Dedicated to the advancement of the chemical sciences

Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions

Please note that program guidelines were updated on May 18, 2023.

Deadline:  August 1, 2024
Announcement:  early November 2024

The Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions awards provide an $18,500 grant to 1) facilitate a visit and lectures by a notable researcher in the chemical sciences to a primarily undergraduate institution, and 2) fund summer research fellowships for two undergraduate students. (Note: Prior to August 2016, this program was known as the Jean Dreyfus Boissevain Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions.)

The visiting researcher must give at least two lectures in the chemical sciences. One of the lectures should be accessible and promoted to a wide audience that includes the general public. The remaining lecture(s) may be more technical. The lecturer is expected to spend more than one day at the institution and to substantively interact with undergraduate students and a range of faculty over the course of the visit. The undergraduates funded to engage in summer research are expected to work with on-campus mentors in the chemical sciences.

Eligibility
  • Applications are accepted from departments in the chemical sciences at primarily undergraduate institutions in the States, Districts, and Territories of the United States of America.
  • Eligible departments may grant a B.S. or M.S. degree in chemistry or chemical engineering, but not a Ph.D.
  • Institutions are restricted to only one application annually for this program.
  • Institutions that receive an award are not eligible to re-apply for five years.

Applications not selected for funding in past cycles are welcome to reapply by resending their previous proposal with updated information.

Selection

The application is evaluated upon the following criteria: One or two examples of the proposed invited lecturer; a schedule for the visit, which is expected to be for a minimum of two days; a description of how the lecturer’s research program would complement departmental activities; and a description of the department’s efforts in scholarly research and education in the contemporary chemical sciences, including any distinctive educational or outreach efforts. The potential lecturer(s) may be contacted by the applicant in advance of the proposal submission to gauge interest and to allow for a better integration of the visit with departmental initiatives.

Applications are reviewed by a panel of distinguished faculty in the chemical sciences. Those recommended for approval are presented to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and approved awards are announced by early November.

Budget
  • The award total is $18,500.
  • Of this amount, $2,500 is an honorarium for the lecturer, and $5,000 is to be allocated to the support of the lectures (e.g., travel, accommodation, receptions, dinners).
  • The remaining $11,000 is to support the summer research of the two undergraduate students. Each student stipend is to be no less than $4,500. The balance may be used to defray costs associated with the research and/or the scientific advancement of each student (e.g., research supplies, travel to scientific meetings).
  • Charges associated with indirect costs or institutional overhead are not allowed.
Application Procedure

All materials must be received at the Foundation office by the deadline.

The application is limited to nine pages, including the online application form and consists of:

  1. The online application form.
  2. A brief introduction to the department, including a tabulation of the number of senior chemistry or chemical engineering majors in each of the past five years and the number of whom go on to graduate school in the chemical sciences.
  3. A listing of the department faculty with their educational backgrounds and year of appointment in the department cited; a brief description of their research programs; a list of three representative research publications for each, with undergraduate coauthors indicated; and a list of current and recent external support for each, with award years and amounts indicated.
  4. A description of undergraduate involvement in research.
  5. Examples of the proposed lecturers (maximum of two, who may be contacted in advance) and topics.
  6. A proposed schedule of the lectures and activities that demonstrates broad engagement of the lecturer with students and faculty.
  7. A description of how the lecturer’s visit will integrate into ongoing departmental interests.
  8. A brief description of the process to select the undergraduate research students.
  9. A simple budget describing how award funds are anticipated to be used.

While the Foundation does not have any formatting requirements for the application, it is expected that applicants use a reasonable font size for reading and printable margins.

Send all above materials as a PDF to: [email protected].

Reports

Reports are due after the lectureship and upon completion of the undergraduate research. Reports should be concise and contain the following information:

Lectureship report:

  1. A summary description of the lectureship, including titles, photographs and/or video footage, promotional materials, audiences invited, and approximate attendance. Please also include any news items, articles and/or social media posts that come out after the event(s).
  2. A description of the lecturer’s engagement in departmental activities.
  3. A full accounting of expenditures.

Undergraduate Research report:

  1. Description of the research activities, curricula vitae of the mentors, and the students’ future plans.
  2. A full accounting of expenditures.

Send each report as a PDF to: [email protected].

Additional information
  1. Publications and presentations describing research supported by the award should acknowledge The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation.
  2. Procedural questions may be directed to the Foundation office by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-753-1760.
Jean Dreyfus

Jean Dreyfus was President of the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation from 1956 until her death in 1991. Born in Chicago, she was married to Camille Dreyfus, founder and chairman of the Celanese Corporation of America and of the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, from 1931 until his death in 1956.

A renowned operatic soprano and patron of the arts, she sang as Jean Tennyson with several leading European and American opera companies, including La Scala in Milan, the Chicago Civic Opera, and the San Francisco Opera Company. She also sang on the CBS Radio program “Great Moments in Music” from 1942 to 1946.

After World War II, Mrs. Dreyfus founded the Artists Veterans Hospital Programs of the Musicians Emergency Fund, which presented concerts for patients in veterans hospitals. She also served as a patron of the Philharmonic Society of New York and as vice chair of New York City’s Lewisohn Stadium Concerts. She was a trustee of the New York City Opera and a principal supporter of the Spoleto Festival.

Mrs. Dreyfus received several awards, including the Stella della Solidarieta from the Italian government, the St. Olaf Medal from the King of Norway, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Vermont.