The College of Applied Science & Technology recognizes both its undergraduate and graduate students yearly with the Outstanding Student Researcher Awards.

CAST Outstanding Student Researcher Awards

Undergraduate Student Guidelines

Purpose:
The CAST Outstanding Undergraduate Student Research Award recognizes significant research projects conducted by CAST students and annually identifies one student or a group of students who have participated in a project of significance.

Time Lines:
The application deadline is Friday, February 22, 2008. Three (3) copies of the complete research work must be submitted along with a letter of transmittal from the major advisor. The letter from the advisor must address the following issues:

• the quality and validity of the research;
• the importance of the research to the discipline;
• the student's/students' level of participation in the project; and
• any publications/presentations which have come from the project.

Please note: only one letter of recommendation should be submitted.

Eligibility:
Current or former CAST students are eligible.

Number of Entries:
The use of department guidelines in determining the entry from each respective department is encouraged.  While a given department may submit more than one entry, selectivity on part of departments is urged.

CAST Review:
Entries will be reviewed by the CAST Research Council (CRC). The research will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. quality of the research work;
2. clarity and explicitness of research documentation; and
3. significance of the research to the field of study.

The review will be completed and announced on or before _____________.  All entries will be ranked. The highest ranking research will receive the CAST Outstanding Undergraduate Student Research Award. The CRC may chose not to make the award in a given year.

Awards:
The author(s) of the research project that is chosen for the CAST Outstanding Undergraduate Student Researcher Award will receive up to $100 award, a plaque acknowledging the award and his/her name will be inscribed on a permanent plaque in the Office of the Dean. Presentation of these plaques will likely occur at the CAST Spring Faculty Meeting.  The faculty advisor for the winning project will receive a $150 monetary award supplemental to be used for scholarly activity (e.g., travel, books, research materials, equipment). The student and advisor will also be recognized in newsCAST.

Graduate Student Guidelines

Purpose:
The CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award recognizes theses or other significant research conducted by CAST graduate students and annually identifies one exemplary thesis for submission to the Graduate Student Thesis Competition sponsored by the Graduate School.

Time Lines:
Entries may be in the form of a thesis or other report describing research works completed between October 1, 2006 and September 30, 2007. All entries are due September 4, 2007to the CAST Research Office. Three (3) copies of the complete research work must be submitted along with two letters of support, one of which should likely be from the major thesis or research advisor. These letters must address the following issues:

• the quality and validity of the research;
• the importance of the research to the discipline;
• the student's level of participation in the project; and
• any presentations/publications which have come from the project

Please note: two letters of recommendation should be submitted.

Eligibility:
Any current or former CAST graduate student who has not completed a dissertation or equivalent research activity is eligible.

Number of Entries:
Each department may submit one (1) entry. The use of department guidelines in determining the entry from each respective department is encouraged.

CAST Review:
Entries will be reviewed by the CAST Research Committee (CRC). The research will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. quality and validity of the research work;
2. clarity and explicitness of research documentation; and
3. significance of the research to the field of study.

The review will be completed and announced on or before November 1 each year. All entries will be ranked. The highest ranking research project, whether it is a thesis or other style of research report, will receive the CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award. The CRC may chose not to make the award in a given year.

Thesis Competition:
The highest ranking thesis will be submitted to the Graduate School Thesis Competition. The Graduate School will select theses as winner and runner-up for the University Competition and a thesis for submission to the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Competition.

Awards:
The author of the research project that is chosen for the CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award will receive a monetary award*, a plaque acknowledging the award and his/her name will be inscribed on a permanent plaque in the Office of the Dean. The faculty advisor for the winning project will receive a $250 monetary award supplemental to be used for scholarly activity (e.g., travel, books, research materials, equipment). The student and advisor will also be recognized in newsCAST and at the CAST December Holiday Banquet or the Spring CAST faculty Meeting.

*If the winning project is a thesis, the student will receive a $200 award made up of a $100 contribution from each College and a $100 contribution from the Graduate School. A non-thesis winning project will receive a $100 award from the College only.