the Entering Research and Creative Work, Project, and Presentation funding pages to learn more.
Q: Do I and my student mentee have to finish the project by the end of summer?
A: All funds from the Mentoring Grant must be expended by August 31. You do not, however, have to complete the entire project by the end of summer, as many projects take much longer. Your student mentee should, however, be working on some component of the project during the summer. The funds are meant to facilitate research/creative work activity specifically during the summer.
Q: What are some examples of allowable and unallowable expenses?
A: All funds are to be used to directly support the undergraduate student’s project in the Summer.
Allowable expenditures include:
- Materials and supplies
- Travel costs for students
- Student wages
Non-allowable expenditures include:
- Faculty salary or overload
- Student tuition
- Any expenses not directly related to the student’s summer project
Q: Can funds be used on mentor travel?
A: No, funds cannot be used for mentor travel. Eligible mentors may consider applying for the Faculty Travel Fund administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.
Q: Can funds be used for student travel?
A: UROP follows current University of Hawai‘i guidelines on travel, which is subject to change. UROP’s policy on travel funding can be found on our COVID-19 Updates & Office Availability page. Visit the University of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Travel Information webpage to learn more.
Q: Are there any completion requirements?
A: All Mentoring Grant recipients will be required to complete a project completion survey. The survey will be distributed in August.
Students supported through the Mentoring Grant must, prior to graduating, give a poster or oral presentation on their summer research/creative work project either:
- At the end-of-summer Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Symposium
- OR at one of the Undergraduate Showcase events held at the end of each Fall and Spring semester.