College of Natural Sciences Research Pod Program

The CNS Research Pod program was approved by the Council of Chairs on April 3, 2006. It is a program to assist faculty with their professional growth program and to provide students with a structured research experience. Details of the program are described below with application materials referenced at the end.

WHAT: A research pod is a faculty member with a select group of one to four students who will work closely together on a full-time tenure/tenure-track faculty-designed research project that will lead to a journal publication, professional presentation, and/or grant application. Analytical work will primarily be conducted in campus designated research areas.

WHY: The role of faculty in the College of Natural Sciences includes effective teaching, externally evaluated scholarship, and service to the campus and extended community. The percentage of faculty having an active research profile that enables them to compete successfully for research grants is low for the College. The College needs to invest in faculty who would like to engage in this activity so that they will be better positioned in the scholarship community. Involving students in significant research projects will enhance their educational experience and encourage more students to continue with their studies. By increasing the faculty and student research profile, it is expected that faculty interest and ability to compete for external funding will increase.

HOW: Faculty will identify CSUSB students to work together in a research pod. Normally, the research activity will be during the summer. During a maximum of a two month period, students will work up to full-time (maximum of 40 hours per week) under the direct supervision of a faculty member on a research project(s) designed by the faculty member. The project will result in one or more of the following outcomes: (1) a paper by the faculty member and the students being submitted for publication in a refereed journal, (2) a professional presentation, and/or (3) an external funding application related to the research. Students will also be expected to present the research at a department symposium open to faculty and students. Faculty already having external funding would normally receive a lower priority during the application review. Applications will be accepted by May 1 for the following summer. Faculty may earn up to $5,000, each student will earn $10.00 per hour, and up to $5,000 may be funded for supplies/travel costs. The maximum amount for each research pod will be $15,000. Such awards may impact the ability of faculty to teach summer school classes. Applications for non-summer research pods will be accepted during the third week of the quarter for the following quarter. Awards during the academic year will not carry a stipend for the faculty. Faculty and students will not be eligible for additional awards until the work of the current award is completed.

WHEN: To commence in Summer, 2006. Faculty will submit a brief description (1-2 page narrative) of the project with the students to be identified. Each student participant should provide a one-page letter describing his/her background for the project.

WHERE: The project may occur in any location, but a significant portion of the time must be spent doing analytical or data acquisition work at a CSUSB facility.

FUNDING: The College will commit up to $100,000 to the research pod program. Departments are encouraged to establish similar programs with their own criteria and aspirations in order to encourage full-time tenure/tenure-track faculty and students to engage in appropriate research projects.