FAQs I-CUREUS

2020-2021 applications are now open. This research internship program equally allocates its funds to each faculty (Engineering and Design, Arts and Social Sciences, Public Affairs, Science and The Sprott School of Business) to be distributed among qualified applications.

The internship runs throughout the academic year, from September until April. A student can sign up for one term or for both and complete up to 150 hours. Students find a faculty supervisor who is willing to directly oversee their research in the fall or winter semester. Upon submitting the application, allowing for processing time and receiving acceptance to the I-CUREUS program students can commence work in a timeline that is mutually agreed upon with the faculty supervisor.

The award is worth a total of up to $2250 for the student. Up to $1125 is provided by the faculty supervisor. The amount is matched by the Office of the Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning).

You are not able to get an academic credit through the I-CUREUS program. This internship is designed to give students valuable research work as a paid part time research assistant, not to fulfill your program requirements.

I-CUREUS is offered to current undergraduate students registered in either part-time or full-time courses for the fall/winter terms. It is not open to co-op students if they are completing their co-op work terms during the fall/winter 2020-21 terms.

If you are interested in participating in the I-CUREUS program, you are encouraged to speak with your professors to discuss your interest and options, or see your Department’s administrators, Chair or Dean for further information.

If you have a faculty member you are interested in working with, you can contact them and let them know about your interest in I-CUREUS. Or you can take a look at your departmental faculty website and take a look at the research faculty are working on. Then you can contact the one(s) that you would like to work with.

Please note the Discovery Centre does not match students to faculty.

We would like to share your experiences with other students through the Discovery Centre website and social media to encourage them to apply. The form is a formal agreement where you agree to release information such as your name, biography, photos, award details, and course program; this information will be used to promote the I-CUREUS program and Carleton

Yes, you can! You are encouraged to log in on your Carleton Central and add I-CUREUS as an extracurricular activity. The Discovery Centre will approve your I-CUREUS enrollment

No. This internship is available to current undergraduate students enrolled in a Carleton undergraduate program.

Half of the funding comes from the Discovery Centre and half from the faculty supervisor (+ 14% benefits paid by the Discovery Centre and faculty supervisor).

No, the funds provided by the I-CUREUS program cannot be transferred to an NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR account. In accordance with government regulations we cannot increase any existing amounts on these accounts. I-CUREUS may be transferred to a Carleton general research fund (typically assigned to a faculty member).

For a successful applicant, the supervising faculty member as well as the student will receive an email with documents to be completed. These are a “Payroll Profile” and an “Hourly Pay Submission Form” to be submitted to the Payroll Office in 507 Robertson Hall. The student’s payment should be made in suitable increments, for example every two weeks.

Yes, a faculty member can pay through an NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR account as long as proper documentation is recorded for the transactions in accordance with Carleton policies and practices for finance and research accounting. The other half of the student’s payment should come from the general research account following the university’s policies and practices.

Any unspent funds are to be returned to the Discovery Centre. If you are considering another student to complete the research project, please contact Aleksandra Minic, the Discovery Centre Coordinator at aleksandra.minic@carleton.ca

Under special circumstances and depending on the supervising faculty and the student’s ability to complete the research project, a work extension can be permitted. Please contact Aleksandra Minic, the Discovery Centre Administrator at aleksandra.minic@carleton.ca

Yes, faculty members are limited to a maximum of 2 I-CUREUS applicants per year. Additional applications might be considered depending on funds available later in the year.