Research

Research and Creative Endeavor

Research takes many forms in the arts, from painting, designing web pages and researching art history and aesthetics to music and theatre performance, musicological research and theatrical set design. Just as VPA faculty is actively engaged in their specialty area of research/creative endeavor, ongoing activity in undergraduate research/creative endeavor is very important for our students. Purdue University Fort Wayne is committed to enriching the undergraduate experience by providing opportunities for students to experience first-hand the process of scholarly exploration and discovery.

Talk to your advisor or department chair about how you can develop your area of research/creative endeavor in collaboration with faculty beyond your classroom experience. You may present your own art exhibition at a local gallery or shop, perform for the residents of a senior center, produce light or set design for a regional school production or enter a competition.

Sharing your research/creative endeavor with the community will provide valuable professional experience for you, add to your list of accomplishments on your resume, and enrich the quality of life in our region while bringing recognition to Purdue Fort Wayne as the Center for Arts Education in Northeastern Indiana.

To support these efforts and those of the faculty mentors involved, the university offers the following grant programs to students engaged in research and creative activities:

Undergraduate Summer Research Support Program

This program provides $1,000 in summer wages to support student research.

Undergraduate Research Supplies and Expenses Mini-Grant Program

Successful applicants will receive up to $250 to defray the costs of their summer research efforts. Acceptable expenses include travel to research sites, equipment, and expendable supplies.

Undergraduate Conference Travel Program

Successful applicants will receive $250 to defray costs associated with presenting a paper at a professional conference within the United States.

Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor Symposium

Provides Purdue Fort Wayne University and other area students an opportunity to formally present research results to audiences of faculty and student peers.

IPFW Research Communities Program .pdf

Communities of student scholars centered on the research interests of Purdue Fort Wayne students and faculty.