DaVinci Multidisciplinary Grant
Undergraduate Students: Apply Now
Available to Undergraduate Students
Deadline: March 12, 2027
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000
Restrictions
Undergraduates in the Colleges of Arts and Letters or College of Science who wish to carry out summer interdisciplinary research or creative projectsPurpose
Franco welcomes proposals from undergraduates in the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Science who wish to carry out summer interdisciplinary research or creative projects. Students may independently design projects or propose projects related to an aspect of their faculty mentors' research, but the research question, methodology, and research itself must be carried out by the student. Maximum award per student is $5,000.
Eligible projects might include application of statistical analysis or computer modeling to history, economics, or anthropology; creation of a documentary featuring some aspect of science or engineering; or the integration of biological and psychological perspectives on cognitive science. We are interested in projects involving areas such as science writing; design and mechanical or electrical engineering; theoretical physics and philosophy; cancer biology and psychology; sociology and bioinformatics; economics and sustainable energy; environmental science and political science; and science and literature in the popular media.
Applicants should explain in the abstract and introduction the ways in which their project is interdisciplinary. Students may work alone or in teams. Teams should have a designated faculty sponsor who can act as a project consultant. Letters of recommendation for individual team members should confirm the applicant's ability to carry out their designated tasks (e.g. the team member tasked with translating should request a letter of recommendation from a language professor; a team member tasked with writing code should request a letter from a professor in computer science.)
For more information, Arts and Letters students should email Dr. Lindsay Paturalski, the Franco Institute's Assistant Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Research. College of Science students should email Dr. Xuemin (Sheryl) Lu, Undergraduate Research Coordinator, College of Science.
Eligibility
For undergraduate students in Arts & Letters or the College of Science interested in conducting interdisciplinary research. This means students in the College of Science must have a faculty advisor with a primary appointment in Arts and Letters, and students in the College of Arts and Letters must have a faculty advisor with a primary appointment in the College of Science.
Application Instructions
Proposal Application Materials
Every application must have the following elements with the correct formatting to be considered.
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Title page with a 100-word non-technical abstract. Applicants should explain in the abstract the ways in which their project is interdisciplinary.
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Five-page project proposal that includes an introduction explaining how their project is interdisciplinary, a description of the project, methods, timeline, and a discussion of broader impacts.
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Budget using the Franco Institute budget template.
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For Human Subject Research: IRB approval and completion of the online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) module.
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Travel: For any domestic travel, complete the Domestic Travel Waiver Form. Projects involving international travel require that students register with the Notre Dame International Travel Registry and forward proof of registration to Therese Blacketor (tblacket@nd.edu), Student Grants Coordinator.
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Letter of Recommendation: Please provide an additional letter of support from a sponsoring lab if the project requires the use of non-ND lab space.
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Sample of work: Creative Projects Only.
If grant funds are awarded, recipients are also required to complete post-award reports.
Proposal Preparation and Submission
Applicants should explain in the abstract and the introduction the ways in which their project is interdisciplinary. All proposals should be a maximum of five pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. Include page numbers (bottom center) and embed any figures or images within the project description with captions. Footnotes, endnotes, in-text citations, and the bibliography should use a discipline-appropriate citation style. The bibliography is not included in the page limit.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the degree to which their project is interdisciplinary, the intellectual merit, the potential impact of the project, and the applicant’s qualifications to conduct the proposed work.
Budget items with insufficient justification may be reduced or eliminated in an award offer.
Questions and Additional Information
For additional information and best practices, see the Before You Apply page for undergraduate students.
Timing: Summer