Student Research Funds

Note:  The competition for research funds is currently on hold until research travel can be safely undertaken.

The competition is open to graduate and undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh engaged in research related to the study of gender and/or sexuality. The number of projects funded and the amount of funding vary each year depending on donations to the program. Awards of up to $1000 are made to support travel expenses, secretarial costs, research materials, or other direct costs related to research. Smaller requests may be more likely to be funded. Travel and expenditures must be arranged in advance through the Program. Partial conference funding related to larger research projects (e.g. dissertation work) may be available.

Priority will be given to individuals who have not received funding in the past. To be eligible, students must be officially enrolled in the certificate program or in the major and have made progress toward their requirements. Students must be official Pitt students during the time that they will use the funds. Preference will be given to proposals with a clear research rationale that effectively address readers beyond the project's home discipline and that actively engage and contribute to gender/sexuality/women's studies scholarship. Upon completion of the research, students may be asked to present their findings to the GSWS community through a brownbag presentation or to write a story for the newsletter or website.

Application Procedure 

The research proposal must be typewritten, double-spaced, and single-sided, and submitted as a single scanned document. Include items 1-7 in this order: 

1. Completed Student Research Fund Cover Sheet

2. Current Curriculum Vitae/Resume

3. Project Description Summary (~2 pages):

Outline the underlying theory of the project, the research questions being asked, the specific issues being investigated, and a statement of your project’s relevance to gender, sexuality, or women's studies. Please also include a short statement about how your work will benefit the GSWS program or the study of gender/sexuality at Pitt beyond your own work (e.g. teaching, brownbag presentation, etc.).

4. Research Methodology (no more than 1 page):

Include a brief review of previous research and a discussion of the methods that will be used through your project. This can be combined with #3, above.

5. Bibliography (no more than 1 page):

Emphasize the most pertinent sources of research.

6. Project Timetable (no more than 1 page):

Summarize the sequential stages of the research and indicate a proposed date for the completion of each step.

7. Itemized Budget (no more than 1 page):

Explain in detail the cost of the overall project (with line items for travel, research materials, secretarial costs, copying, photography, and any other direct costs related to the comprehensive research effort). Indicate on the budget page which item(s) listed will be supplemented or covered by this award.Review Pitt's policy on reimbursable expenses before submitting your proposed budget. Consult the program administrator before using any awarded funds.

Letter of Reference:

A letter of reference from a faculty member familiar with the student’s work and project can be sent to the GSWS main office. The letter must be in a sealed envelope, signed by the faculty member. A digital letter can also be emailed to gsws@pitt.edu

Please send items 1-7 as a single .pdf file in the order listed above to gsws@pitt.edu.
 

Please note that grant awards are subject to available funds.