Promoting Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE) 2025-26
Promoting Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE) 2026–27
- Proposals are due NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m. on January 30, 2026.
- Email your proposal to Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite at cfd@odu.edu, with the subject line: CURE 2026 Proposal.
Call for Proposals
The Office of Academic Affairs is offering seed funding to develop Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE) opportunities in °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ's colleges. This program aims to improve undergraduate students' research skills by engaging them in research activities embedded in course curricula.
Framed around the learning-by-doing teaching philosophy, Course-based Undergraduate Research provides faculty with opportunities to integrate research into their teaching, gather data for potential publications, and potentially influence their promotion and tenure track (mentoring, student satisfaction, and peer recognition). For students, past research shows that CUREs yield cognitive, psychosocial, behavioral, and affective gains:
- Cognitive gains: increased content knowledge and improved understanding of the research process, skills development, such as analytical, technical, collaborative, experimental design skills, and problem-solving abilities.
- Psychosocial gains: increased confidence and self-efficacy in conducting research, interacting with faculty, communicating with a wider audience, and gaining real-world experience.
- Behavioral gains: interest in science majors and potential enrollment in graduate school.
- Affective gains: increased motivation and enjoyment of class content and research activities (Dolan, 2016).
Award Funding & Details
As a one-time grant, CURE funds must be spent by June 15, 2026, even if the course is not offered until Spring 2027.
Who is eligible?
- °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ's full-time teaching and research faculty, tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track.
Award Amounts
- Awards range from $1,000 to $2,000 per recipient.
- As a one-time grant, CURE funds must be spent by June 15, 2025, even if the course is not offered until spring 2026.
- The funds may be used for course development/teaching (personnel and supplies).
- Matching funds or in-kind contributions from college deans and department chairs are strongly encouraged.
Each CURE award recipient is expected to:
- Develop one research-based course, which will become part of their department's future offerings.
- Serve as the instructor of record for the CURE in its first offering (Fall 2026 or Spring 2027).
- Remain at °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ for the duration of the grant.
- Encourage students enrolled in the CURE course to present/attend the °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ Undergraduate Research Symposium in Spring 2027.
- Acknowledge the support of the Provost's Office when publishing or presenting the project findings.
- Record a short video or use other strategies to showcase their work with the students.
- Submit a report or participate in a Center for Faculty Development workshop focused on course-based undergraduate research by June 30, 2027.
Proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
|
Section |
Criteria |
Percentage
|
| Course Description |
Course description is clear Project background and rational for proposed research activities is well-articulated |
20% |
| Course Content |
Course learning outcomes are well-defined Course learning outcomes are measurable Course learning outcomes are aligned with the course research questions |
15% |
| Research Activity Timeline |
Proposed research activities are well-defined Proposed research activities are doable within a one-term course Proposed research activities targeted CURE gains listed above |
15% |
| Assessment Approach |
Assessment plan is well-defined Assessment plan is aligned with learning outcomes Assessment plan is doable |
25% |
| Impact | Project impact is related to CURE grant goal |
15% |
| Budget |
Budget plan is well defined Matching funds are provided |
10% |
The review committee includes faculty from different colleges as well as staff from the Center for Faculty Development.
Timeline: CURE 2026–27
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2025 | Call for Proposals Begins - Use the CFP Form to complete your proposal. Complete the Admin Form. |
| January 30, 2026 | Proposal Submission Deadline - Email proposals to cfd@odu.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026. |
| February 27, 2026 | Award Recipient Announcement |
| March – July, 2026 | Award Period - Funds must be spent by June 15, 2026. |
| March – July, 2026 | Develop CURE Project |
| Fall–Spring, 2026–2027 | Teach Course |
| Summer 2027 | Submit Project Report or participate in CFD workshop by June 30, 2027 |
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite, Center for Faculty Development Director, at: acroswhi@odu.edu, or Dr. M'hammed Abdous, Center for Faculty Development at mabdous@odu.edu.
References:
Dolan, E. L. (2016). Course-based undergraduate research experiences: current knowledge and future directions. National Research Council Communication Papers, 1, 1-34.
- For general questions, please contact Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite, Center for Faculty Development Director, at: acroswhi@odu.edu, or Dr. M'hammed Abdous, Center for Faculty Development at mabdous@odu.edu.
- Proposal Submission Cover Sheet form and Dean and Chair Signature page are found on the CFD website.