Purpose: Independent Research Fellowships will be awarded to enable qualified students to carry out independent research activities in any field taught at the College, or to undertake projects in the creative or performing arts. Among the activities for which these fellowships might be sought are laboratory, library, museum or archival research; fieldwork; and creating or learning to perform a work of art. These fellowships are meant to expand the opportunities available to students to pursue intellectual and creative interests.

Funding: Awards are given annually of up to $4,000.

Eligibility:

• Fellowship awards are intended for juniors to use during the summer prior to their senior year, or winter break of their senior year.
• Students studying any discipline are eligible.
• All applicants must be in good academic standing.

Selection Criteria: Independent Research Fellowships are intended to provide students an opportunity to undertake projects of their own design off campus. Such projects may be carried out independently or as a part of a research group. In the latter case, the project must be able to stand alone as an independent component of the larger group effort.

Award selection criteria include project feasibility as well as connectedness of the project to current work and future goals at Carleton (how well the project fits a student and what the student is trying to accomplish at Carleton) and beyond.

Successful proposals: Students may view successful proposals in the Office of Student Fellowships, Laird 132.  Click here to see examples.

Application Process:  Applicants should submit SIX, double-sided copies of their application to Elizabeth Ciner, Director of Student Fellowships, in Laird 132. An electronic copy should also be submitted to Karen Moldenhauer. Of special note:

* Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendations are required for all fellowships.  Using Carleton faculty or staff as recommenders is usually the best choice. Non-Carleton recommenders may disadvantage you as they may not know Carleton and the selection committee does not know them. Use your judgment in this as in all other areas.

    IMPORTANT: It is the student's responsibility to ask faculty/staff for letters of recommendation PRIOR to February 1st.

    - Give the recommender a copy of your proposal.
    - Faculty can submit the Faculty Recommendation Form (preferred) or write a letter of support and send it to Karen Moldenhauer,  Office of Student Fellowships, Laird 132
    - The deadline for faculty recommendations is 5 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2012.

*  IRB:  For research involving human subjects, Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications should be submitted electronically by the deadline, but need not be approved by the deadline. If selected for a fellowship, IRB applications will then be considered for approval.

Faculty Adviser:

Elizabeth Ciner, Director of Student Fellowships, tel. (507) 222-4555, Laird 132.