Deadline: Friday, September 20, 2024
The Montana NSF EPSCoR Track-1 SMART FIRES project is accepting proposals for undergraduate research interns working directly with project-supported faculty on prescribed fire and smoke topics that align with the Track-1 research agenda. Internships are available for the 2024-25 Academic Year (including summer 2025). Students may come from any institution in the Montana University System or from any of the state’s private higher education campuses or Tribal Colleges.
This program is designed for students to work with active SMART FIRES faculty researchers, and applications on behalf of students must come directly from the SMART FIRES researcher who will supervise the student’s internship. For interested students who do not have connections to SMART FIRES researchers, please contact the Montana NSF EPSCoR office for guidance (info@mtnsfepscor.org). Undergraduate interns must work on projects fully related to the research goals and objectives of the SMART FIRES project.
The SMART FIRES project is developing and deploying new technologies and research designed to better understand the behavior of prescribed fire and its impacts on Montanans, particularly in rural and tribal communities. The research approach integrates four science focus areas: 1) Fire and Smoke Science (FSS); 2) Smart Optical Sensors (SOS); 3) Social Psychology, Economics, and Ethics (SPEE); and 4) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML). More information about the SMART FIRES project can be found here: https://www.mtnsfepscor.org/projects/smart-fires.
Application
SMART FIRES-funded researchers should submit a 1-2 paragraph internship request to info@mtnsfepscor.org by Friday, September 20, 2024 for priority review; note that applications will be accepted anytime as long as funding is available. Requests that identify the student’s name, major, year in school, institution, and email will be prioritized, but we recognize that some labs will need to recruit. If so, please note your recruitment plans in the application. Briefly state the nature of the proposed undergraduate project, including the role the intern will play, the expected start date/semester, planned internship duration, and the faculty member’s commitment to advising and mentorship.
Program Details
- Each student will be directly supported at $6,000 for their internship. These funds are for student salary only and will be paid over the course of the internship. We anticipate funding 10 interns total over fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025.
- Internships are designed to provide support over an academic semester or similar timeframe. Start date and length of the student internship project can vary depending on student goals and faculty mentoring opportunity, but funding is capped at $6,000.
- We encourage connecting student interns to the larger SMART FIRES project through options such as attendance and possible poster presentation at a future SMART FIRES All Hands Meeting.
- Student support funds are taxable and IRS-reportable by the university.
Reporting Requirements
- All SMART FIRES interns are required to complete an About You form in the NSF EDOCS reporting database. https://edocs.epscor.nsf.gov. An EDOCS account will be created for each intern, and students will receive an email with information on how to log in and complete the About You section.
- Depending on the inclusion of human or animal research subjects, student projects may need IRB/IACUC approval.
- Funded students must complete the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) trainingprior to beginning their internship appointment. If the student has already done so, within the past 3 years, he/she/they will not be required to complete it again but must present documentation at the start of the internship. Documentation for RCR training can be sent via email to info@mtnsfepscor.org.
- Additional internship reporting will be required near the end of the internship appointment. This will include a short narrative describing the research experience and outcomes. Supplemental information, such as graduation date, may be requested by Montana NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 office staff for additional SMART FIRES reporting purposes.