Summer 2026 to Summer 2027 AK UNiTE Cohort Expression of Interest

AK UNiTE is an NSF-funded Research Coordination Network in Undergraduate Biology Education that focuses on providing researchers in Alaska with mentorship support that will promote the participation of diverse students in biological research. We are excited to announce that we are now accepting expressions of interest for our final AK UNiTE Cohort Year (2026-2027) from both returning and new cohort members. Team submissions are encouraged!

Application Deadline: May 15, 2026

First Name:
* required
Last Name:
* required
Email Address:
* required

I am: (check all that apply)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Incubator: 2020-22)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Cohort 1: 2022-23)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Cohort 2: 2023-24)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Cohort 3: 2024-25)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Cohort 4: Summer 2025)
A returning AK UNiTE member (Cohort 5: 2025-2026)
A new AK UNiTE member

Institution/Organization:

Institution Type (check all that apply)
government agency (local)
government agency (state)
government agency (federal)
non-profit organization
tribal entity
academic (public)
academic (private)
for-profit organization

Voucher Application Type: (check all that apply)

Please see the Guidelines below for more information

Option 1: Mentoring Professional Development (funds for attending a conference, webinar, workshop, etc., with a focus on mentoring). For example, attending a scientific conference with a student mentee or attending a conference session or event focused on mentoring would all be acceptable. We ask that participants share their reflections either in their private workspace on our website or via a Zoom session with AK UNiTE participants. These budgets are capped at $4000/person and can include travel for student mentees.
Option 2: Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (funds for consumables to support the development and/or implementation of authentic research into the classroom. We ask that the CURE either be published on our website or in an alternate format (CURENet, QUBES, CourseSource), and/or a group mentoring plan created to support students within the CURE ). These budgets are capped at $10,000/course and can include consumables and sample processing, but cannot purchase equipment (>$5000 for unit cost).
Option 3: Mentoring future development as aligned with AK UNiTE Midterm Outcomes Funds to support future mentoring plans within the network and sustainability of the network. For example, a team of faculty, postdocs, and students could come together to work on a synthesis paper or a funding proposal to advance mentoring in biology in Alaska. We encourage you to discuss your ideas with the AK UNiTE leadership team before applying using this option. Partners or teams are encouraged to apply. A deliverable will be required as appropriate to the proposed work. These budgets are capped at $2000/person and can include participant stipends and travel.

Tentative Proposal Title:

Tentative Project Description: (200 words max) The options above are meant to provide a framework for your ideas, but the details can be determined after selection. Provide your initial ideas of how your project will address your selected options. The AK UNiTE team will work with selected participants over the summer to refine their proposed work.

For example, if you selected Option 1, your project description might include the following details: which conference you plan to attend, where and when it will occur, how it relates to mentoring. For Option 2: which course you are planning to modify or create and what support you need to make that happen. For Option 3: some of your initial ideas for a synthesis paper or proposal topic.

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