Catherine Eckert

Chemistry major Catherine Eckert won first place in 2011 for her project on separating gases at the molecular level.

The Office of Research at UT Dallas is accepting applications for the 2012 Undergraduate Research Scholar Awards, a program that gives students a chance to conduct scientific inquiries on topics of their choosing.

The program, now in its sixth year, funded 69 research projects by undergraduates last fall.

“These awards give our undergraduates experience they can use in both their academic and professional careers,” said Dr. Bruce Gnade, vice president for research and holder of the Distinguished Chair in Microelectronics. “But the opportunities to interact with faculty and take charge of their own research project make this program special.”

The awards pay $500 to students, and their faculty supervisors receive $300 to cover project-related expenses. The awards are made on a competitive basis, and the research can be in any field as long as the research focuses on a serious, credible topic and is conducted under faculty supervision, Gnade said.

At the end of the Spring 2013 semester, recipients of the scholarship have the opportunity to present their research project in a poster competition as part of the Exhibition of Excellence in Undergraduate Research event organized by the Office of Undergraduate Education.

During this event, recipients of the grant display their research to the public and answer questions about their work.

Additional awards will be given to the top three posters, as judged by both faculty and industry members.

Applications can be filled out online and are due by 11 p.m. Sept. 28. In mid-October participants will be notified whether they have been selected.

The applications will be reviewed by senior faculty members and evaluated based on the research topic, proposal quality and faculty adviser commitment.