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Science & Engineering Research Center

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The Science & Engineering Research Center (SERC) provides research funding for undergraduate and graduate students engaged in research with faculty members in the TCU College of Science & Engineering.

Funding opportunities are offered twice annually: early in the fall and spring semesters. The application process includes:

  • A  project summary
  • A detailed budget request
  • An official student transcript
  • Letter of recommendation and a mentoring plan from the CSE faculty member

SERC was originally funded through a grant from the TCU Vision in Action Strategic Initiative Fund from 2006 – 2010. In fall 2012, the Dean of the CSE decided to revive the program, initially through funds provided from the Dean’s office, but subsequently also with funds from the academic departments in the CSE.

Since 2006, SERC has funded 673 undergraduate student projects in the CSE. About half of the undergraduate projects at each of the College’s annual Student Research Symposia are funded by SERC.

Undergraduate Application

Faculty Submission Application

 

Grant Recipient Information

Each SERC project has been assigned a grant number. You will find it on the award email.

Each Fall and Spring 2021 grant recipient is expected to present research at the 2022 (or 2023*) CSE Student Research Symposium (SRS) and to file a one page summary of their research to SERC no later than May 7, 2022 (grant period ends April 30, 2022).(*) Please contact Kathy Ferguson (kathy.ferguson@tcu.edu) to submit your summary and/or if you are unable to present in 2022. And on: https://cse.tcu.edu/research/science-engineering-research-center.php#accd20e126-spending-from-your-serc-budget
There are several ways by which you may spend money from your allocated funds (please include: SERC grant number, Student name, Faculty Mentor name on ALL payment requests): Spring and Fall 2021 grant recipients funding deadlines (dates non-negotiable):
  • April 1, 2022 (Purchase Order deadline)
  • April 30, 2022 (Invoice and reimbursements deadline)
May 1 - May 31, 2022: No purchases may be made.
  1. Complete a Purchase Order request. This is the preferred procedure:
    1. Download form here.
    2. Enter your SERC grant Number, Student name, and Faculty Mentor name where indicated.
    3. Faculty Mentors should enter their name and sign the PO request where indicated (lower right-hand approver).
    4. Email or scan the completed hard copy of the form to Kathy Ferguson in the CSE Dean’s Office.
    5. Note: It is important that you send your PO request to Kathy Ferguson; please do not send to Accounts Payable or your Departmental office.
    6. Your request will be processed and you will receive a PO number (and a hard copy of the PO) in return after processing.
  2. Submit a reimbursement request for items purchased by you or your faculty mentor with personal funds.
  3. Submit invoices for items purchased from vendors without a PO (vendor is on direct bill).
All .com purchases must be made using option 2 – make the purchase and request reimbursement. TCU Financial Services will NOT approve direct bill requests for any .comcompany.