Internal Funding Opportunities
Pittsburg State University provides internal funding and research incentives for both faculty and students, supporting innovative projects, fostering collaboration, and advancing academic growth to tackle real-world challenges.
CRaCE Incentives
Faculty Directed Research Within a Course Incentive
Faculty may apply for up to $1,000 to include a faculty mentored student research project in a course by completing the Faculty Directed Research Inside A Course Application. The funds must be used for equipment, consumables, or other expenses deemed appropriate by the Council for Research and Creative Endeavors as needed for the project. Upon completion of the project, the faculty must submit a report describing the project, the student activities related to the project and the outcomes of the project.
If funded, the amount awarded will be allocated to the applicants Professional Development Fund (PDF). Please read the full PDF Policy to ensure your proposed budget will meet the allowable expenditures for this fund. In addition, students involved in the project are required to present the findings at the PSU Research Colloquium.
There will be one undergraduate and one graduate award available each fall, spring and summer semester.
The deadline for summer and fall applications is April 30.
The deadline for spring applications is October 31.
Faculty Directed Research Outside a Course Incentive
Faculty may apply for up to $1,000 to include a faculty mentored student research project outside a course by completing the Faculty Directed Research Outside A Course Application. The funds must be used for equipment, consumables, or other expenses deemed appropriate by the Council for Research and Creative Endeavors as needed for the project. Upon completion of the project, the faculty must submit a report describing the project, the student activities related to the project and the outcomes of the project.
If funded, the amount awarded will be allocated to the applicants Professional Development Fund (PDF). Please read the full PDF Policy to ensure your proposed budget will meet the allowable expenditures for this fund. In addition, students involved in the project are required to present the findings at the PSU Research Colloquium.
There will be one undergraduate and one graduate award available each fall, spring and summer semester.
The deadline for summer and fall applications is April 30.
The deadline for spring applications is October 31.
Faculty Applied Student Research Incentive
Project Directors may apply for up to $1,000 to provide a stipend for a student to work on a research project by completing the Faculty Applied Student Research Incentive Application.
If funded, the amount awarded will be allocated to the applicants Professional Development Fund (PDF). Please read the full PDF Policy to ensure your proposed budget will meet the allowable expenditures for this fund. In addition, students involved in the project are required to present the findings at the PSU Research Colloquium.
There will be one undergraduate and one graduate stipend available each fall, spring and summer semester.
The deadline for summer and fall applications is April 30.
The deadline for spring applications is October 31.
Faculty Independent Research Award Incentive
Faculty may apply for up to $2,000 to conduct an independent research project, which may include faculty mentored student research, by completing the Faculty Independent Research Award Application. The funds must be used for equipment, consumables, or other expenses deemed appropriate by the Council for Research and Creative Endeavors as needed for the project. Upon completion of the project the faculty member must submit a report describing the project, the students’ activities related to the project and the outcomes of the project.
If funded, the amount awarded will be allocated to the applicants Professional Development Fund (PDF). Please read the full PDF Policy to ensure your proposed budget will meet the allowable expenditures for this fund.
There will be six awards available each academic year.
The deadline for summer and fall applications is April 30.
The deadline for spring applications is October 31.
Summer Faculty Research Award Incentive
Faculty may apply for a $10,000 summer stipend to conduct research activities by completing the Summer Faculty Research Award Application. The function of this Research Award is to allow faculty members engaged in research or in creative activities to devote intense thought and activity to a single project.
Projects which involve consulting activity, the production of teaching aids, enhancement of teaching skills, practice of professional skills outside of the academic environment, "retooling" for new teaching assignments, development of internet courses or other curriculum development activities will NOT be considered.
If funded, faculty are required to submit a proposal for external funding within one year of research activity completion.
There will be one award available each summer. This stipend provided by this award is taxable income.
The deadline to apply is December 1.
Research Proposal Preparation Incentive
Principal Investigators (PI)/Project Directors (PD) who received external funding of at least $25,000 or more may receive $1,000 in professional development funds. Upon receiving award notification from the funding agency, PI/PD must promptly apply here for the Research Proposal Preparation Incentive. The application should include the award letter. Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) will review these applications and make final decisions based on available funding for this incentive.
Research Poster Printing Reimbursement
Departments or students may apply for reimbursement of student research poster printing services provided by PSU Printing and Design Services or PSU Graphics and Imaging Department for presentations at professional meetings/events. For reimbursement, complete the application below and attach all required documentation to the application. Funding is limited, so an application DOES NOT guarantee reimbursement.
For departments that paid for the student research poster printing services, please complete the application below. If approved, a correction will be processed to your department cost center that initially paid for the poster printing services.
Research Poster Printing Reimbursement Application (Department Reimbursement)
For students that paid out-of-pocket for their research poster printing services, please complete the application below. If approved, a check will be mailed to the address listed in GUS within two weeks for the amount approved.
Research Poster Printing Reimbursement Application (Student Reimbursement)
Council Members
2024-2025 Council for Research and Creative Endeavors Membership
Dr. James Whitney, Chair | College of Arts & Sciences | 620-235-4735
Emily George | College of Education | 620-235-4966
Dr. Tatiana Goris | College of Technology | 620-235-4632
Dr. Anil Lal | College of Business | 620-235-4549
Dr. Erik Mayer | College of Technology | 620-235-4430
Dr. Laurent Pretot | College of Education | 620-235-6152
Dr. Ramiro Miranda Rios | College of Arts and Sciences | 620-235-4472
Jason Ward | College of Technology | 620-235-4423
Award recipients
2024-2025
Faculty Directed Research Outside A Course
- Dr. Andrew George (Department of Biology), Project Title: Population Demographics of Prothonotary Warblers on Abandoned Mined Lands
Faculty Applied Student Research Incentive
- Dr. Andrew George (Department of Biology), Project Title: Population Demographics of Prothonotary Warblers on Abandoned Mined Lands
Faculty Independent Research Award
- Dr. Keunyoung (Kay) Kim (Kelce College of Business), Project Title: How the political leanings of the board of directors affect corporate social responsibility (CSR)
- Dr. Phillip Frank (Kelce College of Business), Project Title: Evaluating consumers’ taste preferences through electroencephalogram (EEG) data
Summer Faculty Research Award
- Dr. Alessandro Martins (Department of Chemistry), Project Title: Hemocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of surface coatings deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based vascular grafts
Division Incentives
Infrastructure Award
The Infrastructure Award aims to enhance department/school research capacities, thereby increasing funding opportunities and expanding the research portfolio.
Eligibility: Open to all departments/schools at Pittsburg State University, applications must be submitted by the department/school chair/director. Recipient departments are ineligible to reapply for two years.
Number of Awards: One per year
Eligibility: Open to all departments/schools at Pittsburg State University, applications must be submitted by the department/school chair/director. Recipient departments are ineligible to reapply for two years.
Number of Awards: One per year
Award Amount: $25,000 per award
Deadline: December 1
Research Award
The Research Award provides crucial seed funding for cutting-edge research initiatives led by faculty and researchers, facilitating the pursuit of larger external grants.
Eligibility: Available to all faculty and researchers at Pittsburg State University. Previous recipients are restricted from reapplying for two years.
Number of Awards: Up to ten annually.
Award Amount: $5,000 per award
Deadline: December 1
Travel Award
The Travel Award supports faculty and researchers in presenting their research findings at conferences, thereby enhancing Pittsburg State University's visibility and impact within academic and professional communities.
Eligibility: Only presenting faculty and researchers are eligible to apply. Previous recipients are restricted from reapplying for two years.
Number of Awards: Up to five per year.
Award Amount: Up to $2,000 per award
Application Period: July - April
Award recipients
2024-2025
Infrastructure Award
- Dr. James Oliver (Department of Art), Project Title: Transformative Infrastructure Investment for the Department of Art at Pittsburg State University
- Dr. Cole Shewmake (Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation), Project Title: Enhancement of the Exercise Science research portfolio
Research Award
- Dr. Peter Chung (Department of Biology), Project Title: p300 inhibition of DNA repair enzymes in sarcomas and pancreatic cell lines
- Dr. Alicia M. Mason (Department of Communication), Project Title: Pittsburg State Communication Center Ovation© AR/VR Implementation
Travel Award
- Dr. James E. Whitney (Department of Biology), Name of the Conference: Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting
- Dr. Connie Shum (Kelce Undergraduate School of Business), Name of the Conference: American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences
- Dr. Phillip Frank (College of Business), Name of the Conference: Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators Annual Conferenc