Student Research

In HCNHS, student and faculty projects often involve human subjects. If your project involves human subjects, you should complete the following steps. Ultimately, your faculty supervisor is responsible for ensuring that your project has been appropriately identified as requiring review for human subjects protections or not, and that the science that motivates your project is sound.

Before following this general procedure, check with your unit and make sure that there are not additional requirements for you to follow for your student project.

Steps for student research:

1.Determine whether your project involves human subject participants or not.

a. The following are tools that might help you make that decision:

NIH quiz
Decision tree
Nursing Decision Checklist
COSD, KINE, and SOWO Decision Checklist

If your project does not need human subjects protections (for example, if it is a scoping review or a meta-analysis), you can begin work on your project with your mentor.

2. If your project does involve human subjects, determine whether you and your mentor need biomedical or social/ behavioral basic CITI Training. Complete the appropriate training under “Basic Courses.”

3. Visit the TCU IRB website to download the necessary documents for a project submission: https://research.tcu.edu/research-compliance/irb/irb-forms-templates/ Note that a TCU faculty member MUST be identified as the principal investigator. These forms are updated periodically, so if you download a form you intend to submit in many months’ time, ensure that the form you are submitting is still the correct one.

4. The faculty mentor should submit or confirm the student’s submission through the protocol through the Cayuse system: https://research.tcu.edu/research-compliance/irb/cayuse-human-ethic/

The Harris College Student Research Conference is designed to allow undergraduate and graduate students in Harris College the opportunity to share ideas about research, practice their research presentation skills, and interact with students and faculty colleagues on important professional topics.

Important upcoming dates to know:

HCNHS Three Minute Thesis Competition

Our Harris College Competition is scheduled for the afternoon of Wednesday, March 8 . This competition is open to any graduate student in Harris College who is working on a research project (thesis, dissertation, other project) – students are given the opportunity to describe their project to a general audience in three minutes or less. Our winner receive a gift card and the opportunity to compete at the university level!

If you would like to participate, complete this form: https://tcu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8w6mC43FnOffZQO

Due date: February 7

HCNHS Student Research Conference (Boller Presentations + Student Research Symposium)

This year, the HCNHS Boller Competition and the Student Research Symposium are being combined to become the HCNHS Student Research Conference held all day Friday, April 14. Undergraduate and graduate students are all welcome!

Students who would like to present a poster at the HCNHS Student Research Conference should complete an intent-to-participate (with projected title) via this link:https://tcu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HhQA44Wi7XuzKC

Due date: March 1

Note. If you plan to print a poster through Harris College, your poster will be due/ need to be submitted by April 1. If you plan to find another way to print your poster, you do not need to worry about the April 1 deadline.

HCNHS Student Conference Grants (Travel/Online)

The HCNHS Student Travel Grant Program has been established to support travel for undergraduate and graduate students related to research. Funds may also be used to attend online conferences virtually. HCHS students may apply for these competitive funds to present the results of their TCU research related to their field of study, attend a conference with their mentor, or to learn about a specific branch of research in their field of study. The maximum award available is $500. Limited funds are available and will be awarded only at set times throughout the year, and only available to students for travel pre-graduation. Grant awards will be determined, up to the fund limits, by the Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Lund.

Completed application forms must be submitted, by the due dates, to Irma Preciado, 2101 Bass Building or i.preciado@tcu.edu. All travel awards will be announced two weeks following the submission date.

Note for graduate students: To apply for the travel grant in HCNHS, you must also apply for Graduate Studies travel grant funding (or have applied within the last year). The HCNHS Travel Grant is available to cover expenses that are not covered by the Graduate Studies travel grant.

Note for PhD students: PhD students may apply for the travel grant twice in an academic year to support scholarship dissemination.

There will be two deadlines for travel grant submission:

> For travel occurring between September 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, applications must be submitted on or before September 15, 2023. If your conference presentation is not yet confirmed, include your conference submission paperwork in your application (rather than proof of acceptance).

> For travel occurring between February 1, 2024 and August 31, 2024, applications must be submitted on or before January 26, 2023.

Please note, these deadlines for these funds are not rolling deadlines. For future travel, an application must be submitted.

HCNHS-Student Travel Conference Grant Application 2023-24
Student Online Conference Grant Application Example (2020-2021)

Additional Travel Forms

Student Travel Grant Budget Form
Reimbursement Form
Travel Grant budget worksheet
Texas-State Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Form

The HCNHS Student Research and Creative Scholarship Grant Program has been established to support HCNHS undergraduate and graduate student projects/research. Only HCNHS students may apply for these competitive funds to support their projects/ research/ It is expected that grants will be awarded to a student and faculty mentor pair, to fund student activities. TCU undergraduate and graduate students from any major within HCNHS will be eligible. The maximum award is $500 for undergraduate and masters/ other graduate students, and $750 for PhD students. Limited funds are available and are awarded at two different times throughout the year to accommodate student projects. The award may be used to pay for supplies or other expenses directly related to the project. Grant awards will be determined, up to the fund limits, by the Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Lund, and the research committee.

> Completed application forms must be submitted by the dates indicated below for the 2023-2024 academic year to Irma Preciado, Research Center Projects Manager, 2101 Bass building or i.preciado@tcu.edu. All support awards will be announced two weeks from the submission due date.

Applications accepted between September 1 and October 1 for support available for projects from September 15, 2023 – May 16, 2024 (assuming all reports are filed by expected times).

Due date: January 26, 2023 for support available for projects from January 28, 2023 – May 16, 2024 (assuming all reports are filed by expected times).

All applications must contain the endorsement of the student’s faculty mentor and unit head (chair/director).
Submission of an application is not a guarantee that the application will be awarded.
Awardees MUST submit a progress report to the Associate Dean for Research quarterly (dates included in award letter), explaining which funds have been spent, what progress has been made, and if there are any changes to the study timeline. If these reports are not submitted in a timely fashion, further purchases on the grant will not be allowed and future HCNHS Research Grants will not be approved.
- Note that funding is ONLY guaranteed for the items listed in the student grant application, and for the time period specified. Purchases made outside of the approved timeline or that were not specified in the grant may not be funded.

If a student receives an award for research support, then in turn they will be expected to present at the student research symposium in the spring.

Student Research Funding Application 2023

Student Research Funding Application Example

Reimbursement Form

Research-Related Student Travel

TCU Graduate Studies offers travel grants for graduate students up to $400. Click here for more information and application.

Congratulations to the 2022 HCNHS Student Research Symposium award winners!

Graduate Level

Category: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Data-Driven Original Research Design:

1^st place: Jessica Renteria, KINE, mentor Robyn Trocchio, Title: The Effects of Wearable Fitness Device on a College Athlete’s Psychological Rest

2^nd place: Kate Webb, KINE, mentor Debbie Rhea, Title: The Impact of Multiple Recesses on Limb-Movement Patterns

Undergraduate Level

Category: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Data-Driven Original Research Design:

1^st place: Madison Tanklage, KINE, mentor Meena Shah, Title: The Relationship Between Sleep Behaviors and Sleep Quality in Endurance Athletes

2^nd place: Diego Rivera, KINE, mentor Adam King, Title: The Effects of Differential Training in a Standing Broad Jump

Category: Evidence Based Practice/Translational-Critique, synthesis, and application of “best available” evidence to promote optimal healthcare outcomes

1^st place: Mary Cooper Gollier, KINE, mentor Phil Esposito, Title: The Role of Lower Limb Strength in Postural Control in People with Intellectual Disabilities, Specifically Down Syndrome

2^nd place: Sydney Wheeler, SOWO, mentor Tee Tyler, Title: Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) and Emotion Regulation

Congratulations to the 2022 HCNHS Boller Competition award winners!

1st Place: Julia Morales, KINE, mentor Ryan Porter, Title: Blood Biomarker and Physical Activity Correlations in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease

Runner Up: Mary Elizabeth Schuppenhauer, NURS, mentor Dennis Cheek, Title: Utilizing Digital Thermal Monitoring (DTM) to Measure Reactive Hyperemia of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus on Cardiovascular Endothelial Function

Congratulations to the 2022 HCNHS 3MT award winners!

1^st Place: Olivia Rush, COSD, mentor Emily Lund, Lost in the Shuffle

2nd place: Courtney Trevino, COSD, mentor Emily Lund, I Just Can’t Find the Words to Say It

People’s Choice: Bethany Stover, SOWO, mentor Aesha John, Grief is Like Glitter

Upcoming Events

October 12, 2022

Three-Minute Thesis Training 12:30 – 2:00pm, Bass 1004

February 1, 2023

Three-Minute Thesis Application due by 5:00 pm

March 8, 2023

Three-Minute Thesis Competition 4:00-6:00 pm

April 14, 2023

HCNHS Student Research Conference (Student Research Poster & Boller Presentations)