Shaw Innovation Fellows Program Application
The purpose of the Shaw Innovation Fellows program is to support students passionate about elevating their educational experience through research driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and exploration to solve problems. The Shaw Innovation Fellows Program was founded in 2021 with generous support from the Shaw family and will provide fellowship awards to enrolled USM Graduate and Upper-level Undergraduate students each year.
The selected Fellows will contribute to thought leadership through research and applied projects that demonstrate impact in solving human, environmental, economic, and societal problems of the 21st century and beyond. Fellows will propose a range of transformative projects some of which may require community-based or global partners with and for whom the project has impact, while also relating to a field of study.
Up to five fellowships will be granted each year. Each fellowship award will be for $5,000. Duration of fellowships is one academic year.
Candidate Criteria:
Enrolled USM graduate students are encouraged to apply. Upper level, enrolled undergraduates who are working with a faculty advisor may also apply.
The Shaw Innovation Fellows Program is seeking adventurous and entrepreneurial candidates who, in their applications and proposed projects demonstrate a spirit of innovation and exploration, critical thinking, and bold approaches to solving problems.
- Be enrolled at USM to complete a graduate or undergraduate degree. (Maine Law and MBA students are not eligible for this fellowship program).
- Be either full-time or part-time students.
- Be enthusiastic and willing to join peer Fellows in a schedule of workshops and/or expert panels coordinated to support and strengthen the Fellows’ individual and peer cohort project experiences. Workshops typically occur once per month with special events with other USM Student Research Fellows once per semester.
- Identify and develop a working relationship with a Project Faculty Mentor (not necessarily the student’s academic advisor). The identified mentor will need to complete the recommendation form.
- Engage with undergraduate Promise Scholars as a mentor and/or to involve a scholar to assist in the project as appropriate.
- Present the resulting project/research in both digital form for USM records and at the public Shaw Innovation Fellows Symposium to be hosted at USM each year.
Applicants must be at least 18 years in age.
The application for the 2023-2024 fellows program is now open through Friday March 10, 2023!