We are pleased to announce the second year of the Cockrell School Seed Grants program. This program, which is an initiative under the NSF-funded Center for Equity in Engineering, will support seed grants ($3,000-$5,000) for undergraduate student, graduate student, student org, postdoc, and/or staff-led projects that aim to promote broadening participation within the Cockrell School of Engineering. In this second cohort of the program, applications will be accepted until September 15, 2023, awards will be made the first week of October, and there will be a project showcase in May 2024. All projects must be completed by May 2024. To get an idea of project topics, please see last year’s list of awardees.

Who may participate

This program is open to all students, student orgs, postdocs, staff, and faculty. Faculty may participate in projects in supporting roles, but students, postdocs and/or staff must be the project leads.

Key information

  • Projects may include piloting new ideas, testing new initiatives, data collection on issues of interest, etc.
  • Areas of interest can include, but are not limited to, improved support of graduate or undergraduate education, departmental climate, understanding areas for improved student support, mentoring practices, and student recruitment practices.
  • This initiative covers time periods after the effective date of the new SB 17. For this reason, the following guidelines apply:
    • Proposed projects should not include programs or activities designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation if they will be implemented in university programs
    • Projects that qualify as research by students, faculty or research personnel are not similarly restricted.
    • Projects that qualify as creative work by students, faculty or research personnel are not similarly restricted.
  • If you have any questions, please contact Gabriella Coloyan Fleming (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

How to apply

  1. Fill out the application form
  2. Email your two-page proposal and budget to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. using the provided template, which has guidance about what to include in each section (see resources folder)
  • The proposal should include:
    • Brief Description and Implementation Plan
    • Project Rationale
    • Project Audience: Faculty, Staff, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Community Partners
    • Project Category
    • Research Question(s)
    • Metrics For Evaluation
    • Project Outcomes and Impact
    • Project Budget

Timeline

  • Applications open: August 25, 2023
  • Information session: August 30, 2023, from 4:00 - 5:00 PM in person at EER 3.640 or virtually on Zoom
  • Office hours (bring questions and draft proposals or just come to listen):
    • August 31, 2023
      • 3:30 - 5:00 PM in EER 4.702
    • September 6, 2023
      • 3:30 - 5:00 PM in EER 4.702
    • September 12, 2023
      • 2:30 - 3:25 PM in EER 4.704
    • September 13, 2023
      • 9:00 - 10:00 AM virtually on Zoom
    • September 14, 2023
      • 3:00 - 3:50 PM virtually on Zoom
      • 4:00 - 6:00 PM in EER 4.702
  • Application deadline: September 15, 2023 
  • Award announcement: October 6, 2023
  • Report on project progress: February 15, 2024
  • Final report deadline and project showcase: May 2024 (Date TBD)

Contact 

Gabriella Coloyan Fleming
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.