Divisions – Social Sciences Mentor Awards

The 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.

The Early Career Inspiring Scholarship Award honors doctoral students and early career faculty whose research demonstrates innovation, promise, and a clear impact on the students in their field.

The Continuing Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award celebrates faculty members who provide consistent, meaningful mentorship that supports undergraduate growth, learning, and engagement in the social sciences.

The Legacy of Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award acknowledges long-standing, transformative mentoring that has shaped generations of students and exemplifies a deep, sustained commitment to undergraduate success. Collectively, these awards highlight the vital roles of scholarship and mentorship in advancing the social sciences and supporting future leaders in the discipline.

Application materials were due by February 27, 2026.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The nominees must be a CUR Social Sciences Division member, or their home university must be an institutional member of CUR.
• Self-nominations will not be considered.
• The nominee must be engaged in conducting or supporting undergraduate research.
• The nominee must be employed in the social sciences or currently enrolled as a doctoral student in the field.(e.g., anthropology, communication, economics, international studies, marketing, political science, social psychology, or sociology)

Required Materials:

Applications should be compiled into one PDF, 16MB max file size package containing the following items:

• The nominee’s current CV emphasizing their focus on and work with undergraduate research (10 pages maximum)
• Two letters of support from students (1 page maximum per letter)
• A nomination letter highlighting the nominees’ contributions to and excellence in undergraduate research.

Questions

Please contact the current Social Science Divisional Chair, Dr. Doreen Sams. Please mention this award in the subject line.

As 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 representing CUR. One must conduct oneself in a manner both professional and ethical.

Social Sciences Mentor Award Recipients