The Social Sciences Division (SSD) of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is offering a new CUR Conference travel award, ‘Inspiring Creation in the Social Sciences’ (ICSS). This award recognizes outstanding doctoral students, early first-year faculty, or lecturers of undergraduate research in the social sciences for their role in 1) supporting, 2) encouraging, 3) promoting a positive and inclusive scholarly and teaching environment for undergraduate students, and 4) contributing to their students' professional and personal development inside and outside of the classroom.

Inspiring mentors do more than direct projects and research. They guide and motivate students academically by tapping into and understanding their interests, passions, and personal circumstances. More than just teaching students to adhere to deadlines and follow instructions, successful mentors must be positive role models from which students can develop the skills and confidence needed to excel at the university level and attain their career goals. This often begins with proactive mentoring of undergraduate research projects, which enhance student aptitude, cultivate intellectual reasoning and growth, and foster their critical thinking and public speaking skills.

Eligible candidates come from the Social Sciences (e.g., anthropology, communications, economics, international studies, marketing, political science, social psychology, or sociology). They are invited to nominate candidates to receive this unique honor. Except for those in social psychology, please apply for the psychology division mentoring award instead of the social sciences award.

The deadline for nominations is February 28, 2025

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* 1. Full Name of Nominee

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* 2. Title/Rank of Nominee

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* 3. Institution of Nominee

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* 4. Membership Status of Nominee

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* 5.
Nominations must be submitted by the primary nominator, who is responsible for collecting and merging supporting documents in a single document (PDF or Word) in this order:

  • A nomination letter (which does full justice to a nominee’s contributions and excellence and gives specific examples explaining the nominee's impact.)**
  • A summary (2-page maximum) of the nominee's qualifications for the award
  • Mentee Statement of Support (1-page maximum, which multiple mentees may co-sign)**
  • Abbreviated curriculum vitae of the nominee (8-page maximum) – There should be a particular focus on the nominee’s work and experience mentoring undergraduate research and relevant publications. (A complete vita may be solicited from the selection committee should the need arise.)
** Please note that if the person you nominate is the recipient of this award, selected passages from your letters of support will be used in the Social Sciences Divisional Newsletter when the award is announced.

PDF file types only.
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* 6. Full Name of Nominator

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* 7. Email of Nominator

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