undergraduate research brown university

Undergraduate Research

• Undergraduate

Summer Research

Undergraduate teaching and research awards (utras).

Karen T. Romer Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRAs) support Brown students collaborating with Brown faculty on research and teaching projects during the summer or the academic year. Named for the dean who launched the program in the 1980s, UTRAs provide students with valuable academic experience that prepares them for graduate study and that contributes directly to course development at Brown. For more information on UTRAs, including application deadlines and answers to common questions please visit the UTRA site .

Students interested in the UTRA program are encouraged to reach out to faculty members to discuss potential projects and the applications process.

The College

Research at brown grants.

• Learn Beyond the Classroom
• Undergraduate Research Funding

Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRA)

UTRAs support Brown students collaborating with Brown faculty on research and teaching projects during the summer or the academic year.

Research at Brown (RAB) grants support student-initiated research projects and travel to present their research at conferences. Students may submit proposals for up to $500 of funding at any time. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

Funding Cycle

The Research at Brown (RAB) program encourages students to continue working on research in an on-going way. Therefore, proposals that build on work previously supported through the RAB grant or an UTRA award will be considered for additional funding provided the "new" proposal meets the RAB selection and post-award criteria.

The RAB budget is divided into spring and fall allocations. When each semester’s allocations are spent, new applications cannot be considered until the next funding cycle. Students are therefore encouraged to submit proposals as early as possible. RAB applications are considered ready for review when both the student’s application and the faculty mentor’s letter of recommendation have been submitted.

We recommend that students submit their applications at least 4-6 weeks prior to when the funding is needed. This will allow adequate time for the payment to be processed and disbursed through the pay periods set by the Controller’s Office if the application is recommended for funding. Dean Oludurotimi Adetunji oversees the RAB Grant. Queries about the application can be directed to [email protected] .

Apply for an RAB grant

The application for fall will open on August 19, 2024.

RAB Selection and Post-award Criteria

The quality and clarity of the project description and faculty endorsement letter are vital to a successful RAB application. Proposals requesting travel funds must clearly describe the anticipated value that presenting a student paper at a conference contributes to the advancement of a research project. The potential impact of a project to the applicant’s academic development, as well as the feasibility of the project, is also considered during the review process.

Incomplete RAB applications will not be considered. We also ask that the student write a brief post-award reflective summary that addresses how the support from the RAB grant has shaped their academic progress at Brown.

Please note: only letters of recommendation from Brown faculty members can be accepted.

• Materials needed for a research project that are not available to the student through laboratories or facilities at Brown. For example, students have needed supplies to conduct a specific experiment, but the laboratory in which they were working did not have the supplies and did not have a budget to purchase them.
• Travel to a laboratory, observatory, or other research centers when materials or data are not available at Brown or through interlibrary loan.
• Funding for materials related to a thesis, when the department does not have the materials or cannot pay for them.
• Travel to conferences to present papers and/or posters. Funding is intended to help cover costs of travel, registration fees, and limited per diem expenses.

RAB funding is not available for the following:

• Salary support for a student. (See UTRA  for salary support for research.) Note: Students at Brown (as at most schools) cannot earn both course credit and wages or stipends for the same research hours.
• Reimbursement for expenses already incurred. Support is only for research planned or in progress.
• Purchase of computers, hard-drives, or servers.
• Expensive travel and accommodations when less expensive options are available.
• Purchase of expensive equipment items such as DV cameras, editors, and video projectors. If demand for such items exists, we will purchase one of each for students to share.

All student fellowship awards are paid via Brown University payroll. We encourage all students to enroll in direct deposit for the processing of the awards, if applicable. The payment will follow the Brown University bi-weekly payroll schedule. See  the Controller's Office  for those dates.

Follow these instructions (based on your student status) in order to receive your funds. Answer the questions to best understand your next steps.

• Yes - An active I-9 should be on file with the University if your student status has not changed. Email [email protected] or call 401-863-5200 to confirm.
• List of documents needed for I-9
• There are two parts to the I-9 process: the Workday onboarding process and the presentation of original documents, in person, to the HR Service Center. Your I-9 will not be complete unless both steps are completed.
• Yes - You are all set.
• In order to enroll into direct deposit, you must have a U.S Social Security Number and have visited the HR Service Center to complete the student onboarding / Form I-9 (including presenting of I-9 documents at the HR Service Center). At the time of visiting the HR Service Center , please have your bank account information with you; an HR Coordinator will assist you with enrolling in direct deposit.
• Direct Deposit acceptance requests take between 7-10 calendar days. Please make sure you are signing up for direct deposit as soon as you know you have been awarded a fellowship so your payment can be direct deposited on the Payroll schedule for your award payment.
• If you do not have direct deposit and prefer not to sign up for it, you will receive a check delivered to your Brown campus mailbox.
• Go to "My Personal Information" page in Banner
• Click on the Mail Forwarding tab
• Click on the term button (summer, one term leave, graduated, etc.) After choosing a term, your registered addresses should appear at the bottom of the page.
• Click on the address you want to use for mail forwarding
• Click on Submit
• If you want to forward your mail to an address not listed, click on the My Addresses tab to create a new address. Be sure that the dates on a new or temporary address coincide with the term dates chosen. Once that is complete, go back to the Mail Forwarding tab and begin again.
• Yes - Proceed to question #2
• Use this form if you do not have EFT (direct deposit) and do not want to sign up for EFT (direct deposit)
• Use this form if you do not have EFT (direct deposit) but would like your payment to be directly deposited into your bank account
• You will receive your payment as soon as it is submitted and processed
• Yes - An active I-9 should be on file with the University if your student status has not changed. Please email [email protected] or call 401-863-5200 to confirm.
• There are two parts to the I-9 process; The Workday onboarding process and the presentation of original documents , in person, to the HR Service Center. Your I-9 will not be complete unless both steps are completed.
• Yes - Proceed to question #4
• Use this form if you do not have EFT (direct deposit) but would like your payment to be directly deposited into your bank account (because you may not be on campus on or around Commencement, you are studying abroad, or it is just plain easier)
• Proceed to question #4
• Yes - Proceed to question #5
• Sign into Workday and select "Pay" then "Payment Elections." Be sure to add accounts prior to changing payment elections. Each Friday, the direct deposit requests are sent to ADP (Automatic Data Processing co.) If the request is rejected, it would be rejected by the following Wednesday.
• Acceptance requests take between 7-10 calendar days. Please make sure you are signing up for direct deposit as soon as you know you have been awarded a fellowship so your payment can be direct deposited on the Payroll schedule for your award payment.
• Your Visa status if it has changed and/or
• Your documents if they are expired and/or
• Your income if the type of income you are receiving has changed from the last time you were in Sprintax
• Your exit or entry dates if they have changed
• Make sure to submit once all changes have been made
• No - Email [email protected] to request login credentials and then follow the Sprintax Calculus Instruction . Look for an email from [email protected] or [email protected] with information regarding your individual Sprintax account if there are issues or questions.

Contacts for Frequently Asked Questions

Sarah Peri Financial Operations Office of Financial Strategy and Planning (OFSP) (401) 863-1072 [email protected]

HR Service Center Page-Robinson Hall  69 Brown Street  Providence, RI 02912  Second Floor -Room 213 (401) 863-5200 [email protected]

HR Service Center Onsite and Remote Schedule

Payroll (401) 863-2361 [email protected]

Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences

Research experiences for undergraduates (reu).

Undergraduates from around the nation are invited to come to Brown University this summer to engage in cutting-edge research in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences.

Welcome to Dynamic Earth in the 21st Century :  Undergraduate research on the evolution of Earth’s interior, surface, and climate

We are a national science foundation research experiences for undergraduates (reu) site with the  dept. of earth, environmental and planetary sciences (deeps)  and the  leadership alliance  at brown university.

• How does the structure and strength of Earth’s interior affect its feedbacks with melting ice sheets and rising sea levels?
• What factors control volcanic eruptions?  How do volcanoes on Earth differ from those on other planets?
• What are the drivers of air and water quality in urban environments?

Come to Brown University this summer to engage in cutting-edge research on these and other questions!

The 9-week internships provide:

• Hands-on research experience, with mentoring from Brown faculty in a supportive learning environment;
• A $5400 stipend;
• Housing in a Brown dorm and round-trip travel at no cost;
• Professional development and graduate school/career guidance;
• Social activities;
• The opportunity to present your research at the  Leadership Alliance National Symposium  and the Summer Research Symposium at Brown, and the possibility of presenting your research at a national science meeting such as the  American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting .

Students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences are particularly encouraged to apply, including Black, Latinx/Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students; women; first-generation college students; students with disabilities; and students who have faced financial barriers.  Our program welcomes students of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and students from diverse life experiences and academic paths, including veterans.

We encourage applications from undergraduates with majors across STEM fields, including geoscience/Earth science, environmental science, physics, chemistry, engineering, math, applied math, biology, and computer science.

In 2024, the program will run from June 3 through August 2.

2024 Program and Application Information

This year's REU experience will focus on undergraduate research on the evolution of Earth’s interior, surface, and climate. Applications open in November, and the deadline will be February 1, 2024.

Research Projects and Mentors

2024 deeps-leadership alliance reu, 2023 deeps-leadership alliance reu, 2022 deeps-leadership alliance reu, 2021 deeps-leadership alliance reu, 2020 deeps-leadership alliance reu, 2019 deeps-leadership alliance reu, national science foundation funding.

Funding for this REU site is provided by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Earth Sciences located in Alexandria, VA. (NSF Award: EAR-2243857.) The NSF contact for this program is Aisha Morris.  NSF does not handle REU applications ; please contact each REU site directly for application information.

Karen M. Fischer

Cutting-edge research is a defining feature of Brown's Physics Department. Our program fosters multiple opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to collaborate with faculty members, and interdisciplinary research is encouraged.

Nexus for Collaborative Research

Numerous visiting scholars and postdoctoral fellows enhance the broad scope of our research activities. Physicists from around the country arrive weekly to present seminars and colloquia and discuss their research with students and faculty.

We offer a diverse range of research opportunities in theoretical and experimental physics. Our experimental research encompasses astrophysics and cosmology, biological physics, condensed-matter physics, elementary-particle physics, low-temperature physics, nonlinear optics, and surface physics. The department’s theoretical research efforts include investigations in condensed-matter physics, cosmology and general relativity, elementary-particle physics, and neural science.

Research Areas

Astrophysics and cosmology, biological physics, condensed matter experiment, condensed matter theory, elementary particle experiment, high energy theory.

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Research at Brown

Brown is a research university that regards the creation of knowledge as one of its fundamental missions. Our faculty and students work at the cutting edge of research in their fields and collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and around the world to address society's biggest challenges.

Conducting Research at Brown

The Office of the Vice President for Research advances the research enterprise at Brown by supporting our faculty and students in all aspects of their research activities from the conception of new ideas through the dissemination of the knowledge they create. We help fund new funding opportunities, prepare proposals, comply with regulations, manage awards, and commercialize research discoveries.

• Finding Funding
• Preparing a Proposal
• Research Compliance (IRB, IACUC, COI, Export Control)
• Managing an Award
• Commercializing Technology
• Research Administration Information Systems
• R esearch Achievement Awards
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• About the Office
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Centers, Institutes and Libraries

Undergraduate Research Assistance

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Undergraduate Programs

Brown offers more than 80 concentrations, what some colleges call majors. You'll sample courses in a wide range of subjects before immersing yourself in one of these focused areas. To complement your concentration, you may also choose to complete one of several interdisciplinary undergraduate certificates.

Africana Studies

American studies, anthropology, applied mathematics, applied mathematics - biology, applied mathematics - computer science, applied mathematics - economics, archaeology and the ancient world, architecture, behavioral decision sciences, biochemistry and molecular biology, biomedical engineering, business, entrepreneurship, and organizations, chemical engineering, chemical physics, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, comparative literature, computational biology, computer engineering, computer science, computer science - economics, contemplative studies, critical native american and indigenous studies, data fluency, design engineering, development studies, early modern world, earth and planetary science, earth, climate and biology, east asian studies, education studies, egyptology and assyriology, electrical engineering, engaged scholarship, engineering, engineering and physics, entrepreneurship, environmental engineering, environmental studies, ethnic studies, french and francophone studies, gender and sexuality studies, geochemistry and environmental chemistry, geophysics and climate physics, german studies, health and human biology, hispanic literatures and cultures, history of art and architecture, independent concentration, intercultural competence, international and public affairs, international relations, italian studies, judaic studies, latin american and caribbean studies, linguistics, literary arts, materials engineering, mathematics, mathematics - computer science, mathematics - economics, mechanical engineering, medieval cultures, middle east studies, migration studies, modern culture and media, neuroscience, physics and philosophy, political science, portuguese and brazilian studies, public health, public policy, religious studies, science, technology, and society, slavic studies, social analysis and research, south asian studies, theatre arts and performance studies, urban studies.

Division of Biology and Medicine

Program in biology, undergraduate education.

The Program in Biology gives students the opportunity to learn, conduct groundbreaking research, and make an impact by finding solutions to complex problems.

Undergraduate Research

At Brown, students work alongside faculty experts to generate new discoveries and set the stage for scientific breakthroughs.

The  basic science departments  of the Program in Biology offer courses at all levels of biology: molecular, cellular, organismal and population, and concentration programs with varying degrees of multidisciplinary or specialty foci.

There is a vast range of collaborative opportunities for independent study and research under the mentorship of the faculty. Faculty maintain research programs at the cutting edge of their fields. The close administrative relationship with The Warren Alpert Medical School  offers additional opportunities for blending fundamental biology and clinical sciences in research projects at Brown-affiliated hospitals. These research opportunities are a hallmark of our programs; students may navigate this information at the website of the  Biology Undergraduate Education Office .

Undergraduate Concentrations

Applied mathematics-biology scb, biochemistry & molecular biology scb, biology scb, biomedical engineering scb, biophysics scb, computational biology scb & ab, health & human biology ab, neuroscience scb.

Division of Biology and Medicine

Biology undergraduate education, biology undergraduate education at brown.

Brown’s undergraduate biology programs equip students with the knowledge, skills, and collaborative spirit required to tackle some of society’s more pressing issues -– from disease prevention to preserving Earth’s natural heritage.

Biological Sciences at Brown University

It is an exciting time for the biological sciences. Since the turn of the century biologists have mapped the human genome, assembled the first synthetic virus, and discovered that mature cells can be reprogrammed to give rise to several different cell types. Our understanding of how living systems operate and integrate from the level of molecules to ecosystems continues to grow at a rapid pace.

Brown’s program in Undergraduate Biology arms students with the knowledge, skills, and collaborative spirit required to tackle some of society’s more pressing issues – from disease prevention to preserving Earth’s natural heritage.

Get Connected

Subscribe to the Biology email list for news and announcements.

Concentrations

Advising & declarations, course offerings.

From Anatomy to Zoology, a comprehensive look at all the course offerings in the biology program.

Division of Biology and Medicine

Department of neuroscience.

Neuroscience research at Brown is dynamic and collaborative, spanning departments across the clinical and basic sciences and integrating knowledge across many fields of inquiry.

Research Areas

Areas of focus and excellence, cellular and molecular neurobiology, cognition and behavior, computation in brain and mind, neural circuits, neuroengineering and neurotechnology, sensation and perception.

Research Networks and Collaborators

Visit Researchers@Brown to learn more about discovery and scholarship in the Department of Neuroscience and beyond.

Research Infrastructure

Research centers and facilities, research centers, core facilities, research impact, neuroscience research in the news, the dept of neuroscience at brown university is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor, sonia mayoral featured in this months carney now newsletter, brown plans new integrated life sciences building in providence’s jewelry district.

Anthropology

Research and fieldwork.

• Undergraduate Studies

Training in anthropology is not limited to the classroom. Students are urged to seek out extracurricular opportunities that will round out their anthropological studies.

Experiences outside of the classroom might include internships, field schools, faculty research collaborations, and independent projects, any of which may lead to a  senior honors or thesis project .

Anthropology concentrators are highly encouraged to meet with either the  undergraduate advisor  or a  faculty member  with similar interests to discuss what options might be best for them.

A great way to learn methods and practice in anthropology is to assist a faculty member with their research projects.  This might involve aiding with data collection, processing the results of a study, or helping to prepare an article for publication.  In some instances, faculty members may even have opportunities for undergraduates to participate on their own field and laboratory projects. 

To find out more about what opportunities might be available, students are encouraged to use office hours to contact faculty members  who have research interests similar to their own.  Generally, most faculty will want to have worked with a student in the classroom before they will be invited to participate in extracurricular collaborations.

Brown University offers  a number of fellowship and grant programs that support undergraduate research , often in collaboration with faculty - including UTRAs and Royce Fellowships. Well ahead of the application deadline, students should approach a faculty member about the possibility of collaborating on research.

Anthropological field schools offered externally to Brown are an excellent way for students to gain extracurricular research experience in a global context. Field schools are especially important for students interested in pursuing research in anthropological archaeology or biological anthropology.  There are a number of online resources to help students find a field school appropriate for their interests.  Any student interested in applying for a field school is strongly advised to contact a faculty member for advice regarding the potential merit of any program.

Anthropological Archaeology Field Schools

• American Institute for Archaeology  
• American Anthropological Association Field School Listings

Biological Anthropology Field Schools

• American Association of Physical Anthropologists

Socio-Cultural Anthropology Field Schools

Students interested in applying their anthropological training in non-academic contexts are encouraged to explore internship opportunities. Both the Center for Career Exploration  and BrownConnect can help students find an internship appropriate for their academic interests and long term career goals.

The Haffenreffer Museum provides opportunities for students conducting original research using anthropological collections or for students interested in Museum Anthropology. Such research can lead to an  honors thesis or senior research capstone project  under the direction of one of the Anthropology Department's faculty. More information is available on the  Haffenreffer Museum website .

Turning a Passion for Public Health into Action

Meehir Dixit ’24, a newly minted Brown alumnus with a concentration in public health, has already found a home as a research assistant in the School of Public Health’s Center for Gerontology & Health Research and Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research (CAHPR).

Meehir Dixit '24 works with the Centers for Gerontology & Health Research and Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research, continuing much of the research he began as an undergraduate.

To be sure, Meehir Dixit ’24 was no ordinary student while he was at Brown. With an exceptional undergraduate record and three published research papers already under his belt, Dixit’s talent, drive and commitment to public service were obvious to faculty at the School of Public Health. 

As part of his undergraduate research, Dixit worked with Professors Amal Trivedi and David Meyers on a project examining Medicare Advantage plans. They focused on contract terminations by insurance companies and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and found that about 20% of contracts were terminated between 2011 and 2020, disproportionately affecting Black beneficiaries. The study was published in JAMA Health Forum In 2022.

Dixit also worked with Maricruz Rivera-Hernandez , associate professor of health services, policy and practice, focusing on home health equity indicators in Puerto Rico compared to five U.S. states with large Puerto Rican populations. This resulted in a research paper published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2023, with Dixit as co-lead investigator.

He then followed up his work with Professors Trivedi and Meyers by investigating what happens to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries after contract termination. Dixit presented this research at Brown’s Public Health Research Day , winning an award for his poster. The study results were published in JAMA Network Open this August. 

As if this was not enough, Dixit was selected as the undergraduate speaker for the School of Public Health’s commencement festivities last May. A native of the Chicagoland area, he is currently applying to medical school.

We spoke to Dixit about his experiences as an undergraduate, his work as a research assistant at the School of Public Health since and his plans for the future. 

Can you tell us a bit about your undergraduate years at Brown?

My classes at Brown actually started in January 2021 instead of September of 2020 due to the pandemic. During that extra time, I worked as a medical scribe at a nephrology practice in suburban Illinois. The practice mainly served minoritized patients—primarily Hispanic and African American communities, many of whom were low-income and either on Medicaid or uninsured. This experience truly solidified my interest in public health. I’d been intrigued by public health before, but working with these patients opened my eyes to the social determinants of health in ways I hadn't previously considered, like food deserts and the specific ways income affects health. That experience deepened my focus on the intersections of social and economic factors with health.

When I got to Brown, I took Professor Ira Wilson’s “Healthcare in the US” course, where you dive into social determinants of health pretty much right away. Inspired by this, I wanted to get involved with a club that focused on these issues. That’s when I found Connect for Health .

“ We’re meeting people where they are and addressing their immediate needs. I worked one-on-one with patients and their families, which was incredibly rewarding and aligned perfectly with what I hope to do in medicine—working with vulnerable and underserved communities. ”

Connect for Health is run out of the Lifespan Community Health Institute , and you can either volunteer at Hasbro Children's Hospital or Rhode Island Hospital. Essentially, you act as a volunteer social worker for patients who are referred to us by their child’s pediatrician or their own primary care physician. The goal is to address basic social needs that can improve their long-term health. For instance, we might direct them to the nearest food pantry, help them navigate the SNAP application process or assist with applying for Section 8 housing. One of the most common tasks is helping people obtain subsidized heating and utilities during the winter.

In essence, we’re meeting people where they are and addressing their immediate needs. I worked one-on-one with patients and their families, which was incredibly rewarding and aligned perfectly with what I hope to do in medicine—working with vulnerable and underserved communities. That experience really reinforced my commitment to service.

At the same time, health policy has also become a major focus for me, particularly through my research. I’ve been looking at the impacts on dual-eligible beneficiaries—people who are both low-income and elderly—a particularly vulnerable population. I’m also interested in how policy affects beneficiaries of color, another marginalized group in the U.S.

In addition to my work at Connect for Health, I got involved with the Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health (BUJPH). In 2021, former Brown alums Grace Reed ’22 and Maddie Noh ’22 started the journal, and they selected me as the first-ever managing editor. I held that role during my sophomore and junior years, where I focused on crafting the editorial process, ensuring strong collaboration between editors and reviewers and maintaining the integrity of our publication process.

“ My time with BUJPH was a unique and entrepreneurial experience—it was brand new, and we were pushing boundaries. We were trying to establish ourselves both within the School of Public Health and the broader community. ”

By my senior year, I became the editor-in-chief, and our goal was to grow the journal every year. One of the highlights was being featured during Brown’s celebration of National Public Health Week, where we had the chance to showcase the work of several students. My time with BUJPH was a unique and entrepreneurial experience—it was brand new, and we were pushing boundaries. We were trying to establish ourselves both within the School of Public Health and the broader community.

I’m really excited to see where the journal goes in the future. Even Dean Jha acknowledged BUJPH at this year’s Dean’s Awards Ceremony, which was a nice validation of all the work we put in and a sign of how much we had grown.

Was it your plan from the start—to begin with a public health degree and transition into medicine?

I always knew I wanted to go into medicine, but I wasn’t initially set on public health. When I applied to Brown in 2019, I actually applied as a history and biochemistry concentrator. I wanted to do both, but when I took a closer look at the classes and course requirements, I realized it wouldn’t be feasible to do both while also taking full advantage of Brown’s open curriculum—which is something that drew me to the school.

So, I started looking for alternatives, and one concentration that stood out to me was public health. It was convenient in a way because it unified my two interests—social science and natural science—within the context of medicine.

“ My first public health class, “Healthcare in the U.S.” with Ira Wilson, was what really sold me—that’s when I knew this was the concentration for me. ”

I’ve always had an interest in health policy, partly because of my family. My dad is a primary care physician and my mom is a research scientist working on pharmaceutical drugs, so a lot of our dinner table conversations revolved around health policy. I knew that if I went into medicine, I’d want to focus on that realm because, personally, I wouldn’t be able to build a career in medicine without addressing the systemic and community-based factors that influence it.

My first public health class, “Healthcare in the U.S.” with Ira Wilson, was what really sold me—that’s when I knew this was the concentration for me.

Tell us about your work at CAHPR and the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research.

After my junior year, I joined the Health Data Science Fellowship , and that's how I first met Professor Andy Ryan , the director of CAHPR. I had already been working with Professors David Meyers and Amal Trivedi for a while, but Andy arrived at Brown during the fellowship. At the end of the program, he suggested we set up a meeting to talk about possible collaborations, and that eventually led to the position I’m in now.

One thing that sets CAHPR apart is its commitment to policy action. Andy, David and  Professor Yashaswini Singh , for example, translate their research into policy briefs and work with stakeholders and policymakers to bring about real change. Turning academic research into actionable insights that impact real-world policy is something I’m really drawn to. It’s the kind of work I see myself doing in the future as a physician and policymaker, conducting unbiased research that informs policy in meaningful ways.

“ I find the center's work on translating academic research into health policy action important and exciting, and I look forward to continuing to learn from such a talented team. ”

I’ve only been at CAHPR for a few months, but I’m really excited for the year ahead. There’s so much to learn, and the experience so far has been fantastic. As a research assistant, my time at CAHPR would not be as productive, enriching, or enjoyable without great faculty mentors like David, Yashaswini and Andy and incredible staff like Arlene Correa, Haroon Janjua, Jay Shroff, Nandita Radhakrishnan, Megha Reddy and Alex Philips. I find the center's work on translating academic research into health policy action important and exciting, and I look forward to continuing to learn from such a talented team.

In gerontology, I’m working with the same people I collaborated with during my undergrad, working on projects like studying dialysis facility ownership in the U.S., particularly how physician ownership might impact the quality of care.

Dixit with fellow award winners and Dean Ashish Jha at the Dean's Awards in May 2024.

I’m also working on a project that continues what I started in undergrad. It looks at the effect of recent CMS regulations on Medicare Advantage plans, especially those targeting dual eligibles—people who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare. We’re evaluating how this regulation has affected the market, and it’s still a key part of my work.

Do you envision setting up a career in Chicago after medical school? Heading back to the midwest? What about staying in New England?

I'm honestly not sure yet—I haven’t thought that far ahead. One thing about medicine is that it’s hard to plan too far in advance because you find out the next step, and then figure out the path from there. So first, I need to see if and where I get into medical school, then where I’ll do my residency and if I want to pursue any fellowship training after that.

From an academic standpoint, New England stands out to me because there are so many research institutes that focus on health policy, which is an area of interest for me. So staying in New England is definitely a possibility.

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Rolling Grants

To continue to support faculty and student projects and programs throughout the semester, the BAI offers a number of small grant opportunities available on a rolling basis.

• Brown Arts Institute (BAI)
• Grants for Faculty

The BAI Rolling Grant window opens November 18, 2024, and closes April 11, 2025, or until all funds are exhausted.

Submit Your Proposal

Eligibility

Any undergraduate or graduate student* in good academic standing may apply for BAI student funding, as well as student groups recognized by the Student Activities Office. Students/student groups who have received past funding for a project may not apply for additional funding for the same project. However, that same student/group may apply for funding for a different project.

*Due to visa regulations, at this time, we cannot offer grants to any fully-stipended international graduate student. The student's responsibility is to ensure they are eligible to receive grant funding. If Brown cannot process a grant award based on visa status, BAI will rescind the award.

In order to receive award funds, grant recipients must have a valid I-9 on file. If you are an international student, you must also be registered in the Sprintax-Calculus System.

Applications are considered from any permanent faculty member (tenure-track, tenured, or lecturer) of Brown University whose assigned responsibilities include promoting ideas through the arts. Brown adjunct professors, post-doctoral fellows and MFA or PhD students with teaching responsibilities are also eligible to apply, however, you must be teaching at Brown for the semester in which you apply and the semester in which your event is taking place. 

Amount and Duration of Award

Award amounts vary and are awarded for proposals that take place during the current or next semester. Retroactive awards for projects completed prior to the application deadline will not be granted.

Criteria for Selection

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a Grants Committee. Awards will be made based on the following criteria:

• Intention for the project’s community reach and/or deepening cross-disciplinary practice 
• Integration with BAI philosophy and priorities
• A feasible time frame for completion within the semester
• Providing a descriptive and reasonable budget

Procedure for Submitting Proposals & Application Deadlines

Proposals are submitted electronically via this form . Any applicant proposing a project which could have implications for their home department (e.g. bringing in a visiting artist) must discuss plans with the department manager before submitting an application. If this is an aspect of your proposal, please allow adequate time for this initial step.

Applications will be reviewed on a monthly rolling basis and applicants will be notified of their application status by the end of each month. Funding for accepted proposals will be awarded via UFunds for student applicants or via Journal Entry for faculty projects.