Student Resources | Whitaker Center

The Whitaker Institute Supports FGCU STEM Majors Through:

The Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Internships (SURI)
Scholarships and Mini-grants to support research

Internships and jobs through Eagle Career Link
Volunteer or Service Learning and short term Internship opportunities with our events

The Institute is also affiliated with the student organization for FGCU Cancer Research Program (RSO available for students interested in Cancer Research).

Undergraduate Research

Faculty with Student The Whitaker Institute facilitates student research by providing assistance through summer research scholarships and grants, research proposal development, selection of faculty supervisors, and the IRB approval process. In addition, the Institute assists students and their supervisors in the publication and dissemination of the research results. We provide leadership in the development of undergraduate research that can be duplicated within the university and other post secondary institutions.

For more information and research opportunities not associated with the Whitaker Institute, visit the Office of Scholarly Innovation and Student Research

SURI

Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Internships (SURI) is held each year at the end of the fall semester in the breezeway between the academic buildings. This event showcases and celebrates the research of undergraduate seniors graduating in December.

For more information, contact your research mentor, department chair, or the Whitaker Institute at whitakercenter@fgcu.edu.

The 2024 Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Internships (SURI) will be held on Friday, December 6th from 3:00PM-5:30PM. Outdoor posters will be on display on the lawn and breezeway of the academic buildings. Thank you for joining us in celebrating the research accomplishments of our students. Participants will have the opportunity to speak with presenters about their research during the in-person poster session.

Funding for this program was provided through the Whitaker Institute for STEM Education, Department of Biological Sciences, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Water School, and Student Experiential Learning Fund. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not constitute an endorsement on behalf of FGCU.

Whitaker Institute Mini-Grant Application

Application Information

Applicants must be either a faculty or student at FGCU
Funds will not be awarded for salary stipends.
Funds may not be awarded for student travel associated with an FGCU course (example, we cannot fund study abroad)

2024/2025 Mini-Grant Application Deadline is December 16, 2024

Award Information

Decisions will be made within 2-3 weeks of the submission deadline. If you are awarded a grant, you must agree to spend your funds by April 30, 2025 and submit a one-page report outlining your use of funds by August 31, 2025. Failure to submit a report or encumber funds by these dates may result in loss of award or inability to apply for future awards.

Other Opportunities for Funding

For Students: SRA awards are made on a rolling basis.

APPLY FOR MINI-GRANT

The Whitaker Institute supports the development and reporting of a variety of curriculum and teaching innovations at all levels of STEM education. The Institute also fosters and supports research and evaluation of teaching innovations and practices. Funding for faculty and graduate activities is provided for assessment and evaluation of teaching innovations and practice where the research meets the Institute's goals. Funding levels are determined annually by the Leadership Team. Funding, while limited, is meant to encourage pilot studies that may lead to larger externally funded projects. Faculty are encouraged to pursue other funding sources, including matching funds and in-kind support. This not only broadens the funding base, enabling larger or more varied projects, but also encourages and strengthens the network of science, mathematics and technology educators at all levels. Whitaker Institute Undergraduate Research Program funds are available for students in any major and with science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics as a focus as well as teaching and learning in these areas.

Professional travel for faculty and students is supported through the Whitaker Institute for activities that support the Whitaker Institute goals. Faculty travel should include presentations in STEM education at meetings or conferences. Student travel funds are provided for presenting STEM research or attending STEM education meetings and conferences. Students are encouraged to present individual research posters. Poster/presentation abstracts are required to be submitted at the time of application for Mini-Grants.

The Whitaker Institute supports the development and implementation of PK-12 initiatives. Funding may be sought for projects that target either PK-12 teachers or students. Projects for students must integrate STEM-topics, be hands-on in nature and must be shown to align with PK-12 education standards. Initiatives geared toward teachers might involve course development, labs and activities, technology training and other similar endeavors. Initiatives geared toward students might involve outreach, workshops or camps. If funded, projects should in some way highlight Whitaker Institute Funding.

STEM Scholarships

During the summer of 2024, we had 19 scholarships for undergraduate and graduate STEM majors.

All scholarship applicants must also complete the FGCU Foundation scholarship application in order to receive any FGCU scholarship. The link for this application can be found in the Brodie or Blair application below.

View template for Faculty Mentor Letter for summer research scholarships.

Brodie Foundation Life Sciences Scholarship
Blair Foundation Scholarship

$10,000 summer scholarship to conduct research with an FGCU faculty advisor in a life science area. The award is split as $5,000 as a summer scholarship to the undergraduate student and $5,000 for research supplies and travel while the student is conducting research at FGCU.

Requirements: Student must provide a letter of support from their faculty research advisor, conduct research related to the life sciences, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and have an expected graduation date of May 2026 or later.

Apply for Brodie

Please email electronic letters to the Whitaker Institute at whitakercenter@fgcu.edu. In the email indicate the student for whom you are writing the letter and that this is for the Brodie Summer Research Scholarships.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Heather Skaza-Acosta at hskaza-acosta@fgcu.edu.

Applications for priority consideration are due January 24, 2025! Faculty support letters due January 24, 2025.

$5,000 summer scholarship to conduct research with an FGCU faculty advisor. Seven of these are specifically for student conducting environmental research while six will be for any area of STEM research.

Requirements: Student must provide a letter of support from their faculty research advisor, demonstrate a serious commitment to protecting the environment, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be an upperclassmen or master's student pursuing any STEM major.

Apply for Blair

Please direct any questions to Dr. Heather Skaza-Acosta at hskaza-acosta@fgcu.edu.

Applications for priority consideration are due January 24, 2025! Faculty support letters due January 24, 2025.

Join Our Team

We offer a variety of short-term opportunities to work in STEM Outreach through our programs.
Please contact the Whitaker Institute to find out what internships are available through our office.

For more opportunities contact:
Internship & Co-operative Programs
Internships in STEM areas can be accessed through Eagle Career Link

Service learning opportunities can be accessed through Eagle Service Network

Internships and Coopterative Programs

Office: McTarnaghan Hall - 2nd Floor
Email: icp@fgcu.edu

Phone number: (239) 745-4423