Banker

My son is a rising sophomore with this scholarship, any ideas how to use the money in research support account (RSA)? He has been doing research, and getting paid. I am assuming that pay is coming from the RAS. Is that how RSA can be used? I am wondering are there any other ways to utilize the funds.

WongTongTong

Yeah, we had to write research proposals and then turn them in to Kristin (RCPRS head), and once she approved it, we get funding. The money can either come from the RSA account or the professor (if he/she wishes to give additional money). The other ways he can use the funding is for summer housing/food/expenses if he spends a summer at Cornell for research. They also pay if he wishes to go to a research conference somewhere to present his findings. Ask your son to show you his RCPRS folder- it should have more information regarding this.

Banker

Wong, thanks for that info. Is there a program requirement to do summer research at Cornell?

WongTongTong

Yup, we are required to do one summer of research (currently doing mine right now) at the least, but a lot of students end up doing more than one summer though.

Banker

My son is doing an internship this summer. He plans to do internships during summers and then do research at Cornell. Looks like there is an option of doing research during two winter breaks, which can be counted as summer research requirement.

WongTongTong

Hmm, wish I had known that earlier. I chose to do research this summer because I was planning on summer internships for next year and the year after, oh well.

Banker

Wong, My son felt like his research progressed a bit slow, so he had decided to look for internships. You could intern during the winter breaks and its good to get things out of the way.