undergraduate research opportunities at yale

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Pioneering discoveries by students

While working with and learning from faculty at the forefront of today’s most exciting breakthroughs in all disciplines, Yale undergraduates have discovered new species, created new technologies, developed and patented new products, and co-authored original research.

Yale research changing the world

Yale researchers recently tested the possibility that a single vaccine could tackle both Zika and the West Nile Virus. Yale physicists discovered a time crystal that “ticks” upon exposure to an electromagnetic pulse, and Yale scholars of Architecture and Forestry collaborated with the UN to design an Ecological Living Module.

Extraordinary resources, available to all

To inspire original research, Yalies have access to a dazzling collection of unique resources at their fingertips including the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design , the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library , the Brain Imaging Center , the Peabody Museum of Natural History , the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments , the Yale University Art Gallery and Yale Center for British Art . 

Summer research fellowships awarded to first-year students

Undergraduate science majors who do research with faculty.

$1 Million+

Funding for undergraduate science research fellowships annually

Science, math, and engineering labs at Yale College and the graduate and professional schools.

Holdings in Yale’s libraries

Real research in the first year

First-year students can begin conducting original research by using a Yale College First-Year Summer Research Fellowship that provides support for a summer research experience in the sciences and/or engineering under the supervision of a Yale faculty member. More than 100 such fellowships are set aside for first-year students.

Diversity in the sciences

Since 1995, Yale’s nationally recognized STARS (Science, Technology and Research Scholars) Program has promoted diversity in the sciences through mentoring, academic year study groups, and an original research-based summer program for students in their first and second years. Juniors and seniors have the opportunity to continue their research through the STARS II Program.

A team from the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Association was chosen by NASA as one of sixteen across the country whose CubeSat research satellites will be flown into space as auxiliary payloads on upcoming space missions. Yale’s Bouchet Low-Earth Alpha/Beta Space Telescope (BLAST) will map the distribution of galactic cosmic radiation, providing insight into the origins of the universe.

Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Research opportunities.

There are many opportunities for students to carry out research in the laboratory of a faculty member in MCDB. A broad spectrum of state-of-the-art research activities is performed at Yale in the MCDB department and in related departments including the Yale School Medicine. This research is in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, neurobiology, physiology, computational plant sciences biology, and evolution. All interested students are encouraged to participate in research. Students may work in laboratories for academic credit and/or experience. Financial support may be available in some cases, but students being paid may not receive course credit.

The Yale Undergraduate Research Association (YURA) has just launched a new version of the Research Database (RDB), an integrated, searchable database of the research work of 1400+ Yale professors across 60+ undergraduate fields of study. It is an invaluable resource for undergraduates to find research opportunities at Yale in all disciplines. The RDB can be found at https://yura.yale.edu/database .

The choice of a research laboratory should be made in consultation with faculty members and the director of undergraduate studies. See descriptions of research programs in MCDB.

Research Courses

During the academic year, students with DUS approval may take either of three research courses, MCDB 475a or b, MCDB 485a and 486b or MCDB 495a and 496b. These courses are primarily for students who are culminating their undergraduate experience by doing independent research to fulfill the senior requirement. It is possible for students who wish to do research earlier in their course of study to take MCDB 474 a or b before their senior year, but it does not substitute for other course requirements. There is a limit of three terms of 475 that can count towards the major (MCDB 485a, 486b counts as 2 terms of MCDB 475a or b in this calculation). Alternatively, a maximum of one term of 475 a or b plus the two-term MCDB 495a, 496b during the senior year can count towards the major. For research courses, hours are typically arranged at the mutual convenience of the student and the faculty advisor. Please note that taking MCDB 474 or MCDB 475 at any time does not satisfy the lab requirement or the elective requirement for a course from MCDB at 350 or above.

Approval from the Yale College Committee on Honors and Academic Standing is required if certain limits are exceeded. A student must petition the committee for permission to enroll in more than one such course credit in any one term before the senior year or in more than two such course credits in any one term during the senior year. Permission is also required for a student to enroll in more than three such course credits in the first six terms of enrollment. In the petition the student must give sound academic reasons for exceeding these limits.

Students taking MCDB 475a or b are expected to spend at least ten hours per week in the laboratory of a faculty member. This course can be taken more than once. Students must reapply each semester to be enrolled, and at the completion of each term, a paper must be submitted to their professor. This course fulfills the senior requirement if one semester is taken in the senior year.

MCDB 485a, 486b is a year-long research course intended for senior students who wish to do research for the B.S. degree. Students are expected to spend a minimum of ten to twelve hours per week in the laboratory and to attend monthly discussion groups. Research should be conducted under the supervision of the same faculty. At the end of the course a written report on the research accomplished must be submitted before a grade will be given.

MCDB 495a, 496b is intended for senior students who wish to do intensive research for the Intensive B.S. degree. It is a year-long course, two credits each term, in which students are expected to spend at least twenty hours per week in the laboratory. At the end of the course, students prepare a paper describing the research they completed. One grade is given at the end of the second semester.

A recent presentation for MCDB Majors Interested in Undergraduate Research can be viewed below.  A PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here .

Summer Research

Yale students can also perform research with a faculty member during the summer months, which allows students to devote full-time effort to a research project. Summer research enables students to continue research that was initiated during the previous academic year or to begin research that will be continued during the following academic year. Sometimes the faculty member has grant funds that can support students during the summer. Other possibilities for financial support can be found at http://www.yale.edu/yser/fellowships.html . Interested students should consult a member of the Yale faculty or the director of undergraduate studies. Academic credit is not granted unless the student is registered in (and paying tuition to) the Yale summer school.

Summer research at other institutions is possible through several programs. More information can be found at: http://secretary.yale.edu/services-resources/lectureships-fellowships-and-prizes .   Yale does not award academic credit for research done at other institutions, even if done in the context of a course.

Science & Quantitative Reasoning Education

Yale undergraduate research.

Science and quantitative reasoning are integral parts of a liberal education and Yale College is committed to providing undergraduates with a strong science and quantitative reasoning foundation through scholarship and original research. Explore the academic, programmatic, and research opportunities currently available to our students.

Greater access to clean water, thanks to a better membrane

How to build a space station

2023-2024 application dates and events.

APPLICATION DATES

STARS II AY 2023-2024  Program   Deadline: Friday, September 22, 2023 at 3:00pm ET.

STARS  Summer Research Program   Deadline:  Friday, February 9, 2024 at 3:00pm ET.

YC Dean’s Research Fellowships in the Sciences   Deadline: Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 3:00pm ET.  

Tetelman Fellowship   Deadline:  Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 3:00pm ET.

YC First-Year Summer Research Fellowship   Deadline: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 3:00pm ET.

Applications can be found at:    Yale Student Grant & Fellowship Database  

UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS

Summer STEM Fellowship Opportunities  Tuesday, September 26 at 7:00pm ET, Dean Sandy Chang, Zoom:   https://zoom.us/j/7633610477

Summer STEM Research at Yale and Abroad  Friday, October 6 at 3:00pm, Dr. Alexia Belperron, Zoom: https://yale.zoom.us/j/96831949232

Summer STEM Research at Yale and Abroad   Wednesday, October 11 at 9:00pm, Dr. Alexia Belperron, Zoom: https://yale.zoom.us/j/99109612229

How to Find the “Right” Research Mentor  Tuesday, November 7 at 7:00pm, Dean Sandy Chang, Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7633610477

Summer STEM Fellowship Opportunities / How to Find the “Right” Research Mentor    Thursday, November 9 at 12:00pm, Dr. Alexia Belperron, Zoom:  https://yale.zoom.us/j/94773462732

Summer Opportunities Fair Friday, November 10, 1:30-4:00pm at the  Presidents’ Room,  Schwarzman Center

How to Write a Research Proposal   Wednesday, November 29 at 7:00pm, Dean Sandy Chang, Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7633610477

Summer STEM Fellowship Opportunities  Thursday, January 18 at 7:00pm, Dean Sandy Chang, Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7633610477

How to Write a Research Proposal  Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00pm, Dean Sandy Chang, Zoom:  https://zoom.us/j/7633610477

Careers in Medicine - Panel Discussion of Medical Careers with Yale Alums , Friday, February 2 at 4:00pm - 5:30pm in Davies Auditorium (Becton Center, 15 Prospect Street)

Undergraduate Fellowships and Programs

Yale college first-year summer research fellowship in the sciences and engineering, yale college dean’s research fellowship and rosenfeld science scholars program, tetelman fellowship for international research in the sciences, stars programs.

Undergraduate Study

• Disciplines
• Student Activities

Undergraduate Research

• First Destinations

Engineering students are often eager to start research projects. Our favorable student-to-faculty ratio allows each student to work directly with a faculty mentor to identify research opportunities geared to their interests. All students must complete a Senior Project that may include research that prepares them for graduate study in Engineering, either at Yale or other top-rated universities.

Department or Program-sponsored social events also provide another opportunity for incoming engineering students to meet engineering majors and learn about traditional research opportunities as well as the activities of student engineering organizations. This exposure is the gateway to research activity, typically begun the summer after freshman year. For the motivated and well-prepared students, student engineering organizations and summer research fellowships provide great opportunities for getting hands-on experience in research and development.

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 472 in 2016, visit the MENG 472 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 471/473 in 2016, visit the MENG 471/473 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 472/474 in 2017, visit the MENG 472/474 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 471/473 in 2017, visit the  MENG 471/473 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 472/474 in 2018, visit the MENG 472/474 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 471/472 in 2019, visit the  MENG 471/473 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 472/474 in 2020, visit the  MENG 472/474 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 472/474 in 2021, visit the  MENG 472/474 projects page

For a detailed listing of projects from MENG 471 in Fall 2021, visit the  MENG 471 projects page

Neuroscience | Undergraduate Major

Research opportunities.

We encourage all neuroscience majors to conduct research during the semester and over the summer, whether as part of courses (470/471 and 490/491), as a volunteer, or as employment (e.g., work-study). There are more than 100 neuroscientists on campus with whom to work, and we encourage you to explore their labs’ websites, read a journal article or two, and reach out to them to discuss opportunities. We also post specific opportunities sent our way here, in reverse chronological order.

NIH Postbaccalaureate Research (section of Clinical and Computational Psychiatry)

NIH Postbaccalaureate Research (the Mood, Brain and Development Unit)

Summer 2020

Max Planck Summer Internship Program

January 2020

Pittenger lab

De Camilli lab

Chandra lab

Hoffman lab

Department of Chemistry

Undergraduate research.

One of the benefits of education at Yale is the opportunity to perform research in one of our research groups that are pushing back the frontiers of science. Students interested in research should contact the faculty member directly via email to explore opportunities. Faculty members listed as primary faculty  have active research programs. Once you have agreed with a faculty member on a project, you can submit  a registration form. Below is information on research courses, prerequisites, and registration.

Research Options

Chem 480a or b: introduction to independent research in chemistry.

The purpose of CHEM 480 is to provide undergraduate students with hands-on exposure to basic research in the chemical sciences and a practical introduction to the modern research environment. The course entails one semester of experimental or theoretical work, with a minimum of 10 hours per week spent in the laboratories of a faculty member in Chemistry . Participants are expected to direct their efforts towards generating chemically relevant data designed to engage and address a specific research problem, as coordinated and supervised by their selected faculty mentor. Individuals wishing to perform independent research must have demonstrated proficiency in the aspects of chemistry required for the planned project, as ascertained by the supervising faculty member. A brief report summarizing goals, methods, and accomplishments must be submitted at the end of the term.

Students enrolled in CHEM 480 earn one graduation credit upon successfully completing the semester and are graded on a Pass/Fail basis . The training may be taken multiple times for Pass/Fail credit, subject to restrictions imposed by Yale College. Typically, CHEM 480 is completed by junior chemistry majors, although occasionally, it will be completed by sophomores.

To be considered for individual experimental or theoretical research in a selected faculty member’s laboratory, students must consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and submit the appropriate form no later than the last week of the preceding academic term.

CHEM 490a and b: Independent Research in Chemistry

The purpose of CHEM 490 is to provide senior chemistry majors with hands-on exposure to research in the chemical sciences. The course entails one semester of experimental or theoretical work in chemistry with a minimum of 10 hours per week spent in the laboratories of a faculty member, as well as a weekly 1-hour class meeting focused on topics related to research. Normally, students complete two semesters of CHEM 490. The class meetings address essential laboratory safety and ethics in science, with other class sessions focusing on core topics of broad interest to chemistry, including online literature searches, oral presentation skills, and effective scientific writing.

Individuals wishing to perform independent research must have demonstrated proficiency in the aspects of chemistry required for the planned project, as ascertained by the supervising faculty member. At the end of the second semester of CHEM 490, students will complete a capstone essay and present a poster to satisfy the senior requirement for the chemistry major.

Students enrolled in CHEM 490 earn one graduation credit upon successful completion of each semester and are assigned letter grades , subject to restrictions imposed by Yale College. CHEM 490 may be taken only twice, subject to restrictions imposed by Yale College. CHEM 490 is restricted to senior chemistry majors pursuing B.S. or B.S.-Intensive degrees. However, in special cases and with DUS approval, juniors may take this course, e.g., those in the B.S./M.S. degree program.

To be considered for individual experimental and theoretical research in a selected faculty member’s laboratory as part of CHEM 490, students must submit the appropriate form to the DUS assistant no later than the last week of classes in the immediately preceding academic term.

Undergraduate Students Performing Research (Not for Yale College credit)

Undergraduates may perform research as either a volunteer or employee of the work-study program in a Chemistry Department laboratory with a faculty research mentor during the academic year or over the summer. Students working in this capacity do not receive Yale College credit. 

Students are responsible for finding a faculty mentor who will provide guidance and laboratory facilities. The DUS can provide assistance to facilitate this process. 

Students must have demonstrated proficiency in the aspects of chemistry required for planned activities, as ascertained by the supervising faculty member. The student will determine with their faculty mentor the time commitment required per week. Typically, students work between 4–15 hours per week during the academic year. Over the summer, the time commitment is generally greater. 

Prerequisites

Common to all research options.

Individuals wishing to perform research must meet basic safety requirements prior to undertaking any activities, including the completion of at least two online Laboratory Chemical Training and Hazardous Chemical Waste Training courses administered by the  Yale Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) . Enrolled individuals must receive formal certification from EHS prior to beginning laboratory activities. Additional safety courses or training requirements might be imposed by the faculty mentor. 

How to Register

Submission deadlines.

Submit the relevant registration form with required signatures to the Assistant to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for review by the DUS.

CHEM 480 and 490

The submission deadline is no later than the last week of classes in the immediately preceding academic term.

Undergraduate Students Performing Research

The submission deadline is no later than the end of the first week of classes in the academic term they wish to start research or prior to commencing research over the summer.

CHEM 480 Registration Form 

CHEM 490 Registration Form

Undergraduate Research Registration Form

Department of Mathematics

Undergraduate research, summer undergraduate research at yale (sumry).

The SUMRY program is a ten-­week undergraduate research program run by the mathematics department at Yale University, usually between early June and early August. In a recent year , there were 15-20 funded positions for undergraduates to investigate open research problems in the mathematical sciences. Students work either individually or in small groups, directed by faculty members, post­doctoral fellows, and graduate students. The work pursued in this program will give participants an idea of what research in mathematics is like.

Directed Reading Program

The Directed Reading Program pairs undergraduate students with graduate student mentors to read and work through a mathematics text over the course of one semester. The pairs meet once each week for one hour, with the undergraduates expected to do about 4 hours of independent reading per week. At the end of the semester, undergraduates either give a talk to their peers or prepare a short exposition of some of the material from the semester. Undergraduates are expected to have a high level of mathematical maturity and eagerness to learn the topic.

Math 470 is an individual studies course, it can be taken for graduation credit (but not applied toward undergraduate math major requirements). By default, it can be taken only once, though under exceptional circumstances, the DUS may permit it to be taken twice. Interested students must submit a proposal to math.dus@yale.edu at least three days before the end of add / drop period, with the name of their adviser, and details about the proposed study (both its content and the structure of the course). Typically, the class will require weekly meetings with the adviser, it will have some assignments along the way (that are to be written up or presented to the adviser), and it will terminate with a final paper or project. Please note that university rules do not allow independent study on topics that are taught in existing courses (there can be a bit of overlap, but you cannot do independent study to learn Math 370, for example). 

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Undergraduate research opportunities.

There are many opportunities for students to carry out research in the laboratory of a faculty member. A broad spectrum of state-of-the-art research activities are performed at Yale in the EEB department and in related departments including the Yale Medical School Medicine and the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. This research is in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, neurobiology, physiology, environmental sciences, plant science,  ecology and evolution. All interested students are encouraged to participate in research.

Students may work in laboratories for academic credit and/or experience. Financial support may be available in some cases, but students being paid may not receive course credit. The choice of a research laboratory should be made in consultation with faculty members and the director of undergraduate studies. 

Research Courses

During the academic year, students with DUS approval may take either of three research courses, EEB 495 and 496. These courses are primarily for students who are culminating their undergraduate experience by doing independent research to fulfill the senior requirement. It is possible for students who wish to do research earlier in their course of study to take EEB 475/476 before their senior year, but it does not substitute for other course requirements. EEB 475/476 counts towards the 36 credits required for the Yale College degree; but other than meeting the senior requirement, EEB 475/476, and all the research courses, do NOT contribute to satisfying the requirements for the major. For research courses, hours and typically arranged at the mutual convenience of the student and the faculty advisor.

Please note that taking EEB 475 at any time does not satisfy the lab requirement or the elective requirement for a course from EEB at 350 or above. Approval from the Yale College Committee on Honors and Academic Standing is required if certain limits are exceeded. A student must petition the committee for permission to enroll in more than one such course credit in any one term before the senior year or in more than two such course credits in any one term during the senior year. Permission is also required for a student to enroll in more than three such course credits in the first six terms of enrollment. In the petition the student must give sound academic reasons for exceeding these limits. Students taking EEB 475/476 are expected to spend at least 10 hours per week in the laboratory of a faculty member. This course can be taken more than once. Students must reapply each semester to be enrolled, and at the completion of each term, a paper must be submitted to their professor. This course fulfills the senior requirement if 2 semesters are taken in the senior year.  Students are expected to spend a minimum of 10-12 hours per week in the laboratory and to attend monthly discussion groups. Research should be conducted under the supervision of the same faculty. At the end of the course a written report on the research accomplished must be submitted before a grade will be given. EEB 495/496 is intended for senior students who wish to do intensive research for the B.S. Intensive degree. It is a year-long course, two credits each term, in which students are expected to spend at least 20 hours per week in the laboratory. At the end of the course, students prepare a paper describing the research they completed. One grade is given at the end of the second semester.

Summer Research

Yale students can also perform research with a faculty member during the summer months, which allows students to devote full-time effort to a research project. Summer research enables students to continue research that was initiated during the previous academic year or to begin research that will be continued during the following academic year. Sometimes the faculty member has grant funds that can support students during the summer. Other possibilities for financial support can be found at  http://science.yalecollege.yale.edu/fellowships-grants . Interested students should consult a member of the Yale faculty or the director of undergraduate studies. Academic credit is not granted unless the student is registered in (and paying tuition to) the Yale summer school. Summer research at other institutions is possible through several programs. More information can be found at:  http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/funding-opportunities . Yale does not award academic credit for research done at other institutions, even if done in the context of a course.

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Undergraduate Research

Independent senior research project.

All majors undertake an independent senior research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member. In recent years, undergraduates have analyzed data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other space based observatories, travelled to Chile and Puerto Rico to perform observations with the world’s finest ground based instruments, and performed theoretical calculations with NASA supercomputers. Projects of publishable quality are the rule, not the exception. For senior project guidelines, please click  here .

Research Fellowships and Prizes at Yale

There are several research fellowships and grants available at Yale for undergraduates, especially for summer programs (see below). Yale also awards  prizes  each year to undergraduates who excel in various disciplines.

The astronomy department also hosts the  Dorrit Hoffleit Undergraduate Astronomy Research Scholarship at Yale , to which undergraduate students from around the world can apply for summer research.

Summer Research Opportunities

Most undergraduate students take advantage of at least one of their summers during their time at Yale in order to do research, either in an external REU or similar program, or working closely with faculty at Yale.

Yale Fellowships

• Y ale College First-Year Summer Research Fellowship in the Sciences & Engineering
• Yale Science Scholars Program
• Tetelman Fellowship for International Research in the Sciences
• Yale College Dean’s Research Fellowship in the Sciences
• Yale Student Grants and Fellowships
• Hoffleit Undergraduate Astronomy Research Scholarship at Yale
• Franke Fellowship in Science and the Humanities  (search for “Franke” in keyword search)

Yale in Chile Summer Research Program

The department offers qualified Yale students the opportunity to do a summer research project at the University of Chile (it will be winter in the southern hemisphere).  Students will have the opportunity to experience Chilean culture and take a field trip to several Chilean observatories.

Many students attend official NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). Links to more information can be found by clicking  here .

Non-REU Summer Opportunities

Students are also invited to explore other summer opportunities, some of which are listed below

• NASA Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships
• Banneker Institute Summer Program
• The Vatican Observatory Summer School
• The Goddard Center for Astrobiology  Summer Undergraduate Internship in Astrobiology
• Space Telescope Science Institute  Space Astronomy Summer Program
• Pathways to Science Summer Research Internship Database
• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) - available at various institutions
• Teach with the  US Grant Foundation

Cognitive Science

Research opportunities.

Many cognitive science majors are interested in finding positions as research assistants – either during the academic year here at Yale, or over the summer break at Yale or near home.

This page provides an overview of the most important information. Interested students should look at the Research section of the FAQ page.

If you are interested in receiving Directed Research or Reading credit for your research activities, please see this form .

Why You Might Get Involved With Research

For those students wishing to go on to graduate school in the cognitive sciences, several factors will be important – grades, breadth and depth of coursework, test scores, recommendations, etc. – but for many programs the most important factors may be: research, research, and research. One reason for this is simply that doing research is what being a graduate student in many disciplines of cognitive science is all about. Whereas other factors such as grades and test scores are only indirect clues to research abilities, demonstrated past success at research is a direct indication. Another way to put this is that grades and test scores – and, indeed, most aspects of undergraduate education – are about being a consumer of knowledge, while being a good graduate student has a lot to do with being a good producer of knowledge. Because these two classes of abilities don’t always correlate, high grades and test scores can’t be taken as a sure indication of research ability, whereas demonstrated research ability can be taken as a sure indication of research ability. 

Another reason why you might want to pursue research opportunities as an undergraduate is simply to discover how much you like it. The process of coming up with research ideas and then implementing them (and analyzing and reporting the results) is a fresh experience for many students, and one that differs from other undergraduate experiences (taking classes, writing essays, etc.). As such, it can seem a bit silly for students to pursue graduate work – a major commitment of time and effort! – without first checking to be sure they enjoy doing research. 

Finally, assisting with research will provide a completely new dimension on which your recommenders for post-Yale positions may comment.

Research Assistant Positions

Happily, many cognitive science laboratories at most schools have opportunities for undergraduates to get involved. Some labs take on undergraduates during the academic year either for academic credit, work-study $, or on a volunteer basis. In addition, some labs will hire undergraduate research assistants (RAs) full-time over the summer break, typically paying several thousand dollars. Most RAs begin with relatively simple tasks, to help get their feet wet: for example, in a psychology laboratory you might be put on an existing project, perhaps helping a graduate student or postdoc run subjects for an experiment which has already been designed. Other common tasks include helping to create stimuli, program experiments, analyze data, or even help design new studies. RAs will also often get the opportunity to attend weekly lab meetings, and to participate in discussions of the lab’s work. The best RA positions offer room for advancement. For example, RAs in some labs typically begin by running subjects for existing experiments, but are eventually encouraged to develop their own projects (often as seeds for eventual senior projects). A final type of opportunity is a full-time paid RA position for recent graduates during the year: many labs have such an employee who runs the day-to-day operation of the lab, and such positions can be perfect for recent college graduates who want to go to graduate school but want to get more research experience first.

How to Find an RA Position

Unlike classes and other typical academic experiences, research positions will not fall into your lap: you have to seek them out. Regardless of what type of position you’re looking for (part-time, summer, paid, volunteer, etc.), the process is basically the same. Your first step should be to contact the professors whose research projects you find especially interesting. To help start this search at Yale, check out the lists of  professors ,  departments , and  laboratories . The easiest way to do this is to scour webpages for work that sounds interesting, and then to email the professors, asking if they have any RA opportunities available. If you’re looking for positions at other schools (e.g. over the summer), you may want to ask your professors here for advice on who might be exciting to work with. 

You’ll find rather a lot of variability in the availability of RA opportunities. Here at Yale, there always seems to be at least one or two labs looking for RAs. On the other hand, if you’re keen to work in a specific lab, you might need to wait a semester (or even two), if the lab is already ‘full’. For this reason, it can help to ask early. Some lab even have a waiting list of interested students. Some professors pay RAs with work-study funds; others expect a volunteer commitment at first, with pay for more advanced RAs. Other labs offer academic credit via ‘directed research’ for lab experience. Given this variability – and also variability in the degree of responsibility that RAs are given – you might find it useful to find out the names of other students currently working in the lab, and ask them what it’s like to work there. 

Paid RA positions over the summer are typically harder – but not impossible – to find. At Yale many labs prefer to hire summer RAs from the pool of those students already working in the lab during the academic semester, since they require less training, etc. The same is true, alas, of other schools: most professors prefer to hire RAs from their own school, who are more likely to continue to work in the lab after the summer. On the other hand, volunteer positions are often easier to come by. (One good strategy is to say in your note that you’re hoping for a paid position, but may also consider a volunteer position, given your immense interest in the work.) Again, your best bet is just to contact people by email, and to do so early. Younger professors who may have just started may be more likely to have positions for students coming from elsewhere, since they may not already have a pool of students working in their lab. 

In all of these cases,  you’ll have better luck finding an RA position if you can demonstrate that you are truly interested in (and informed about) the work being done in the lab.  Before contacting people out of the blue, take some time to find out what they’re working on, and read several of their recent papers. Then when you contact them you can mention some details of their work, and perhaps bring up some ideas that you find especially exciting – or even some of your own ideas for how the work might be extended. By taking the time and effort to find out about some of the details of the work, you’ll demonstrate that you have some shared interests, that you’re committed to the relevant area of study, and that you’re not simply mass-emailing professors, etc. 

Another good resource is the ‘Research Experience for Undergraduates’ program that is funded by the National Science Foundation. To find the relevant summer programs, go the  NSF REU search page , and click on ‘Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences’. Note that many of these programs prioritize participants from underrepresented groups, and/or students from institutions that do not typically provide extensive research opportunities. 

Current undergraduates looking to get involved with research can find research opportunities in many ways, including (1) looking at the websites of the  people  and  labs  affiliated with cognitive science, (2) the required Junior Colloquium, which consists of guest lectures from affiliated faculty, and (3) the below links:

Research Opportunities in Linguistics

Research Opportunities in Psychology

Directed Research in Computer Science

Additionally, you might look through the links provided by the  Science and Quantitative Reasoning Center .

Department of Psychology

You are here, research opportunities.

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(If you are a researcher who would like to post a research opportunity, please contact fredericka.grant@yale.edu .) 

Department of Anthropology

Undergraduate research in anthropology, anthropological research.

At the heart of anthropological practice is the process of posing meaningful questions, planning research, collecting and analyzing data or other materials, and coming up with an original contribution to knowledge. The Department of Anthropology encourages undergraduate students to engage in research in a variety of settings: in their courses, in work as research assistants, and in guided inquiries of their own—often leading to a senior essay. Past student research projects have taken place in international settings, in many parts of the United States—including in New Haven—and in the collections and laboratories at Yale, both in and well beyond the department’s own facilities. In a number of cases, our students have gone on to publish, present, and/or exhibit their innovative anthropological work. 

This page offers a set of resources for undergraduates wishing to pursue research in anthropology, whether or not they are declared anthropology majors. Students should also spend some time familiarizing themselves with general undergraduate research resources, as no single listing can capture the full spread of research possibilities in such a wide-ranging field as Anthropology. 

Although many courses include a component of research, some of our regular undergraduate offerings are specifically designed to introduce students to the methods, ethics, and practice of research in Anthropology. These courses may be particularly useful for students planning senior essays. 

303      Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology

316      Introduction to Archaeological Lab Sciences

376-7   Observing and Measuring Behavior, I and II

394-5   Methods and Research in Molecular Anthropology, I and II

434      Anthro-History: Interdisciplinary Theory and Methods

454      Statistics for Archaeological Analysis

Methods courses in other departments may also be highly relevant and useful. 

Working as a Research Assistant

Some faculty in Anthropology employ undergraduate research assistants in a variety of capacities. If you are interested in this possibility, consider speaking to your professor after class or consult with the DUS. 

Independent Research

The Anthropology Department offers a wide variety of possibilities for senior work. Students contemplating significant independent research leading to a senior essay should consult with the DUS and/or a potential adviser well in advance of their senior year to take advantage of the fullest set of options. Junior year study abroad that includes a research component, a summer field school, or summer independent research, for instance, require significant advance planning. The following resources may also be of help. 

Suggestions for Funding Sources

Many Yale-based sources of funding commonly used by anthropology undergraduates can be found by searching  Yale’s Student Grants and Fellowships Database , the  Office of  Fellowship Programs , and/or the  MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies .

In addition, the Anthropology Department is fortunate to be able to offer a number of grants to support attendance at archaeological field schools through Albers and Coe Fellowships. Check  here  for information on international field schools and archaeological projects.

Many of our students combine research projects with a semester abroad. Although most study abroad programs are not explicitly designed for supporting research, a research component can often be added in consultation with a faculty adviser.

In addition to the above sources, College Deans are wonderful sources of information about little known programs and resources. 

Practicalities

Students should consult with their advisers about what kind of training, advance review, and/or other preparation is necessary to carry out the research they are planning. Useful resources include the following: 

Human Subjects Committee Review of Student Projects (IRB)

Undergraduate Travel Policy

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Department of Political Science

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

The Department of Political Science at Yale University has a variety of Research Opportunities available for undergraduates to get involved in.

Upcoming research opportunities will be listed here as they become available.

Yale Linguistics

You are here, linguistics research opportunities at yale.

Undergraduates have many opportunities to do research in the department with individual faculty or research groups, some of which are listed here. See also the list of labs  for other opportunities.

Claire Bowern

I regularly have paid positions to work on various aspects of historical linguistics, typology, and language documentation, particularly in relation to Australian languages. Current projects include work on color terms, flora and fauna borrowing, how kinship terms change, how numeral systems evolve, and how sound systems differ. Students work on a project for an entire year, ideally taking it through from developing the research question to writing a journal article.

Several undergraduates have published articles resulting from their research projects. The lab meets regularly and includes both undergraduate and graduate students. Further information about grant activities can be found at pamanyungan.net.

Both paid positions and independent study are an option. The projects are designed to make the most of students’ backgrounds, so as such, there is no compulsory background preparation; however, the students who have got the most out of their research projects have taken one or more of the following classes: historical linguistics, Australian languages, field methods, or a class in evolution.

Please contact me in the spring if you’re interested: claire.bowern@yale.edu

Computational linguistics applies the tools of computer science to the study of human language. My own work, and that of students with whom I work, focuses on questions ranging from the theoretical (why is human grammar structured in the way that it is?) to the psychological (how can we build a computational model of language acquisition or sentence processing?) to the applied (what role can ideas from formal linguistics play in the construction of systems for natural language processing tasks such as summarization, parsing or machine translation?).  Students are involved in existing projects, or work with me  to develop new directions for research.  Students who work with me typically come with solid programming and math skills and/or background in linguistic theory (especially syntax and semantics).

In addition to involvement in research projects, undergraduates also participate in the Computational Linguistics at Yale (CLAY) group.  This inter-departmental group, which includes undergraduates, graduates and faculty, meets weekly, to talk about on-going research by group members, and also to explore topics of interest to the group at large. 

If you are interested in becoming involved, or if you have any questions about this area, contact me, Bob Frank, at bob.frank@yale.edu .

Maria Piñango

I have an ongoing research project that seeks to understand how semantic phenomena and semantic composition can be understood in terms of the mind and the brain. Students who are interested in getting research experience in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics are invited to apply to get a chance to do a rotation in the lab. These start as unpaid positions and depending on your commitment, investment, and contribution may transition into paid positions.

Recommended background for working in the lab (at least one the following):

• Language and Mind
• Morphology/Syntax 
• Neurolinguistics
• Historical Linguistics
• Any seminar taught by me

At my lab students have participated at a least two levels of responsibility:

1) Paid research assistant. This usually takes place in the summer, and the student gets some exposure to lab work while participating in one or two of the ongoing projects assigned by the lab director. No previous experience is generally required but a strong commitment to research is expected.

2) Rotation research fellow. This entails specific participation in an ongoing research project, or a project that is about to begin. This is generally not a paid position because here the objective is for the student to obtain specific research experience. So, there is a lot of training involved, and the student is expected to do some written work at the end of the project. This possibility is usually done as a directed research course. In this case, even though lab experience is not required, some basic background in linguistic theory is, and an ability to read and comprehend primary literature on fundamental issues in experimental linguistics is expected. 

So, in general, the students who do rotations or are hired for pay in the lab have a keen interest in syntax and semantics (the domain foci of the lab) and would like to explore the experimental side of those subfields. 

For more information please contact Maria Piñango at maria.pinango@yale.edu

Both paid positions and independent study options are available in the phonetics lab starting in summer 2017. Students gain hands-on training in designing, running and analyzing experiments, including Electromagnetic Articulography and Ultrasound experiments to investigate speech articulation and eye-tracking to investigate the time course of speech perception.

Helpful background includes coursework in phonetics, phonology, statistics, signal processing and cognitive psychology (particularly experimental methods).

Interested students should contact  jason.shaw@yale.edu  for more information.

Natalie Weber

My main empirical focus is on Blackfoot and Algonquian languages in general. I study aspects of phonology, prosody, morphology, and the phonology-syntax interface, with a secondary focus on historical linguistics. 

Starting in Summer 2020 I will have part-time  paid  positions available for students at all levels of background.  If you are interested, please send me an email at natalie.weber@yale.edu with the following info: your name, year, major(s), and why you are interested in these projects. 

Current projects include: creating databases of words in older dictionaries and grammars, working with existing fieldwork materials, time-aligning and annotating Blackfoot recordings, glossing stories, and more. There is room for other related projects as well, including independent research on different aspects of the Blackfoot language, developing language learning/teaching materials, working through the grammar together, and more. 

Yale Grammatical Diversity Project

People often think of variation in American English in terms of lexical items or phonology. For the last several years, this project has been devoted to exploring variation in grammatical constructions. You might can visit our  Yale Grammatical Diversity Project website  to get a sense of what we work on and what the project is about.

Our group consists of undergraduate, graduate students and faculty.  We meet every other week, discuss constructions we ‘re interested in and think about how they relate to what we know about English grammar.  We collaborate in preparing the pages that make up our website, as well as in working out analyses for the phenomena we study.

For more information contact Jim Wood at  jim.wood@yale.edu  or Raffaella Zanuttini at  raffaella.zanuttini@yale.edu

Haskins Laboratories

Scientists at Haskins Laboratories conduct research on spoken and written language and the biological basis for language and reading. Take a look at the website of individual researchers, see what they are working on, maybe even read a paper they wrote, and contact them directly to ask for a research opportunity. You can attach your CV and you should include a little bit of relevant background in your email (for example, mention your major if you have decided on it and courses you have taken that might be relevant to the project you are emailing about).

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Any questions about the undergraduate program can be directed to the DUS below.

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Award-Winning Statistician Joins Yale School of Public Health Leadership

Bhramar mukherjee appointed inaugural senior associate dean of public health data science and data equity, award-winning statistician joins ysph.

From left to right: YSPH Dean Megan L. Ranney, Bhramar Mukherjee, and Steven (Shuangge) Ma.

Award-winning statistician Bhramar Mukherjee, PhD, has been appointed Yale School of Public Health’s inaugural Senior Associate Dean of Public Health Data Science and Data Equity, an important new leadership position that reflects the school’s focus on data science as a critical pillar for the future of public health. She joins YSPH on Aug. 1, 2024.

Mukherjee currently holds a number of distinguished academic positions at the University of Michigan School of Public Health where she is the John D. Kalbfleisch Distinguished University Professor, Siobán D. Harlow Collegiate Professor of Public Health, and chair of the Department of Biostatistics. She is also a professor of epidemiology, and of global public health. In addition, Mukherjee serves as associate director for quantitative data Sciences at the University of Michigan’s Rogel Cancer Center and, last year, she was appointed assistant vice president for research, designing a comprehensive research data analysis service infrastructure for all three U-M campuses.

YSPH Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, said Mukherjee’s appointment aligns with the school’s strategic goal of advancing public health data science, a critical part of YSPH’s leadership of the transformation of public health.

“This new role symbolizes our commitment to both rigor and equity in data science as the foundation of the future of public health,” Ranney said in an April 8 schoolwide announcement. “Dr. Mukherjee’s arrival will allow us to coordinate across public health disciplines and across the university in achieving our shared, future-focused, consequentialist vision of public health.”

At YSPH, Mukherjee will also hold the positions of Anna M.R. Lauder endowed professor of biostatistics and professor of chronic disease epidemiology. She will be a member of the Yale Cancer Center director’s cabinet. Additionally, she will hold a secondary appointment in the Department of Statistics and Data Science and will have affiliations with the MacMillan Center and the Institute for the Foundations of Data Science.

This new role symbolizes our commitment to both rigor and equity in data science as the foundation of the future of public health. Dean Megan L. Ranney

As senior associate dean, Dr. Mukherjee will work with Dean Ranney, the school’s senior leadership team, and the broader university community to develop and realize a strategic plan for public health data science and data equity that will enable transformational and impactful research in the face of quickly changing methods, technology, and societal shifts. In doing so, she will lead the development of resources to support the school’s public health data science and data equity research enterprise. She will also work to elevate YSPH’s data science and data equity education programs, with a goal of enhancing the pipeline of diverse scholars in this field. Additionally, representing YSPH’s commitment to global public health, she will support and create international collaborations that enhance the global practice, teaching, and science of public health data science and data equity.

She also plans to continue her own research and teaching.

Mukherjee said she felt “a strong intellectual resonance” with the Yale community when she visited YSPH in August 2023 as the inaugural speaker for the Dean’s Leaders in Public Health lecture series.

“I was inspired by the transformative vision Dean Ranney has for YSPH and more broadly for academic public health,” Mukherjee said. “Data is a quintessential quantum of research, but we often forget to ask the fundamental question: who is in my study? I believe everyone should have equal opportunity of benefitting from data resources and data products.”

“Data equity, both in terms of quantity and quality of data, is a critical pillar of health equity, climate equity and more broadly, societal equity,” Mukherjee continued. “I am deeply honored to have this inaugural leadership position underscoring the importance of data to improve the human condition. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Yale community to advance our collective pursuit of creative, impactful, fair, and equitable data science.”

Mukherjee said the decision to leave the University of Michigan after 18 years was “exceptionally hard”. She thanked her students, friends, and colleagues at U-M for “shaping my vision for public health data science.”

Mukherjee joins a strong team of data scientists at YSPH. Faculty in the Department of Biostatistics are considered international leaders in their field and have been extensively recognized for their pioneering work. YSPH’s acclaimed public health modeling unit , which exists across multiple departments in the school, is particularly acclaimed for its deep and direct impact in Connecticut and internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing policymakers with timely data-driven insights to help guide emergency response. YSPH’s core data science centers such as the Yale Center for Analytical Sciences , the Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science , and Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology , bring researchers and scholars together to spur development of innovative statistical tools and techniques that are used to address today’s most pressing public health and biomedical challenges.

Biostatistics Department Chair Steven (Shuangge) Ma said Mukherjee’s leadership and research strengths will elevate YSPH data science work to a new level.

“Bhramar is a remarkable researcher and a true leader in the field,” Ma said. “She has made profound methodological contributions to the foundation of biostatistics and equally importantly public health practice. We are thrilled to have her join us.”

Mukherjee’s methodological research interests include statistical methods for analysis of electronic health records, studies of gene-environment interactions, shrinkage estimation, data integration, and analysis of multiple pollutants. Her collaborative contributions have focused on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, exposure science, environmental epidemiology, and reproductive health. She has co-authored more than 380 publications in statistics, biostatistics, medicine, and public health and has served as a principal investigator on multiple NSF and NIH grants. She is the founding director of the University of Michigan’s undergraduate Big Data Summer Institute and has been leading the program for the past nine years.

Mukherjee’s innovation and leadership in data science has been widely recognized. She is a fellow of the American Statistical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022. She is the recipient of many awards for her scholarship, service, and teaching at the University of Michigan and beyond, including the Gertrude M. Cox award, the L. Adrienne Cupples award, the Janet L. Norwood award, the Karl E. Peace Award for Outstanding Statistical Contributions for the Betterment of Society, the Jerome Sacks Award for Outstanding Cross-Disciplinary Research in statistics and, most recently, the 2024 Marvin Zelen Leadership Award. She also is a recipient of the Outstanding Statistics Alumnus award, Distinguished Woman Scholar award, and Distinguished School of Science Alumnus award from her alma mater, Purdue University.

During her distinguished academic career at the University of Michigan, Mukherjee received many prestigious institutional awards including the School of Public Health Excellence in Teaching Award, Rackham Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, the Sarah Goddard Power award for improving the work environment for women, and the highly coveted Distinguished University Professorship. Mukherjee and her team took an active role in modeling the SARS-CoV-2 virus trajectory in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been featured in many major media outlets including the BBC, Der Spiegel, Forbes, NPR, the New York Times, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, and the Times of India.

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Featured in this article

• Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH Dean of Yale School of Public Health and C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health (Health Policy) and Professor of Emergency Medicine
• Shuangge Steven Ma, PhD Department Chair and Professor of Biostatistics; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Director, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource

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Office hours with… caitlin ryus.

Caitlin Ryus (Photo by Dan Renzetti)

After moving between many addresses (in 17 cities, 10 states, and four countries so far) and a career in global health, Caitlin Ryus is putting down roots in New Haven.

Now an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Ryus first came to the university as a Yale Emergency Scholars Fellow, completing a residency and a research fellowship before deciding to stay on as a member of the faculty.

Part of that decision had to do with community, which Ryus began building as a fellow and is eager to strengthen.

We caught up with Ryus for our latest edition of Office Hours, a series that introduces newcomers to the broader Yale community.

What are your research interests?

Caitlin Ryus: I’m interested broadly in health equity. Specifically, I focus on patients who are unhoused and health care service use among that population as it relates to interventions at the community level. Using a political epidemiology approach and community engaged research, I look at how policies or programs affect the health care use or health of vulnerable populations.

For example, right now there are a lot of new local developments to move away from the traditional congregate homeless shelter model, like the hotel in New Haven that was just converted into a shelter. This gives people more privacy and autonomy. I’m looking at how that change impacts mental health and substance use among unhoused people.

I use these kinds of policy changes to create natural experiments. During COVID we didn’t allow patients to have visitors accompany them in the emergency department. So, I looked at how screening for interpersonal violence or intimate partner violence changed in the emergency department during that time. Were patients more likely to disclose intimate partner violence because they were alone with their providers and what can we learn from that?

What got you interested in this area of research?

Ryus: In terms of housing, that’s been a long-standing interest of mine. I was involved in affordable housing activism as an undergraduate in North Philly. I think that for all of my projects it’s really about community engagement, and centering the experience of vulnerable populations has always been the foundation.

You’re also co-director of the Yale Emergency Scholars Fellowship. What attracted you to that role?

Ryus: I’m a graduate of the program and really passionate about it. The program is unique in that it’s a combination of residency and fellowship. Fellows — two each year — have a tailored experience where the first two years are a typical emergency medicine residency but during the final three years their clinical schedule is reworked so that they have protected time for research. We pair them with mentors and help them with research costs. It’s very cool and just really fun to engage with folks who are like me who came into medical school with a research interest.

You’ve been at Yale for some time now. What keeps you here?

Ryus: I love New Haven and being at Yale. This department is like a second family.

Also, my research is grounded in community, and I work closely with community partners in the city and across the state. I’ve had this stakeholder group that I’ve been working with for over five years now and I really value the commitment those folks have made to my projects and my commitment to theirs.

I know you’re also interested in urban farming — what’s your favorite plant to grow and the one that gives you the most trouble?

Ryus: Swiss chard is my favorite; it’s so colorful and tasty and it gets my kids excited. And my kale always bolts. I know it’s because I’m growing it too close together.

Out of all of the places you’ve lived, do you have a favorite?

Ryus: Philly has a soft spot in my heart. It’s where I developed myself as a young adult. It’s where I went to college and it’s where I began to really understand the way you can have a relationship with a community. I wouldn’t realize it then, but it’s where all of my passion came from.

Is your family excited about the Peabody reopening?

Ryus: Very! I can’t tell you how hard it has been having it closed. It was always a great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday.

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Decade-long partnership with fox chase cancer center continuing to create connections and opportunities for students.

And it all started with FCCC.

“She did so well and was so into science, she kept coming after the summer ended,” Balachandran noted when interviewed in 2016 for the Chestnut Hill Magazine.

Haugh’s experience and the subsequent experiences of Kelly Dunleavy ‘15 and Jason Wasserman ‘16, with the program were enough to lead Joe Kulkosky, Ph.D., chair of the biology department at CHC, to further engage in discussions with Katz and Balachandran about creating a permanent partnership between CHC and FCCC. In the summer of 2015, that alliance was born as the College and FCCC began an immersive undergraduate research program offering CHC students a chance to learn all aspects of research science, acquire skills in communicating science, and the opportunity to have that research published in a peer-reviewed science journal, much like Haugh.

It is rare for undergraduates to have their work published, something that Balachandran explained sets the CHC/FCCC program apart from even some of the most prestigious scientific institutions in the country. “Even at Stanford and MIT, there is no dedicated program that puts students interested in biology and puts them in the lab where the expected outcome is a published paper,” he noted.

One of the greatest benefits of the immersive research experience is the potential for student interns to authorship in high-profile research-based journals. The credentials of such publications can help students further their careers, including pursuing medical school and graduate school. 

Katz, who has worked with CHC students since the beginning of the partnership appreciates the qualities among the interns of being dedicated, self-motivated, curious, and kind-spirited. “I feel most proud of these undergraduate students when they become competent and efficient when they correct me on something, and when they take off on their own and run their project,” says Katz.

“CHC is indeed very fortunate to have such a strong and enduring relationship with FCCC which spawned two Nobel prize winners as well as a number of members in the National Academy of Science,” says Kulkosky, who himself did research at FCCC studying the mechanism of HIV DNA integration. An accomplished scientist in his own right, Kulkosky has been teaching at the College for over 20 years and has mentored his fair share of biology majors who have gone on to excel in the FCCC program.

This list includes Jade Wilson ‘18, who is currently pursuing a dual MD/Ph.D. program at Temple University following her time at CHC and FCCC.

“My time at Fox Chase opened a lot of doors to other opportunities,” says Wilson. “At the same time, the support of Chestnut Hill College professors like Dr. K got me to where I am now.”

Wilson majored in biology with a concentration in bioscience technology and minored in chemistry while at CHC. She worked with Katz during her internship at FCCC and as Wilson noted, it was the connections she made in her internship and the ability to work with people at the top of their field while practicing using innovative technology, that helped define her career path. Currently, Wilson works in the cancer epigenetics lab at Fox Chase run by Johnathan Whetstine, Ph.D., who presented at the College's 32nd Annual Biomedical Distinguished Lecture Series in April.

Each year, FCCC invites a select few junior and senior CHC students to be a part of the internship. Throughout the academic year, students commit to at least one summer and two regular undergraduate semesters (approximately 15 months) conducting research.

In addition to the immersive internship experiences, the College has an educational partnership with FCCC. This includes a special senior-level course entitled “The Cure: From Benchtop to Bedside” where students are taught by top-notch post-doctoral fellows from FCCC. Through this course, biology majors are exposed to learning from scientists in the field.

As the CHC/FCCC partnership enters the next decade, Kulkosky hopes that the internship can continue with more FCCC researchers taking on students in their labs to produce more talented scientists in the field. “FCC researchers and the institution itself have been honored with many accolades over its long history as a highly recognized and prize-winning cancer research and treatment center. CHC science majors are especially blessed because FCCC is right in our own backyard,” says Kulkosky.

“I initially had some doubts about my abilities when I first started in the lab as a sophomore and was unsure if I would be able to contribute effectively," says Lopez-Zabala. "However, over time, I have come to appreciate the lab's valuable learning opportunities. I have realized that it is okay not to know everything and that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. I have adopted a more positive mindset, and now I am open to experimentation and learning from any setbacks."

Yu’s lab is focused on optimizing miniprep procedures to achieve a higher DNA concentration for cell line development and potential modifications using CRISPR technology. Lopez-Zabala emphasizes that he is interested in pursuing an MD-Ph.D. program because of his experience in the lab.

“Being in the lab early on has sparked my interest in research even more," he says. "I am feeling increasingly ambitious about applying for this program and delving deeper into the world of research. I am motivated to join the fight against cancer, as I know many people who have been affected by this terrible disease. Whether as a doctor, a Principal Investigator, or both, I am eager to contribute to making a difference in this field."

“The reputation our CHC student interns and some CHC graduates have left by their excellent work over these past 10 years has garnered a legacy such that researchers at FCCC readily take on our student interns in a variety of labs mostly dedicated to high-profile cancer research and treatment,” says Kulkosky. 

- Jaime Renman

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• Master's in Asset Management

What to Know about the Job-Search Process

Valerie Fred serves as a dedicated career coach for the Master’s in Asset Management program, helping students secure post-graduation jobs. Here, she answers some frequently asked questions about the Career Development Office (CDO) and the recruiting process.

Graduates of the Master’s in Asset Management program have secured positions at a variety of firms, including major banks, investment funds, and hedge funds.  View the Employment Report for the Class of 2023.

What advice do you have for students approaching the networking process?

“Networking in the United States is culturally a little different and unique. It can sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable to just send cold emails to people that you’ve never met before. That’s something that myself and others in the Career Development Office can really help you with. It feels easier if you have a strategy and approach early on.”

The Master’s in Asset Management program has a practical experience requirement. What exactly does that entail?

“The practical experience requirement is very flexible. A handful of students have done very structured off-cycle internships at asset management firms—even in person—one day or more a week. Some students do research for professors. Some students do case competitions. There’s a number of different ways that the requirement can be fulfilled, and it isn’t meant to be overly burdensome. It isn’t meant to stress students out—we want students focusing on their full-time career search in addition to their coursework."

What does the recruiting timeline look like for students in the Master’s in Asset Management program?

“The field of asset management is very broad, so we don’t see a tremendous amount of formalized structured recruiting. Asset management recruitment relies on more proactive outreach and networking than some other paths.

“Instead, we have multi-employer HireSOM events, some virtually. As part of my role, I am constantly doing outreach to employers. We do HireSOM events throughout the year and we aim to get as many asset management employers as possible to participate.

“Remember, asset management students have access to all the same resources that any SOM student has. And the vast majority of events that are run on campus are open to all SOM students.”