During a government shutdown, agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) generally pause new grant awards, proposal reviews, and program launches. Institutions with existing federal research awards may still be able to draw down previously obligated funds, but technical assistance, progress reviews, and application processing are typically suspended.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), most federal research staff and grant managers are classified as nonessential and furloughed, resulting in delays that can extend well beyond the shutdown itself. Past shutdowns have led to cancellations of reserved time on national lab instruments, closures of field research sites on federal lands, etc.
The impact on undergraduate research is not yet clear, but students applying for NSF, NIH or other federally supported programs might experience delays in response times to email and program timelines might change. UROP advises students involved in projects to stay in communication with project mentors and be attentive to program websites for updates.
CU Boulder’s administration is working to minimize disruptions to research and other grant-supported activities. In the unlikely event that students with UROP funding experience changes in their ability to accomplish project goals, such as the availability of mentors and/or resources, UROP will not withdraw previously awarded funding.
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Discussion Questions & Resources
Discussion Questions
- Is your work more individual or team-based?
- If the work is team based, how often do members meet?
- What is your approach to working with undergraduates?
- What methods (resources, tools, theories, etc.) do you use in your work?
- What skills (training, certifications, prerequisites) would I need to work with you?
- How do you prefer to communicate (email, phone, text, etc.)?
- What initially interested you about your field of study?
- How did you get started? Who helped?
- What questions keep you going?
- What do you hope your work will accomplish?
- Can we meet again?