Summer Research Grants in Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

The Summer Research Program in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS) is designed to encourage and support independent research projects conducted by undergraduate students at Puget Sound with their faculty mentors in departments and programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The program seeks to foster imagination, creativity, and accomplishment.

If you have questions or would like additional information about the Summer Research program or application process, please attend the information session on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 at noon in Library 053. You can also email summerresearch@pugetsound.edu or schedule an appointment with the program manager, Elize Hellam.
 

Deadline

• The summer 2026 application deadline is March 2, 2026 by noon.
• The summer 2026 faculty recommendation deadline is March 3, 2026 by noon.

Program Dates

• May 26: Suggested start of 10 week research
• May 26-July 28: Weekly Research Gatherings, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon
• July 31: Suggested end of 10 week research
• August 21: Summer Research Symposium plans due
• September 10: Summer Research Symposium, 4-6 p.m.
• September 23: Final Project and Survey due

Application

Application for a summer research grant should be made using the online form. The online application form includes several components:

1. Project description. Upload a 3-5 page PDF file of the Project Description that includes the sections listed below. Make sure to start the name of your file with your LAST NAME capitalized. The summary should be in 12-point, Times New Roman font. The document must have one-inch margins all around and be written with 1.5 line-spacing.
   • Personal Statement. In 200-300 words, explain how prior work (in your classes or outside of class) has prepared you to undertake your proposed research project. Also, describe your reasons for wanting to carry out research this summer with your faculty mentor and how summer research will contribute to your future academic or career path.
   • Project goals and objectives.  In 500-600 words, describe the purpose of your research, scholarship, or creative work. What are you hoping to accomplish? Why is this an important topic? Be sure to explain it so that non-expert readers can understand the purpose and value of your proposed research and why the problem you will be exploring is important to people working in your field of study. If you will be exploring specific questions, please state them clearly.
   • Methods. In 200-300 words, describe the methods that you will use in your research, scholarship, or creative work.
   • References. Please list up to five sources from the published literature that are relevant to your project. For each source, provide both a complete bibliographic reference and a one-sentence description of how the information in that source relates to your project.
      
2. Budget. If your project requires expenses related to copying, mileage, equipment, or materials, please prepare a one page PDF file of your requested budget that is not part of the three to five page Project Description. Make sure to start the name of your file with your LAST NAME capitalized. Include explicit and relevant details for each item. For example, “Materials” should include quantities, descriptions, and sales tax; “Mailing expenses” should include number of pieces at a specific cost; “Mileage” should include total distance in miles, number of trips, and destinations. The cost for mileage is calculated as distance (in miles) x $0.70/mile. For additional information about allowable expenses, please see the application form. The budget document should include:
   • A list of all anticipated expenses
   • An explanation and justification for each expense
   • The expected cost of each item including sales tax
   • The total budget amount requested
      
3. Faculty recommendation. Your faculty research advisor must submit an online recommendation form for your application to be complete.

Eligibility

Please note the following eligibility requirements:

• Undergraduate students currently enrolled at Puget Sound who are returning to their studies the following fall semester and planning to conduct research in any department or program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences are eligible to apply.
• Interdisciplinary projects are eligible only if the home department or program of the proposed faculty research mentor is in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.
• In most cases, the completion of at least two years of college coursework is recommended to achieve the level of sophistication needed for the development of a competitive proposal; however, first-year students are eligible to apply.
• Grants are made only for work scheduled to be completed before graduation.
• Students must be returning to Puget Sound as an undergraduate during fall semester after their summer research experience.
• Students who have previously received a Summer Research Grant in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences are eligible to re-apply.
• Students who apply for a Summer Research Grant in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences are ineligible to apply for a Summer Research Grant in the Sciences and Mathematics.
• Students must be enrolled in a Puget Sound summer course in order to be eligible to receive university funding. It is recommended that students enroll in EXLN 298, a zero-credit, zero-tuition summer research course.

Responsibilities of Grant Recipients

Students who receive a Summer Research Grant in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences agree to:

• Submit documentation for the applicable requirements below via this form:
  • If the proposed research involves human participation of any type (for example, participation in experiments, interviews, or survey completion), submit a protocol to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) . Research projects that do not involve the participation of human subjects do not require IRB approval.  Research projects that involve participation of human subjects cannot begin without IRB protocol approval. Visit the IRB web page for more information. Submit IRB approval here.
  • If the proposed research involves the use of nonhuman vertebrate animals or cephalopods, submit a protocol to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Research projects that involve the use of nonhuman vertebrate animals or cephalopods cannot be conducted without IACUC approval. Visit the IACUC website for more information about protocols. Submit IACUC approval here.
  • If your research involves international travel, meet with a staff member from the Office of International Programs. Documentation and forms relevant to your destination must be submitted to their office before beginning research. Submit student international documentation and forms.
• Attend the mandatory Summer Research Kickoff Meeting in April.
• Devote full time to the project for at least ten weeks during the summer. Students who cannot devote ten weeks of full time work to their research should not apply.
• Avoid full-time employment while engaged in research. Limited part-time employment may be allowed with the permission of the faculty mentor and Associate Provost Nick Kontogeorgopoulos.
• Meet at least weekly with their research mentor.
• Engage in the larger interdisciplinary research community on campus.
• Submit their final Summer Research project to document that they completed the work. Depending on their research project, the work they upload may be a poster, a paper, visual art, or another form that demonstrates their effort.
• Present their work at the Summer Research Symposium held in early September.
• Complete the post-summer research survey.
• Share information about their project with the Summer Research Program and with the Office of Donor Relations for reporting purposes.

Grant recipients will receive their research fellowship at the start of the summer around the time they are expected to begin their research.

While not required, students are encouraged to present the results of their work at regional, national, or international research conferences.

Summer research grants may be considered taxable fellowships by the IRS. Awards will not be reported to the IRS on either Form 1099 or Form W-2. However, awards may be included as gross income for federal income tax purposes. You should seek advice from a tax professional that is specific to your own tax status and filing form.  For more information, visit the Office of Finance website.

Types of Grants

Puget Sound Summer Research Grants

Students selected for Puget Sound Summer Research funding receive a grant of $4,000. Proposals from students who receive a Puget Sound Summer Research Grant will automatically be considered for additional university support. Supply funding of up to $500 may be awarded to cover the cost of materials used in research or to defray other costs such as travel or services related to data collection based on the budget included as part of the original application. No additional application for university supply support is required; proposals will automatically be considered.
 

Agricola Summer Research Grants

Agricola Grants are designed to encourage and support original collaborative research projects between Puget Sound faculty and students in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The award seeks to foster intellectual growth, creative thinking, discovery, and professional development. It is named after Georgius Agricola (1494-1555), the "Father of Geology," a German scholar, scientist, and physician who worked in the mining regions of Bohemia. Agricola was among the first to create scientific order out of knowledge derived from practical work and based his writings on careful observation and experience, often rejecting the superstitions of his time.

Agricola Scholars receive a summer grant of $4,500. Funds of up to 150% of the stipend may be requested for research expenses associated with the project. Awarded funds must be expended before February 1 of the year following the summer research. Because Agricola Scholars receive supporting funds for materials or other research expenses, they are not eligible for additional supply funding for the same project.

Agricola faculty mentors who supervise and collaborate with an Agricola Scholar receive a stipend of $1,000.

The most competitive applications will be considered for Agricola grants.
 

Meeting the Experiential Learning Requirement

Puget Sound students will complete at least one form of Experiential Learning before they graduate by choosing between an internship, study abroad, summer research, or community-based learning. Students wishing to fulfill this requirement with their summer research experience must engage in an accepted summer research project and take either EXLN 298 during their summer research experience or EXLN 301 after they completed their summer research project. Summer researchers are invited but not required to take either course; however pairing the research experience with one of these courses is essential if using this experience to fulfill the requirement.

Apply Here

Faculty Recommendation Form