Yun Family Research Fellows Fund for Revolutionary Thinking

Harvard College undergraduates in good standing (i.e., not involved in a disciplinary case or subject to academic review), who have at least one spring semester and one summer term remaining in their undergraduate tenure.

Spring semester stipends of up to $5,000. The first cycle of the award is meant to support preliminary project planning and development, which may include an extensive literature review, preliminary data collection and analysis, and implementation design.

Possibility of renewal for up to $5,000 in the subsequent summer cycle. This second cycle of the award is contingent upon evidence of forward momentum on project design and development in the first cycle). The renewal implementation award will cover subsistence expense and associated housing costs during the summer as well as direct operational costs associated with the implementation plans. This second cycle is designed to provide financial support for an initial operational launch of the project that has been defined and evaluated to be operationally viable.

Note: 

Neither award phase may be deferred to a subsequent semester or summer.  

Revolutionary Thinking awards may be used independently or in conjunction with other institutional undergraduate research activities that support undergraduate research projects (e.g., affiliation with Harvard i-Lab, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, etc.), particularly those that are creative and entrepreneurial in nature. While co-funding is possible, fellows must be proactive about understanding co-funding terms and limits and should be consulting with program administrators on possible conflicts.  

Spring semester awards may not fund research projects that are projects for which course credit is already being awarded.

Summer awards: Fellows receiving summer funding from the Yun Fund must report to URAF all other project funding sources and comply with the Harvard College’s Summer Funding Policy. While co-funding for the same summer project may be possible, the co-funding sources may adjust respective award amounts to avoid doubly covering research and living expenses. In addition, summer awards may be used in conjunction with participation in the programs of Harvard College Summer Undergraduate Research Village but the awards will not be additive. The policies of co-funding with other URAF independent funding awards (Herchel Smith Summer, HCRP) vary; fellows must consult with individual program administrators for each award on co-funding terms.

Applications will be evaluated by a committee of academics and staff involved in undergraduate research and entrepreneurial endeavors. The main criteria of evaluation are:  

• Strength of the project: problem, approach, impact
• Applicant’s academic and experiential preparation to pursue this project
• Letters of recommendation

Applications are reviewed in the months of December and January. Applicants will be notified of their award status mid-January. 

Prepare and upload the following components within the Harvard University Funding Portal:

• Resume. Indicate significant activities, achievements, and experiences in college that demonstrate your interests and potential achievements. Do not exceed one page.
• Unofficial transcript. Download your unofficial transcript from my.harvard.edu. Must include current course term.
• Two Short Essays. In a separate document, please provide responses to the following two statements. Please include your name at the top of the page(s).
  • Describe the problem, question, or challenge in the world most compels you — and why do you feel it is urgent or important to tackle now? (750 words) Your statement should set the stage for the committee to understand the urgency of the project and its specific potential impact.  How could your project contribute to new ways of understanding or solving the problem(s) you have outlined? How does your project contribute to your field/discipline and how may it inspire others to think differently about a particular problem/topic? This statement may include a summary of your proposed project to address the problem but should reserve the bulk of details for the second statement.
  • Describe your project and your approach to the problem. (750 words) Describe your methodological approach(es), how you intend to collect data, and how you intend to analyze data. Address feasibility (i.e., is the data already organized or will you be collecting primary source data, are there potential subject or data access issues to consider, etc.), and the general timeframe of the research project. Additionally, discuss your project and approaches are innovative, “revolutionary” or “unconventional”. How does your project and/or its methodologies reflect bold or unconventional thinking? How does your project depart from established approaches? What information do you expect to garner from this project? How might it be different from what has already been documented?  If your work requires/might require additional review from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) (such as projects deemed as “research with human subjects” by the Committee for the Use of Human Subjects) please mention that status of that review and necessity.  
• Two letters of reference. Request two (2) letters of recommendation via the Harvard University Funding Portal at least 3-4 weeks ahead of the application deadline. Letters may come from academics, supervisors, or others who can comment on the likelihood of success in fulfilling your project goals, and provide examples of your entrepreneurship, your enthusiasm to tackle big questions, your data gathering skills and your ability to see projects through to completion. Letters may not come from peers (e.g., other undergraduate students or college-aged individuals).
• Project pitch. (Link to submit the pitch found in the Harvard University Funding Portal)
  • Your project pitch should be no more than 3 minutes and geared to an audience of broadly trained academics and non-specialist administrators. The pitch should be clear and compelling and should summarize the following major points.
    • The Problem: What is the pressing question, issue, or challenge you want to address? Why does it matter now, and why should people care?
    • The Project: What bold, original, or unconventional approach will you take? How does your method or perspective differ from existing work?
    • The Potential Impact: How could your project reshape thinking, practice, or solutions in your field or beyond? What broader implications could it have for the world?
  • This pitch should be saved and submitted to BigInterview by the application deadline.