Levinson Emerging Scholars Award

The Levinson Emerging Scholars (LES) Program is designed to support promising students who work on creative and sophisticated research projects in biosciences and related fields under the guidance of UW faculty. Art and Rita Levinson generously support this program in an effort to recognize and support undergraduates who achieve a high level of motivation and independence in research.

Levinson Emerging Scholars will receive critical, flexible support to do independent research projects guided by faculty; this support may include funding for research supplies, transportation, or other reasonable project expenses and scholarship support. Once selected, Levinson Emerging Scholars are also eligible to apply for funding to present their work at a national professional research conference. Students applying for a LES award need to submit a project budget, approved by their faculty mentor. The Undergraduate Research Program reviews all requested items and reserves the right to negotiate each award based on the proposed project and applicant needs.

Program Goals

The program is designed for undergraduates who have already participated in undergraduate research for at least three quarters and who are working beyond an introductory level in a project that requires creativity and advanced knowledge. Goals of the program include:

• Fostering research independence
• Promoting career clarification and development
• Helping students build confidence and belonging in a research environment/discipline
• Broadening participation in life sciences by offering competitive compensation
• Helping students explore how to incorporate equity, inclusion, and justice in their research practice as they develop their identity as a researcher

Levinson Emerging Scholars 10th Anniversary