214 students applied for the 2026 VUSRP.

Student Applicant Details:

Proposal Type

Which of the following best describe(s) the type of research you are proposing? count percent
Health and Medicine 67 31.3
Biological and Environmental Sciences 54 25.2
Social and Behavioral Sciences 33 15.4
Mathematical and Physical Sciences 19 8.9
Engineering and Design 16 7.5
Computers and Technology 10 4.7
Economic and Political Systems 7 3.3
Education 4 1.9
Cultural Studies and Humanities 3 1.4
Arts and Performance 1 0.5

School

School count percent
College of Arts & Science 160 74.8
School of Engineering 30 14.0
Peabody College 19 8.9
Blair School of Music 5 2.3

Major

School Major 1 count percent
Blair School of Music Violin 2 0.9
Blair School of Music Flute 1 0.5
Blair School of Music Trumpet 1 0.5
Blair School of Music Tuba Performance 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Neuroscience 38 17.8
College of Arts & Science Medicine, Health, & Society 31 14.5
College of Arts & Science Biol Sci:Molec&Cellular 22 10.3
College of Arts & Science Biochem & Chemical Bio 16 7.5
College of Arts & Science Physics 9 4.2
College of Arts & Science Psychology 8 3.7
College of Arts & Science Economics 7 3.3
College of Arts & Science Mathematics 6 2.8
College of Arts & Science Chemistry 5 2.3
College of Arts & Science Biol Sci: Integrated Biology 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Biological Sciences 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Political Science 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Undeclared 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Anthropology 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Biol Sci:Ecol,Evol,Organismal 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Climate Studies 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Comm of Science & Technology 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Gender and Sexuality Studies 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Philosophy 1 0.5
Peabody College Cognitive Studies 7 3.3
Peabody College Child Development 5 2.3
Peabody College Human & Organizational Devel 4 1.9
Peabody College Child Studies 2 0.9
Peabody College Elementary Education 1 0.5
School of Engineering Computer Science 10 4.7
School of Engineering Electrical & Computer Eng 9 4.2
School of Engineering Biomedical Engineering 7 3.3
School of Engineering Chemical Engineering 3 1.4
School of Engineering Mechanical Engineering 1 0.5

Financial Need

Need Status count percent
No Need 103 48.1
High Need 86 40.2
Medium Need 19 8.9
Low Need 6 2.8

Academic level: Applicants were evenly split between sophomores (n = 106) and juniors (n = 105), with three additional applications from Fall ’26 graduating seniors.

25 first generation students applied, comprising 11.7% of the applicant pool.




Faculty Mentor Details (n = 166 unique project mentors):

Faculty School

Faculty Sponsor Primary School or College count percent
School of Medicine 97 45.3
College of Arts & Science 64 29.9
School of Engineering 24 11.2
Peabody College 21 9.8
College of Connected Computing 5 2.3
Blair School of Music 1 0.5
Law School 1 0.5
School of Nursing 1 0.5

Faculty Discipline

Faculty Discipline count percent
Medicine - Clinical 60 28.0
Natural Sciences 46 21.5
Social Science 43 20.1
Medicine - Basic 37 17.3
Engineering & Computer Science 23 10.7
Arts & Humanities 4 1.9
Nursing 1 0.5

Faculty Department

Faculty Sponsor Primary Department count percent
Medicine 26 12.1
Psychology & Human Development 16 7.5
Biological Sciences 14 6.5
Pharmacology 14 6.5
Physics & Astronomy 13 6.1
Cell & Developmental Biology 10 4.7
Biochemistry 9 4.2
Chemistry 9 4.2
Electrical and Computer Engineering 9 4.2
Psychology 9 4.2
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering 7 3.3
Neurology 7 3.3
Biomedical Engineering 6 2.8
Medicine, Health, & Society 6 2.8
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences 6 2.8
Computer Science 5 2.3
Anesthesiology 4 1.9
Molecular Physiology & Biophysics 4 1.9
Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology 3 1.4
Pediatrics 3 1.4
Political Science 3 1.4
Radiology & Radiological Sciences 3 1.4
Special Education 3 1.4
Earth & Environmental Sciences 2 0.9
Economics 2 0.9
Mathematics 2 0.9
Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences 2 0.9
Surgery 2 0.9
Asian Studies 1 0.5
Biomedical Informatics 1 0.5
Blair School of Music 1 0.5
Cardiac Surgery 1 0.5
Civil & Environmental Engineering 1 0.5
English 1 0.5
Gender and Sexuality Studies 1 0.5
Hearing & Speech Sciences 1 0.5
Human & Org. Development 1 0.5
Law School 1 0.5
Leadership, Policy, & Organizations 1 0.5
Mechanical Engineering 1 0.5
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 1 0.5
School of Nursing 1 0.5
Sociology 1 0.5

22 faculty mentors (13.3 %) also volunteered to serve on the VUSRP review committee.




Reviewer Details (n = 119 unique reviewers):

Reviewer School

School count percent
School of Medicine 46 21.5
College of Arts & Science 37 17.3
Peabody College of Education & Human Development 13 6.1
School of Engineering 11 5.1
School of Nursing 8 3.7
Blair School of Music 2 0.9
College of Connected Computing 2 0.9

Reviewer Department

School Department count percent
Blair School of Music Blair School of Music 2 0.9
College of Arts & Science Biological Sciences 5 2.3
College of Arts & Science Chemistry 4 1.9
College of Arts & Science Earth & Environmental Sciences 4 1.9
College of Arts & Science Psychology 4 1.9
College of Arts & Science French & Italian 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Medicine, Health, & Society 3 1.4
College of Arts & Science Economics 2 0.9
College of Arts & Science English 2 0.9
College of Arts & Science Mathematics 2 0.9
College of Arts & Science Physics & Astronomy 2 0.9
College of Arts & Science Anthropology 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science History of Art & Architecture 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Jewish Studies 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Political Science 1 0.5
College of Arts & Science Sociology 1 0.5
College of Connected Computing Computer Science 2 0.9
Peabody College of Education & Human Development Psychology & Human Development 7 3.3
Peabody College of Education & Human Development Special Education 2 0.9
Peabody College of Education & Human Development Teaching & Learning 2 0.9
Peabody College of Education & Human Development Human & Org. Development 1 0.5
Peabody College of Education & Human Development Leadership, Policy, & Organizations 1 0.5
School of Engineering Biomedical Engineering 3 1.4
School of Engineering Mechanical Engineering 3 1.4
School of Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering 2 0.9
School of Engineering Engineering Science and Management 2 0.9
School of Engineering Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering 1 0.5
School of Medicine Medicine 16 7.5
School of Medicine Pharmacology 6 2.8
School of Medicine Cell & Developmental Biology 4 1.9
School of Medicine Neurology 4 1.9
School of Medicine Biochemistry 3 1.4
School of Medicine Hearing & Speech Sciences 2 0.9
School of Medicine Anesthesiology 1 0.5
School of Medicine Biostatistics 1 0.5
School of Medicine Cardiac Surgery 1 0.5
School of Medicine Molecular Physiology & Biophysics 1 0.5
School of Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery 1 0.5
School of Medicine Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 1 0.5
School of Medicine Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology 1 0.5
School of Medicine Pediatrics 1 0.5
School of Medicine Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences 1 0.5
School of Medicine Radiology & Radiological Sciences 1 0.5
School of Medicine Urology 1 0.5
School of Nursing School of Nursing 6 2.8
School of Nursing Academics 1 0.5
School of Nursing Research 1 0.5