University of Minnesota, Duluth
AC-10: Support for Research

UMN's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) provides undergraduates a unique educational experience of collaborating with a faculty mentor on the design and implementation of a project. UROP adds a new dimension to the undergraduate experience and encourages students to conduct research and pursue academic interests outside of their regular courses by employing them to work on special projects. Students receive $1,500 total for their UROP participation. They receive $750 when their application is approved. This money will be put in the student’s account through the scholarship system and will be considered part of the financial aid package. UROP encourages and supports projects related to sustainability. https://www.d.umn.edu/evcaa/about/urop UMN Institute on the Environment Mini Grants are offered twice a year (fall/spring) every year since 2011. They are small awards of $3,000 or less, intended to spur new collaborative efforts on environmental topics across the University of Minnesota System. We have funded workshops, speakers, seed funding for larger projects, public engagement events, and dozens of other unique projects. http://environment.umn.edu/fellows-grants/grants/

Within the University of Minnesota system, there are several programs which provide opportunities for faculty and students to engage in sustainability research. One example is the Institute on the Environment. UMD faculty and students are engaged with IonE, we have a branch of IonE at UMD, and we have accessed grants and resources from these programs to pursue sustainability-related research. More information about IonE and UMD at: https://www.d.umn.edu/ione/ More information on sustainability research grants: http://environment.umn.edu/fellows-grants/grants/ At UMD, another research incentive are the Chancellor’s Faculty Small Grant Program. The UMD Chancellor provides grants to tenured/tenure-track faculty and term faculty appointed at least 35% time for two semesters in support of teaching, research, or service. Grants are awarded twice a year, fall and spring.

Interdisciplinary work, public engagement, international activities and initiatives, attention to questions of diversity, technology transfer, and other special kinds of professional activity by the candidate should be considered when applicable. The awarding of indefinite tenure presupposes that the candidate's record shows strong promise of his or her achieving promotion to professor. The promotion and tenure process (particularly the "7-12" statement) specifically acknowledges the importance of interdisciplinary work.

An "Environment and Sustainability" Library Guide was created by UMD Library Staff Pam Enrici, and is maintained at https://libguides.d.umn.edu/?b=s