Established in 1988 by the Department of Biology to encourage undergraduate students to engage in independent research projects and to provide them with experience writing research papers. Cook Incorporated of Bloomington, Indiana, now funds the award.
Read about Cook Incorporated and the recent recipient of the Biology Undergraduate Research Award.
Any undergraduate with a declared major from the IUB Department of Biology who is enrolled in Biology L490, X490, or their equivalents (such as BIOT X498-499, MSCI-M450, or CHEM X399).
Given for the best research paper written by a student—a copy of which will be presented to Cook Incorporated.
Award amounts vary from year to year. Most Department of Biology awards are between $500 and $3000; a few are larger.
Application deadline for this award has been extended to Friday, April 2, 2021.
Application materials will include a minimum of your curriculum vitae and a letter of recommendation.
Additional application materials for this award:
Include your research paper (or draft) with your application.
A letter of support must be submitted separately by the faculty member who is the student’s research mentor. The letter of recommendation must describe the student’s contribution to the research paper (including the percentage of the research that the student contributed).
Application process
Applying to Biology funding opportunities is done in One.IU.
Students have a single portal for finding funding. The system optimizes opportunities by matching you to recommended awards of which you might not otherwise be aware.
To get started, you must initiate a general application by answering 5 required questions and electronically signing before submitting. The application contains many questions designed for undergraduate applicants to IU. Continuing undergraduate and graduate students need only complete the required pieces. The general application may be created at any time during the academic year.
NOTE: One of the required questions is whether you have or will file a FAFSA for the coming year. Because some funding opportunities are given to students who demonstrate financial need, please consider filing the FAFSA to provide the greatest access to funding.
For Biology awards, you must upload a current resume, a personal statement, and the email address of a faculty member who will supply a letter of recommendation. Refer to specific awards for additional required materials. The capability to submit these materials was added to individual funding applications.
You will be sent emails about specific opportunities for which you are initially eligible, but may need to provide additional materials. These opportunities will tell you exactly what is needed—including your resume, personal statement, and letter of recommendation.
Start your general application today! Search in One.IU for the “IU Scholarships” tile.
Department of Biology faculty and postdoc fellows will be emailed a link to a web page where they may upload their recommendation letters. Non-departmental science faculty and science postdocs should contact the Department of Biology’s undergraduate advising office for assistance.
Recipients of this award will be recognized at a student awards ceremony to be held on Friday, April 29, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. in Biology Bldg. A100.
The College of Arts