Summer Thesis Institute FAQs
For Students
Q: I am studying abroad this summer. Do I have to be present the full 10 weeks in order to participate in the Summer Thesis Institute?
A: Yes. Participants must be on campus the full 10 weeks of the summer program.
Q: I am very interested in participating in this program. How can I be nominated?
A: Students must be nominated by a full-time UD faculty member willing to serve as their Summer Thesis Institute Research Mentor for the summer. The process is similar to that employed for the Honors Thesis process. Approach a faculty member from your major whose research interests you. This may be someone you have had as an instructor in class, or your academic advisor. Discuss the Summer Thesis Institute with them, and ask them about the possibility of doing research under their supervision over the summer.
For Faculty
Q: What kind of time commitment is expected of the faculty mentor?
A: The UHP would like to encourage faculty to be available for cohorted programming/meetings the first day of the program, midway through the 10 weeks, and the last day of the program (firm dates to be announced in April, 2012). It is not expected that faculty be present on campus, and working with the students the entire summer. Nor is it expected that the faculty work directly with the student the ~25 hours per week. The faculty mentor should be willing to work with the student throughout the summer thesis process, at a frequency that meets the needs of the student/project. The form of this interaction (face-to-face meetings, email, text messaging, Skype, etc.) is dependent upon the project, student and mentor.
Q: I will be traveling/teaching abroad for part of the summer. Can I still nominate a student for this program?
A: Yes. It is not expected that faculty be present on campus, and working with the students the entire summer. Nor is it expected that the faculty work directly with the student the ~25 hours per week. The faculty mentor should be willing to work with the student throughout the summer thesis process, at a frequency that meets the needs of the student/project. The form of this interaction (face to face meetings, email, text messaging, Skype, etc.) is dependent upon the project, student and mentor. The UHP would like to encourage faculty to be available for cohorted programming/meetings the first day of the program, again midway through the 10 weeks, and be present last day of the program for the final research presentations (firm dates to be announced in April, 2012).
Q: If I agree to mentor a student for the Summer Thesis Institute, will I be compensated?
A: There is no compensation for the faculty. There is, however, the standard level of thesis funding available to the student---these funds are available for 2 years instead of 1 for the students involved in the institute ($1500/year pending needs).
Q: What kind of research projects are students expected to pursue?
A: The type of research the student pursues, and how the time devoted to research is structured (students are expected to pursue their research project ~25 hr/week), is completely dependent upon the project, student and mentor. The summer research experience is to be thought of as an opportunity for the student to initiate/begin an honors thesis a year earlier than usual. The same type of mentorship that occurs in supervising a thesis project is what should happen over the summer, but is likely to be a bit more intensive, since the committed to research activity is greater than during the academic year. So there is a lot of flexibility on how mentors and students pursue the research component of the Institute. The overarching goal is to provide students an opportunity to pursue a research project in depth, and in a way that will prepare them for the pursuit of a undergraduate Honors Thesis.
Q: Will the UHP provide the research topic? Will the research be part of the course the students will be taking over the summer?
A: The nature of the research project, and how it is conducted, is determined by the faculty mentor and the student. It will likely be an extension of the faculty mentor’s own research/scholarship.
Q: Can I nominate a student who is not a member of the Honors Program?
A: No. Students who are eligible for nomination and selection for participation in the Summer Thesis Institute must be a third semester (Sophomore) honors student, in good standing, with a minimum cumulative 3.75 GPA.
