Apply for a Gateway Award
Students
Application
Applications are due by 11:59pm on April 1, 2026.
We will accept one application per research lab or individual faculty PI that outlines the following:
- The research project to be supported and its current status (funded, unfunded, where it is in the development process, publication cycle, etc.)
- How a research intern will benefit faculty member’s research program
- How the research intern will benefit from the opportunity
- Specific role that a student research intern with little to no experience will fill. What tasks will the student be responsible for? What skills will they learn? For what corner of the project will they develop ownership or stewardship?
- The goal of the Gateway internship program is to provide introductory research experiences for novice students. Describe how you will recruit novice students to apply for your internship. We have other funding mechanisms available for more advanced student researchers, such as our URCO grant.
- Research dissemination plan: what publications, presentations, performances, exhibitions, etc. are projected, and what role would the student intern have in these?
- Draft mentoring agreement – what are the expectations (time, communication, scope of work, etc.) for the student intern?
- How will the student’s experience result in a shareable research presentation? This does not have to be an independent project, but rather some kind of poster or short oral presentation that documents their research engagement and learning.
Recipients have a defined amount of time to recruit a student and have that person approved by Office of Research. The student must be entering their first, second, or third year of college, and must be early in their research engagement; if no student is identified, a runner-up faculty or staff recipient will be selected. Office of Research committee determines if recipients are qualified.
Criteria & Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Research Advisory Board. Awards will be given for as many interns per application as the Gateway funds allow based on the following criteria:
| Need | Is the research project already receiving other funding? Will a Gateway award allow for substantial additional support, or is the project adequately supported? |
|---|---|
| Skill-Building | Does the application illustrate that the intern would develop research and soft skills? Is the student’s role primarily research-focused? |
| Structure | Does the mentor have a clear, planned role for an intern? Would the student have set responsibilities that tie into the project? |
| Recruitment | Does the mentor identify how they will successfully find students fitting the program requirements? Do they have contingency plans to ensure applicants? |
| Dissemination | Does the mentor articulate a plan for post-internship presentation and/or publication? Is the intern's role in these efforts evident? |
| Mentoring | Does the mentor have a plan to adequately help their intern have a positive introduction to research? Does the mentor commit to supporting and nurturing the student through the duration of the project and internship? |
Student Expectations
- All student participants will be required to attend three 1-hour trainings (these may be virtual) related to researcher identity formation
- Students will be involved in research activities 10 hours/week during the period of the assistantship
- Students do not need to be enrolled for summer 2026 if they are enrolled for fall 2026
- Students are required to submit an abstract for the 2026 Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters Symposium in Salt Lake City
- Students are required to present their research involvement at our Fall or Spring Student Research Symposia during the academic year following their internship with credit to Gateway donors on their poster
- At the end of the summer, the faculty mentor and student must submit a report together, documenting learning outcomes and research outcomes
Faculty Expectations
- All faculty mentors will be required to attend three 1-hour trainings (these may be virtual) related to mentoring best practices.
- At the end of the summer, the faculty mentor and student must submit a report together, documenting learning outcomes and research outcomes
- Faculty publications and presentations benefiting from the assistance of a student will credit Gateway donors in the acknowledgements