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Research

Research is a central part of graduate education. As part of its commitment to graduate level research, the Graduate School supports a variety of initiatives that fund research and support its presentation. Please note that research funding and travel awards detailed here are only available to students whose programs are housed on the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses. Students enrolled in graduate programs at the Health Sciences campus should consult with the Graduate School at the Health Sciences Division or the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing for research-related funding programs.

Students should update with all external awards, conference presentations, and honors received.

3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

began at the University of Queensland in Australia in 2008 as a way to "cultivate students' academic, presentation, and research communication skills... (by) explaining their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience." Universities across the world now participate in this unique event. Any graduate student conducting research for a thesis or dissertation can compete. The Graduate School hosts Loyola's competition each February and the winner is invited to compete in the annual regional Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools 3MT event later in the Spring. Global 3MT competition films can be seen .

Conference Travel Awards

The Graduate School encourages students to present their work at conferences throughout the United States and abroad. Students may apply for up to $750 (per academic year – with academic year ending on the final day of last summer term) in travel costs associated with presenting at a conference. Please note that travel awards are only available to current students whose programs are housed on the Lakeshore Campus and Water Tower Campus. Students enrolled in graduate programs at the Health Sciences campus should consult with the Graduate School at the or the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing for travel-related funding programs. Students whose conferences fall after their thesis/dissertation defense date (for programs with a thesis/dissertation requirement) or after their final course (for those programs without a thesis/dissertation) are not eligible to apply for travel funding.

To be considered for funding, you must apply online BEFORE the conference takes place. See application and reimbursement instructions below. 

Applying for Travel Awards

To be considered for funding, you must apply online BEFORE the conference takes place. To apply, log into , navigate to Award Forms > Internal Awards section, and click the "Add" button to begin.

You will be required to upload proof of acceptance to a conference (i.e. an email or letter of acceptance from the conference sponsor) and a preliminary budget in one single PDF. The Graduate School will reimburse transportation and lodging costs, conference registration fees, poster printing costs, and food (adhering to the university's current per diem rates for food, and excluding alcohol). Please refer to the Accounts Payable full Travel and Business Expense Policy for more details.  

Only $750 in travel funding per student can be granted per academic year. The academic year is considered to begin on the first day of fall term and end on the final day of summer term. If you are awarded a partial award, you may apply for a second award for a different conference during a later time in the academic year. 

You will receive confirmation to your LUC.edu email account to let you know if your application has been approved or rejected.

Receiving Travel Award Reimbursement

In order to receive your reimbursement you must submit the following to The Graduate School at gradschool@luc.edu within three weeks of completing travel. Incomplete or incorrect claims will cause a delay in reimbursement, so please make sure that you have filled out the forms completely, and that all necessary materials are included.

Please compile a single PDF file which includes:

  • A completed and signed Expense Reimbursement Form (instructions can be found here. Please refer to the Accounts Payable full Travel and Business Expense Policy for full details on allowable expenses). 
  • All receipts (in the order they appear on your reimbursement form)
  • Conference program catalog or presentation confirmation
  • If applicable, missing receipt forms for any item over $25
  • If applicable,  for any items listed in non-US dollar amounts (each foreign transaction receipt should be followed by a separate page showing the conversion)
  • Please note that you may be required to fill out an  if you haven’t filled one out in the past academic year.

According to Accounts Payable policy, expense reimbursements submitted more than 90 days following the date of the expense or the last date of travel will be considered taxable income.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

The Graduate School and the Graduate Student Advisory Council host the Annual Graduate School Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on the Lake Shore Campus organized around the diverse research methods exhibited in scholarly work. The symposium is an excellent forum for ºÚÁÏÃÅgraduate students to present their scholarly work. Any current graduate student within The Graduate School is eligible to submit a presentation. Monetary awards will be given based on research category and student’s program status.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The call for abstracts usually appears in January of each year and is featured in the Graduate School newsletter. The call for proposals for next year's conference will be posted in December.

CONTACT

If you have any questions, please email the Research Symposium Committee.

Office of Research Services

: The Office of Research Services (ORS) assists faculty and students at the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses with externally funded research, training and public service projects.

: All use of human subjects including the use of any surveys, questionnaires, and interviews even with data previously obtained from human subjects must receive approval from the IRB.

Also view the PowerPoint for more information.

Research Funding Requests

Graduate School students who are approved in advance for a Research Funding Request may receive reimbursement of up to $500 for expenses related to the research and preparation of a dissertation, thesis, or major research paper if applicable. The Graduate School will only grant one research funding award per student, and reimbursement for the funds must be claimed within the same academic year. To apply, please submit a Research Funding Request Form.  
 
Once the approved activities are completed, fill out an Expense Reimbursement Form and submit it to the Graduate School along with your original receipts. If your award included gift cards or incentives of some kind, please be aware that IRS rules require that you complete a disbursement log tracking what was distributed. Do not forget that the Graduate School cannot reimburse gift cards purchased with personal or departmental funds. You MUST submit a request for the Graduate School to purchase the gift cards for you. If subjects must remain anonymous, please indicate that on your reimbursement request and list the subject’s study number on your disbursement log.

Note: Research Funding is only available to students in historically underfunded disciplines and whose programs are housed on the Lakeside Campuses. Students interested in submitting a request to purchase a laboratory supply and/or material relevant to the student’s research should reach out to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Responsible Conduct In Research and Scholarship (RCRS)

In support of the University Mission and in accordance with federal regulations effective January 2010, ºÚÁÏÃÅUniversity Chicago has implemented a Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship program that incorporates ethics education into the curriculum for all students.

Beginning fall 2011, the Graduate School requires RCRS training for all matriculating PhD students and master’s students who are writing a thesis. Graduate Program Directors in non-thesis master’s programs may recommend RCRS training for their students.

All PhD students and Master’s students* who are writing a thesis must successfully complete the Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship training as part of the degree requirements. It is strongly recommended that students complete this two-day training before beginning the dissertation/thesis stage of the program.

*Students in the School of Education and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing receive separate RCRS training.

Other Resources

External Funding Sources: A list of common external funding opportunities for Graduate students.

: Pivot is the most comprehensive, premier funding search engine.

Research is a central part of graduate education. As part of its commitment to graduate level research, the Graduate School supports a variety of initiatives that fund research and support its presentation. Please note that research funding and travel awards detailed here are only available to students whose programs are housed on the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses. Students enrolled in graduate programs at the Health Sciences campus should consult with the Graduate School at the Health Sciences Division or the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing for research-related funding programs.

Students should update with all external awards, conference presentations, and honors received.

Other Resources

External Funding Sources: A list of common external funding opportunities for Graduate students.

: Pivot is the most comprehensive, premier funding search engine.