Faculty and mentors are the heart of undergraduate research, providing the guidance, expertise, and encouragement that help students grow as scholars and professionals. Their mentorship shapes the research experience, fostering confidence, critical thinking, and a spirit of curiosity that lasts far beyond a single project. Recognizing these individuals is essential, as their dedication often extends well beyond the classroom or lab, creating inclusive and supportive environments where students can thrive. CUR’s faculty and mentor awards honor those who champion student success, advance high-quality research experiences, and model the leadership and commitment that make undergraduate research transformative.
Currently Open Faculty + Mentor Awards
The CUR-Goldwater Scholars Faculty Mentor Award recognizes faculty mentors who conduct their research in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline, as defined by the Goldwater Program. Mentors must have mentored a minimum of three Goldwater Scholars during their career.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
Currently Closed Faculty + Mentor Awards
The Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award was established by a gift to recognize and illuminate exceptional mentorship of undergraduate research by faculty in the arts and humanities. The award also provides opportunities to share and celebrate the inspiring stories of awardees and their work with undergraduate researchers in arts and humanities fields. Awardees receive $1000.
The CUR Biology Division Mentor Awards honor biology mentors for their sustained efforts in supervising undergraduate research students. Individuals may either be self-nominated or nominated by someone else. Nominators must be CUR Institutional or individual CUR members of the Biology Division. Nominations by the mentor’s research students are also accepted. Faculty mentoring interdisciplinary projects are eligible if such projects involve a major biological component. Awards will be made in three categories: Early Career, Mid-Career, and Advanced Career.
The CUR Biology Division is pleased to announce a limited number of research supply grants, up to $500 each, to members of the Biology Division. These grants are intended especially for projects with undergraduates in which a small grant will make a big impact. Grant funds will be given as a stipend and do not need to be used during this fiscal year.
CUR’s Chemistry Division seeks to honor exceptional mentoring and advising by higher education faculty across all subdisciplines of chemistry with Outstanding Mentorship Awards. These awards recognize transformative mentoring and advising of undergraduate students in mentor-led chemistry research projects.
The CUR Fellows Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Leadership annually recognizes a Class of CUR members who are leaders and role models within the undergraduate research community and whose career represents the values and ideals represented in CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research.
The Education Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) will recognize an outstanding faculty member whose work advances the study of undergraduate research in education. Eligible fields include special education, higher education, teacher education (PK–12, literacy, STEM, social studies, art, music), counseling, physical education, and health education.
The Engineering Division aims to recognize both those who directly mentor undergraduate researchers as well as those who administratively enable the institutionalization of undergraduate research on campuses. The Engineering Division requests nominations for our mentoring and leadership awards:
- Early-Career Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award
- Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award
- Leadership in Undergraduate Research Award
The CUR Geoscience Division (GeoCUR) recognizes the critical work of developing best practices in undergraduate research. This award highlights individuals that place undergraduate research at the center of professional activities. GeoCUR annually recognizes individuals who are initiating creative, impactful, and/or innovative undergraduate research activities.
The Geosciences Division of CUR annually recognizes an individual who serves as a role model for productive and transformative student-faculty mentoring relationships and for maintaining a sustained and innovative approach to the enterprise of undergraduate research.
This awards honors exceptional higher education mentors across all health sciences subdivisions. This award is for mentors but not for classroom teaching. Mentors are leaders and role models for undergraduate research, scholarship, creative activities, or innovative projects. Health science disciplines focus on the core curriculum of health, wellness, disease, health care, or health management. In addition to traditionally considered health science disciplines, kinesiology, counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology are also considered part of health sciences.
The CUR MCS Division Inclusivity Award annually recognizes a member for excellence and sustainable work in broadening access to the mathematical, computational, or statistical sciences. This recognition focuses on the implementation of real-world research projects for undergraduate students, with contributions that have made a significant and positive impact on a national scale or demonstrated strong potential to do so. A desirable contribution aligns with the NSF’s “broader impacts” goal, engaging a wider audience effectively.
The Mathematical, Computing, and Statistical Sciences Division of CUR is pleased to announce three awards (Early, Mid, and Advanced Career) to honor mentors for their success in mentoring undergraduate students in research. Faculty mentoring interdisciplinary projects are encouraged to apply as long as those projects involve a major mathematics, computer science, or statistics component.
The Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research requests nominations for a Mid-Career Mentoring Award. This award is for a CUR Psychology Division member who has influenced undergraduate research through their own research, through scholarly or creative projects with undergraduates, and/or through demonstrated leadership activities. The award consists of $500. In addition, the awardee will have the opportunity to present their research mentorship style and philosophy with the CUR community and the profile and accomplishments of the awardee will be featured on the Psychology Division’s website.
The Silvia Ronco Innovative Mentor Award was established to recognize original and insightful research work by a young investigator working with undergraduates that has had significant impact in chemistry and the STEM careers of students involved. The award recipient would receive $2000.
The CUR Social Sciences Division is pleased to offer the following mentor awards. These awards are designed to recognize and encourage exceptional contributions within the social sciences.
- Early Career Inspiring Scholarship Award
- Continuing Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award
- Legacy of Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award
Please note that all CUR award recipients are responsible for any and all applicable tax obligations associated with receipt of the award.
All students, faculty, mentors, organizations, and institutions honored with becoming a part of the CUR award recipient community, you have the professional and ethical responsibility to maintain the highest professional conduct standards and embody the CUR Code of Ethics for Undergraduate Research in your words, actions, and deeds. In addition, all participants are expected to abide by the CUR Code of Conduct. Expectations for awardees are to show courtesy and civility in both their personal and professional communications while forever representing CUR and the distinguished honor of the specific award rewarded. One must conduct oneself in a manner both professional and ethical.
Strategies for Competitive Award Applications
This recording, featuring members from the various CUR award committees, shares best practices to ensure that all candidates have access to helpful information to prepare their best award applications possible.