undergraduate level research opportunities

Colleges with the Best Undergraduate Research Programs

May 4, 2022

At many universities in the United States, the bulk of student research opportunities (and funding) go to graduate students. Yet, academic studies have repeatedly found that undergraduate research in college can be one of the most meaningful and informative experiences of one’s entire bachelor’s degree program.

The list below highlights 33 colleges that are among the very best at providing undergraduates with high-quality opportunities for mentored/supervised research with faculty. This can come in many forms: capstone experiences, class-based projects, summer research apprenticeships, or original research/scholarship as part of an independent study. No matter the form(s), all colleges and universities on this list excel at ensuring that students—even as early as freshman year—have a chance for hands-on academic/scientific exploration.

For a detailed assessment of undergraduate research opportunities at 200 of the nation’s top institutions, pick up the 2023 edition of our outcomes-oriented guidebook Colleges Worth Your Money .

American University

Undergraduate research opportunities are taken advantage of by 50% of first-year students and 40% of seniors. For the last thirteen years AU has hosted an Undergraduate Research Symposium at the end of each year where students can present their research.

Baylor University

This university encourages undergraduates to collaborate with professors on research “as early as the first semester of their freshman year.” The Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) office does a superb job connecting students with a research opportunity in their field of interest.

Binghamton University

Research opportunities are available with the Freshman Research Immersion program being one shining example. This program welcomes students to college with a year-long authentic research experience in the sciences and engineering. The Office of Undergraduate Research is adept at connecting students in all fields, not just STEM, to research opportunities alongside faculty members. The school’s own undergraduate research journal, Alpenglow , gives students the chance to publish scholarly, as well as original creative works.

Brown University

Undergraduate research is a big part of the Brown experience for many students; 50% conduct research alongside a faculty member and 43% completed an independent study.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) enjoy wide participation with 80% of undergraduates partaking, and 20% of that group going on to publish their results.

Carnegie Mellon University

In a given school year, 800+ undergraduates conduct research through the University Research Office, and many others participate through various outside arrangements

Case Western Reserve University

An exceptional 84% of students have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research as the school places heavy emphasis on experiential learning.

Clark University

The average undergraduate class size is exactly 20 students. As a result, strong working relationships with faculty routinely develop. An impressive 67% of students participate in undergraduate research at some point in their four years of study.

The College of New Jersey

The Council on Undergraduate Research awarded TCNJ its signature honor, the Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishment. In addition to plenty of research opportunities in the hard sciences, this school has invested in specialized facilities that include twenty psychology research labs, a digital humanities lab, and a fully equipped quantitative studies lab for criminology and sociology students.

The College of William & Mary

Undergraduate research opportunities are widely available. In the Chemistry Department, for example, 80-90% of students complete independent/professor-assisted research with many becoming coauthors of studies alongside faculty. Across the college 80% of undergraduates participate in research each year.

The College of Wooster

A Wooster education is bookended by two highly-regarded rites of passage: a First-Year Seminar in Critical Inquiry and three Independent Study courses, one taken in junior year to learn research skills and two senior year to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor. Wooster is one of the few schools out there that can genuinely state that every graduate is afforded a supervised research experience

Dartmouth University

Undergraduate research opportunities abound with roughly three-fifths of students participating at some point. Further, close to 90% of those participants report having a satisfying experience working with a faculty member in that capacity

Duke University

The Undergraduate Research Support Office does great work connecting students with opportunities to conduct research, either over the summer or during the regular school year. All told, more than half of undergraduates conduct research.

Harvard University

Harvard offers a plethora of ways for undergrads to get involved in hands-on research. Summer research experiences facilitated by the Harvard College Research Program are taken advantage of by 37% of the student body. Also, the Faculty Aide Program helps pay undergrads to work alongside faculty as a research assistance and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Programs offers stipends to 20 juniors each year for summer research.

Harvey Mudd University

Mudd prides itself on offering graduate-level research opportunities and experiential learning to all undergrads. The college backs up its philosophical stance with cold, hard cash, allocating three million dollars annually to facilitate student-faculty research. Students can participate during the school year or during the Summer Undergraduate Research Program that entails ten weeks of full-time laboratory work. The Clinic Program groups juniors and seniors and lets them work on a real-world problem for corporate or agency sponsors for 1,200 to 1,500 hours over the course of one year. It is not uncommon for participants to end up with their name on a patent.

Johns Hopkins University

Fittingly for America’s first research university, 70% of JHU undergraduates complete a research experience while working closely with a faculty member. Each year, hundreds of students receive significant funding for independent projects through the Hopkins Office for Undergraduate Research.

Lawrence University

Professors are expected to allow undergraduates access to their research studies; for example, every member of the Chemistry Department has to run an active research group. The Lawrence University Research Fellows (LURF) program offers a stipend during ten-week, research-focused terms. All told, close to two-thirds of LU students gain hands-on research experience at some point during their four years of study.

MIT is known for having one of the best formalized undergraduate research programs in the country. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) operates year-round and helps connect 90%+ of undergrads to a research experience with an MIT faculty member.

Princeton University

Princeton is known for its commitment to undergraduate teaching, and students consistently rate professors as accessible and helpful. The Office of Undergraduate Research, formed in 2014, assists Tigers in locating faculty members with whom they can jointly conduct research which occurs in the summer or during a regular term.

Pomona College

Small class sizes lead to the forging of student-professor bonds that help 53% of the undergraduate population conduct research alongside a faculty member. Each summer, 200 students remain on campus for such an endeavor.

Rhodes College

Three-quarters of students at this institution engage in some form of undergraduate research. Opportunities are plentiful in every academic discipline to collaborate with faculty on research projects, and the annual Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium is a chance to show off student projects. An affiliation with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital leads to intensive summer research opportunities for those in the hard sciences.

Rice University

Undergraduate research opportunities abound with approximately 70% of graduates participating in academic research during their four years. Those experiences are open to freshmen through the Century Scholars Program and to all underclassmen through the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program.

St. Lawrence University

An exceptional 82% of the Class of 2020 participated in an undergraduate research experience. These opportunities are a true possibility at a school with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 67% of course sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. The average class size is just 16 students.

Stanford University

Unsurprisingly, given the size of its endowment, Stanford puts unmatched resources behind undergraduate research; more than $5.9 million in grant funding is allocated each year to support roughly 1,000 student research projects.

Swarthmore College

Thanks to a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio and zero grad students, professors are extremely available in and outside the classroom. As a result, two-thirds of graduates complete at least one undergraduate research or independent creative project, and the college sets aside $800,000 in funding for that express purpose.

Trinity College

Working closely with faculty is a real possibility at this school where one hundred students conduct research each year alongside faculty through the Summer Research Program, and roughly two-thirds engage in some type of undergraduate research.

University of California – Berkeley

Undergraduate research opportunities do exist despite the school’s massive size; over 55% of students assist faculty with a research project or complete a research methods course in their time at Berkeley.

University of California – Irvine

More than three-fifths of students have conducted a research project, and 20% have assisted faculty in conducting research. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program helps students with proposal writing, developing research plans, and presenting their results at the annual spring UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or publishing their results in the UCI Undergraduate Research Journal .

University of Chicago

Undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member. The College Center for Research and Fellowships organizes the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Annual College Summer Institute which is primarily intended for those studying the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

University of Rochester

An impressive 77% of students are involved in undergraduate research, a strong indicator that opportunities for intimate learning experiences are plentiful. Their Office of Undergraduate Research helps students “study architecture in Mount Hope Cemetery, cancerous tumors in Medical Center labs, details of neutrino beams near Tokyo, Dante’s haunts in Italy, and public health in Denmark, to name only a few examples.”

Vassar College

Opportunities to get involved in undergraduate research are taken advantage of by 300+ students each year who work side-by-side with professors on research in the sciences, social sciences, or arts and humanities. Additionally, roughly 500 students engage in credited community-based learning in local organizations or agencies. Vassar’s Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) has been operational since 1986 and offers a plethora of ten-week research experiences in everything from astronomy to computer science to psychology.

Villanova University

From the start of freshman year, opportunities for meaningful undergraduate research will be within your grasp. The Villanova Match Research Programs for First Year Students allows second-semester freshmen to work as research assistants alongside distinguished faculty. The Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellows Summer Program is taken advantage of by many upperclassmen; in total 93% of 2020 grads who sought out a research experience were able to find one.

Yale University

Undergraduate research is a staple of the Yale academic experience; 95% of science majors participate in research with faculty. University-wide, undergraduate research fellowships are available to 90% of first-years who apply. In short, you’d have to try very hard to avoid engaging in research while an undergraduate at Yale.

You may also be interested in which universities do the best job of helping students land meaningful internships and/or co-op experiences. This can be found in our blog entitled Best Colleges for Internships and Co-Ops

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Image caption: Kyra Bowden (left) and Grace Luettgen

Two juniors named Goldwater Scholars

Credit: Johns Hopkins University

Program funds undergraduate summer research experiences

Rising senior earns Beinecke Scholarship

Programs & fellowships.

• Provost’s Undergraduate Research Awards : Receive up to $3,000 and be paired with a full-time faculty sponsor for research on any topic of your choosing
• Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program : Engage in hands-on, independent learning with faculty mentors and receive funding of up to $10,000 over four years
• ASPIRE grants : Promote independent research projects among undergrads in the School of Arts and Sciences; awards range from $500 to $4,500 per academic year

Learn more:

• Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research
• Student research opportunities at the School of Engineering
• Student research opportunities at the School of Arts and Sciences

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Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects

At many schools, students receive the opportunity to do intensive and self-directed research or creative work that results in an original scholarly paper or other product that can be formally presented on or off campus. They may work independently or in small teams and are typically mentored by a faculty member. In spring and summer 2023, we invited college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools to nominate up to 15 institutions with stellar examples of undergraduate research/creative projects. Colleges and universities that received 10 or more nominations are ranked here. Read the methodology »

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

• #1 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #2 in National Universities

Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.

(fall 2022)

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Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

• #2 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #24 in National Universities  (tie)

Carnegie Mellon University, a private institution in Pittsburgh, is the country’s only school founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The school specializes in academic areas including engineering, business, computer science and fine arts.

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA

• #3 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #7 in National Universities  (tie)

The California Institute of Technology focuses on science and engineering education and has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. This private institution in Pasadena, California, is actively involved in research projects with grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Harvard University

• #4 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #3 in National Universities  (tie)

Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

• #5 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects  (tie)
• #1 in National Universities

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a "no loan" policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

• #21 in National Universities

The university boasts of Ann Arbor, only 45 minutes from Detroit, as one of the best college towns in the U.S. Freshmen are guaranteed housing but not required to live on campus. Students can join one of the school’s more than 1,500 student organizations or 62 Greek chapters. Athletics play a central role at Michigan, including the football team’s fierce rivalry with Ohio State. Michigan also offers highly ranked graduate programs, including the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, College of Engineering, Law School and Medical School, in addition to the well-regarded School of Dentistry and Taubman College for Architecture and Urban Planning. The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers is ranked among the top hospitals in the country.

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Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

• #7 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects  (tie)
• #33 in National Universities  (tie)

Georgia Tech, located in the heart of Atlanta, offers a wide range of student activities. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division I team, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have a fierce rivalry with the University of Georgia. Since 1961, the football team has been led onto the field at home games by the Ramblin' Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe. Georgia Tech has a small but vibrant Greek community. Freshmen are offered housing, but aren't required to live on campus. In addition to its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia Tech has campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore and China.

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.

Yale University

New Haven, CT

• #9 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #5 in National Universities

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 14 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning and socializing.

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

• #10 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
• #9 in National Universities  (tie)

Johns Hopkins University is a private institution in Baltimore that offers a wide array of academic programs in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, and engineering disciplines. The Hopkins Blue Jays men’s lacrosse team is consistently dominant in the NCAA Division I; other sports teams at Hopkins compete at the Division III level.

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• Research Opportunities

Performing research can be a very enriching and transformative part of your undergraduate experience at the College. You may encounter it as part of your coursework, but it can also be something you do outside of the classroom as a way to gain practical skills, learn about methods of inquiry and contribute actively to the advancement of study in your field.

Finding a research opportunity will require you to be proactive, build faculty relationships , and use key resources . It may be good to start by charting your personal goals and interests in order to help you identify opportunities that are a match for them. Remember to give yourself plenty of time for your search and to remain flexible and open-minded through the process. Engaging with the research community at Harvard is possible for students in all concentrations. Whether you have participated in research work previously, or are just getting started, there are opportunities designed to meet you where you are right now.

Research opportunities come in many formats and happen in a variety of settings. They often start off as a question that someone wants to explore more fully. Faculty, for example, initiate research projects designed for this purpose. It might also begin with you! In your studies, for example, you may have noticed a lack of knowledge or a lack of recent work on a particular topic that interests you. With the guidance of a faculty mentor, you could be the person to explore and find answers to fill in the void of missing information.

Depending on the scale of a project, you might find yourself working on a team or operating on your own and coordinating your efforts with those of a faculty mentor. This work may take place on campus, at other domestic locations, or even internationally, during term-time or over the course of the summer.

Some common formats of research experiences for undergraduates include:

Course-based Research

Courses (existing or independent study). Many courses at Harvard and neighboring institutions (where you can cross-register ) have a strong research component. There is even the option for you to design an independent study course. To explore these options, the best starting point is with a concentration adviser knowledgeable about course offerings and policies in that concentration. You can also visit the Advising Programs Office  (APO) to connect with undergraduate concentration advisers.

Research Assistantships

There are many opportunities to work as a research assistant on an existing project. A research assistantship is an excellent opportunity for students with little experience to get their first exposure to research. Research assistantship postings can be found on department webpages, at research centers, as well as on the Student Employment Office Job Board . You can also check with nearby hospitals and research groups, in addition to faculty and grad students. If you have never contacted research investigators before, check out our tips on how to effectively reach out to faculty .

Research Programs

In lieu of performing research via a course or an assistantship, you might consider looking at a research program. Depending on the program, you might work on a project designed by a member of faculty or propose your own question to pursue under the guidance of a faculty mentor. URAF summer programs, for example, are designed to correspond to specific academic areas (i.e., STEM, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences), forming a cohort of fellows working on various topics in their area of interest.

URAF research programs are offered on an annual basis, with pre-set start- and end-times, and require formal applications with strict deadlines. These programs often have different eligibility criteria (i.e., GPA, class year, research experience). Some programs require previous field-specific experience, while other are designed for newcomers to that particular field of study. Many research programs include various forms of financial support (e.g. stipends, accommodation, etc.) as well as opportunities for community-building and intellectual growth.

Thesis Research

Each concentration has its own requirements for thesis research, including topics allowed, prerequisites, timing, and who can supervise your work. If you are interested in thesis research, connect with advisers appointed by the concentrations for guiding undergraduates—information about concentration advisers can be found on the APO website. Also, check out our tips on how to effectively reach out to faculty .

Some questions to ask yourself when looking for a program are:

• Where do you want to be?
• What type of research would you like to do?
• Does the program offer additional support or programming that may be helpful?
• How long do you intend to do research?

The Browse URAF opportunities page of our website aggregates a large number of Harvard undergraduate research options. Please note, however, that not all Harvard-affiliated schools and programs are listed here. To ensure you are learning about all potential opportunities, don’t forget to consult faculty advisers, concentration advisers, and academic advisers to identify programs that match your interests and desired outcomes most closely.

Beyond browsing through URAF opportunities, you can explore our External Resources  page which provides another starting point for finding research opportunities, including research programs. Some are based at Harvard, while others are located across the US and worldwide. You can also use Google to search for research programs related to your topic and interests. Try using the keywords, "undergraduate research" or "summer undergraduate research."

If you have previously performed research at Harvard, you too might consider how you would benefit from exploring external opportunities . Exposure to research and processes at different institutions will allow you to expand your professional and academic networks, to explore a new place and even new ways of investigating topics that interest you.

At whatever point you happen to be in your undergraduate trajectory, URAF is here to support you through each stage of the process. You can even check out our remote-ready  resources webpages if you intend to perform all or part of your research online.

>>>>Browse URAF Opportunities for Research>>>>

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HSURV Abstract Books

Interested in learning more about projects that past fellows in the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village (HSURV) have worked on? Check out our achive HSURV Abstract Books!

• 2023 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2022 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2021 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2020 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2019 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2018 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2017 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, PCER)
• 2016 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2015 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2014 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP)
• 2013 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP)
• 2012 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO)
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Undergraduate Science Education at Harvard

A world of exploration. a world of expertise..

Research Opportunities and Funding

• Look below to find summer and term-time Harvard research opportunities on campus and abroad. • For summer programs at other sites, see Summer Programs Away in the tab on the right. • For selected undergraduate science research opportunities at Harvard, see the Undergraduates: Open Research Positions & Projects  tab on the right.

• Funding For Research at Harvard
• Research Away Harvard Programs

Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP) Summer Scholars Program Brigham Research Institute Undergraduate Internships Broad Institute at Harvard Summer Program CARAT Cell Biology Research Scholars Program (CRSP) Center for Astrophysics Solar Research Experience for Undergraduates Program CURE, Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center DaRin Butz Research Internship Program on Biology of Plants and Climate Ernst Mayer Travel Grants in Animal Systematics E3 Evolution, Ecology and Environment REU Harvard-Amgen Scholars Program Harvard College Funding Sources Database Harvard College Research Program (HCRP) Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology Harvard Global Health Institute Funding for Independent Projects and Internships Harvard Global Health Institute Cordeiro Summer Research Fellowship Harvard Global Health Institute Domestic and Global Health Fellowships  Harvard Medical School Undergraduate Summer Internship in Systems Biology Harvard Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) Program Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology HST Summer Institute Harvard Origins of Life Initiative Harvard School of Public Health Summer Program in Biological Sciences Harvard School of Public Health Summer Program in Biostatistics & Computational Biology Harvard Stem Cell Institute Harvard Student Employment Office Harvard Summer Research Program in Kidney Medicine Harvard University Center for the Environment Undergraduate Fund Herchel Smith-Harvard Undergraduate Science Research Program (any science area) International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) McLean Hospital Mental Health Summer Research Program MCZ Grants-in-Aid for Undergraduate Research MGH Orthopedic Trauma Undergraduate Summer Program MGH Summer Research Trainee Program MGHfC Digestive Disease Summer Research Program Microbial Sciences Initiative Mind, Brain, Behavior Summer Thesis Award PRISE (any science or engineering area) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Summer Institute in Biomedical Informatics, HMS Summer Program in Epidemiology, HSPH STARS - Summer Training in Academic Research Training and Scholarship Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard Summer Research Program, Division of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health (SURGH) Radcliffe Institute Research Partnership Program Ragon Institute Summer Program The Arnold Arboretum The Joey Hanzich Memorial Undergraduate Travel and Research Fellowship Undergraduate Research in Mathematics Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Oceanography Undergraduate Summer Immunology Program at Harvard Medical School Undergraduate Summer Research in Physics

Harvard College Funding Sources Database  - Database of both Harvard and outside funding sources for a variety of educational purposes, including research. Additional database: https://uraf.harvard.edu/find-opportunities/resources-your-search/campus-partners  

The  Harvard Student Employment Office  manages a Jobs Database , the Faculty Aide Program  and the Federal Work Study Program . All of these programs may offer student research assistant opportunities. The site also provides information about Job Search Resources  and Research Opportunities .

  CARAT  – CARAT (Common Application for Research and Travel) is used by all the major funding sources at Harvard.

Harvard College Research Program (HCRP)  – Summer (or term time) stipend. Applications from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships at 77 Dunster Street.

Deadlines:   Fall term funding: 12 noon (EST), Tuesday, September 14, 2021 Spring term funding: 12 noon (EST), Tuesday, February 1, 2022 Summer funding: 12 noon (EST), Tuesday, March 22, 2022  [TENTATIVE]

Late applications  will not  be accepted for term-time or summer cycles.

Conference funding: rolling application deadline

Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard

The Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard (SROH) program connects undergraduates interested in a PhD with first-class researchers working in the life and physical sciences, humanities, and social sciences. This program is offered through GSAS and the  Leadership Alliance .

During this 10-week program, SROH interns conduct research and participate in discussions with Cambridge-based Harvard faculty, build their presentation and research discussion skills, and take part in field trips with other Harvard summer programs. Students in the program live in Harvard housing and enjoy access to the outstanding resources of the university.

Note that we also have funding for students interested in  atmospheric sciences  as part of the NSF-supported International Partnership in Cirrus Studies project.  Please see pire.geosci.uchicago.edu for information on participating faculty. Research focuses on modeling and measurement of high-altitude clouds.

PRISE  – The Program for Research in Science and Engineering (PRISE) is a summer residential community of Harvard undergraduates conducting research in science or engineering. By the application deadline students must be progressing toward finding a lab or research group but do not need to have finalized their research group or project. Participants must be in residence and be active participants for the entire duration of this ten week program.

Deadline:  Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 12:00 noon (EST)

Herchel Smith-Harvard Undergraduate Science Research Program  – Primarily directed toward students intending to pursue research-intensive concentrations and post-graduate study in the sciences. Undergraduate research either at Harvard or elsewhere, including internationally. Applications from the  Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships .

Deadline:  Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 12:00 noon (EST) via CARAT

Harvard-Amgen Scholars Program  -- The Amgen Scholars Program at Harvard is a 10-week faculty-mentored residential summer research program  in biotechnology for sophomores (with four quarters or three semesters of college experience), juniors, or non-graduating seniors (who are returning in the fall to continue undergraduate studies)

Deadline : Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 12 noon

Harvard Origins of Life Initiative

Research Grants:   Harvard undergraduates can apply for grants to support their research during the academic year.

Summer Undergraduate Program:  Summer Undergraduate Research Grants are available for undergraduates working in Origins member faculty  on Origins-related projects. Possible research areas include astronomy, astrophysics, chemical biology, geophysics, chemistry, genetics, and earth and planetary sciences. 

iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team  - The iGEM team is a research experience targeted toward undergraduates interested in synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering. 

Mind, Brain, Behavior  – Summer Thesis Awards for rising seniors in the MBB track. Applications through MBB.

If interested, contact Shawn Harriman in March of your junior year.

Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Internship Program (HIP) – for students interested in stem cell biology research. Students conduct research in labs affiliated with the HSCI. Accepted students are matched with a research laboratory group. or any college or university across the United States and internationally.  Harvard University will sponsor the visas for international students who are selected for this program.

Deadline:  Feb 7, 2022

Harvard Summer Research Program in Kidney Medicine (HSRPKM) - an introduction to nephrology (kidney medicine) for the undergraduates considering career paths spanning science and medicine. The Program includes nephrology divisions of four Harvard-affiliated hospitals – Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Boston’s Children’s Hospital (BCH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

Deadline : check the program website: https://hskp.bwh.harvard.edu/

BCMP Summer Scholars Program at Harvard University is organized by the The Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP) at Harvard Medical School. This 10-week program is open to both Harvard undergraduates and to students from other colleges and universities. Students must be authorized to work in the United States.

Deadline: contact program for details

Undergraduate Summer Immunology Program at Harvard Medical School  - a ten week summer research internship with a stipend. The program consists of laboratory research, lectures, and workshops and is open to Harvard undergraduates and students from other colleges and universities. Applicants must be eligible for employment in the US.

Deadline: contact program 

Microbial Sciences Initiative  - Summer research with Harvard Faculty. Email applications to  Dr. Karen Lachmayr .

Deadline:  contact program

Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health (SURGH)  offers Harvard undergraduates the opportunity to research critical issues in global health under the direction of a Harvard faculty or affiliate mentor. Students in SURGH receive housing in the Harvard Undergraduate Research Village and a stipend for living expenses. The summer savings requirement is also provided for students who are on financial aid. Throughout the summer, participants in SURGH have the opportunity to interact with students in the other on-campus research programs. 

Domestic and Global Health Fellowships (DGHI)  offers Harvard undergraduates the opportunity to work in field-based and office-based internships in both US health policy and global health. Sites can be domestic or international. Students receive a stipend to cover travel expenses to and from their site, living expenses, and local transportation. Unfortunately DGHI cannot cover the summer savings requirement for students who are on financial aid. 

Harvard Global Health Institute Funding for Independent Projects and Internships

Funding for projects in the United States and abroad.

Deadline: contact program

The Joey Hanzich Memorial Undergraduate Travel and Research Fellowship  provides up to $5000 to a rising junior or rising senior enrolled in the Secondary Field in Global Health and Health Policy (or another field) who pursues a summer internship, project or research in health policy or global health, either in the United States or abroad.

Cordeiro Summer Research Fellowship Registered GHHP students may apply for a Cordeiro Summer Research Fellowship for the summer before their senior year. Each year 12 to 15 fellowships allow students to get a head start on their senior theses or research projects related to global health or health policy without incurring major costs to themselves.

Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology HST Summer Institute  - The HST Summer Institute offers hands-on research experience for undergraduates in two areas of study: Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Optics . Participating institutions include the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School.

Deadline : contact program

MCZ Grants-in-Aid for Undergraduate Research  -The Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ), the Harvard University Herbaria (HUH), and the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (AA) award small grants in support of faculty-supervised research by Harvard College undergraduates.

Deadlines:  contact program

Ernst Mayer Travel Grants in Animal Systematics

Proposals are reviewed two times a year. 

The Arnold Arboretum : Fellowships are available to support undergraduate research

• Ashton Award for Student Research
• Cunin / Sigal Research Award
• Deland Award for Student Research
• Shiu-Ying Hu Student/Postdoctoral Exchange Award
• Summer Short Course in Organismic Plant Biology
• Arnold Arboretum Genomics Initiative and Sequencing Award
• Jewett Prize
• Sargent Award for Visiting Scholars
• Sinnott Award

Living Collections Fellowship  – Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Hunnewell Internships  – Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Summer Short Course in Organismic Plant Biology Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology  - The Harvard Forest Summer Research (REU) program is an intensive 11-week residential research and education experience at the Harvard Forest, a 3,700-acre outdoor laboratory and classroom in central Massachusetts. Students conduct research on the effects of natural and human disturbances on forest ecosystems, including global climate change, hurricanes, forest harvest, changing wildlife dynamics, and invasive species. The program includes a stipend, free housing, all meals, and the travel cost of one round trip to Harvard Forest. This program is open to not only Harvard undergraduates, but also students from all colleges and universities in the United States.

Harvard University Center for the Environment Undergraduate Fund  provides financial support for student research projects related to the environment. In the context of this program, 'environment' refers to understanding the relationships and balances of the natural and constructed world around us, with a particular emphasis on understanding how anthropogenic activities and policies affect the environment, including the intimate relationships between energy use and demand, environmental integrity and quality, human health, and climate change.  Two types of funding are available: 1) Funds for independent research (preference given to rising seniors seeking funds for senior honors thesis research) and 2) Research Assistantships (directed summer research experiences under Harvard faculty guidance). Award are intended to be applied towards living expenses (room, board), travel expenses related to research activities, and minor research expenses (for students doing independent research projects) for up to 10 weeks.  Awards are not intended to serve as a salary stipend for students. 


Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Oceanography : The Harvard Oceanography Committee has funding and fellowships for both term time and summer research. 

Harvard School of Public Health Summer Program in Biological Sciences -   This intensive 8 week laboratory-based biological research program is for undergraduates during the summer following their sophomore or junior years.

Additional programs at the HSPH:

• Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP)  – for undergraduate students outside of Harvard
• Additional summer programs  – for undergraduate students outside of Harvard
• Additional summer programs  – for undergraduate students at Harvard
• Boston-based undergraduate students looking for coop or other research internship positions are encouraged to contact faculty members directly.

STARS - Summer Training in Academic Research Training and Scholarship  - provides underrepresented minority (URM) medical and undergraduate students an opportunity to engage in exciting basic, clinical and translational research projects during the summer at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS). Housing and stipend provided.

Radcliffe Institute Research Partnership Program  -- The Radcliffe Institute Research Partnership Program matches students with leading artists, scholars, scientists, and professionals. Radcliffe Fellows act as mentors and students provide research assistance, acquire valuable research skills, and participate in the Institute’s rich intellectual life.

Harvard School of Public Health Summer Program in Biostatistics & Computational Biology

The Summer Program is a relatively intensive 6-week program, during which qualified participants receive an interesting and enjoyable introduction to biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health research. This program is designed to expose undergraduates to the use of quantitative methods for biological, environmental, and medical research. 

MGH Summer Research Trainee Program

The goal of the MGH Summer Research Trainee Program (SRTP) is to inspire students who are underrepresented in medicine (URM) to consider careers in academic medicine by immersing them in cutting-edge research opportunities. Each summer, fifteen students are selected from a nationwide competition to join SRTP. Each student is assigned to a specific MGH laboratory, clinical site, health policy, or health services research area where they undertake an original research project under the mentorship and guidance of a Mass General Hospital (MGH) investigator. Assignments are carefully considered and are made with the student's research and career interests in mind. In addition to this unique research experience, students will gain knowledge through weekly didactic seminars, both at the MGH and at Harvard Medical School, attend career development workshops and networking event, and have opportunities for clinical shadowing.

Application deadline:  contact program

MGHfC Digestive Disease Summer Research Program

Massachusetts General Hospital for Children (MGHfC) Digestive Disease Summer Research Program provides support for 10 students at the undergraduate or medical school level. Each student will be matched with a research mentor to perform an independent research project focused on digestive diseases over a 10-week period during the summer months within a laboratory or collaborating laboratory of the MGHfC. MGHfC collaborating laboratories at MGH possess unique expertise in engineering and computational sciences in support of various projects centered on digestive disease research. 

Contact: Bryan P. Hurley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor & Program Director, Mucosal Immunology & Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School,  [email protected] ,   http://www.massgeneral.org/mucosal-immunology/Education/summer-research-program.aspx

Broad Institute at Harvard Summer Program

Broad Summer Research Program BSRP is a nine-week undergraduate research program designed for students with an interest in genomics and a commitment to research. Students spend the summer in a laboratory at the Broad Institute, engaged in rigorous scientific research under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers. Underrepresented minority students enrolled in a four-year college are eligible to apply.

Broad Summer Scholars Program BSSP invites a small number of exceptional and mature high school students with a keen interest in science to spend six weeks at the Broad Institute, working side-by-side with scientists in the lab on cutting-edge research. Rising seniors who live within commuting distance to the Broad Institute are eligible to apply.

DaRin Butz Research Internship Program   The program gives undergraduates in the life sciences a unique opportunity to experience research from start to finish while gaining training and connections among scientific colleagues. DaRin Butz Interns will not only conduct research, but will also develop their project with their advisors and be guided through the process of sharing their research through written reports and oral presentations, an important component of scientific research.

MGH Orthopedic Trauma Undergraduate Summer Program

The Harvard Orthopedic Trauma Service provides number of undergraduate opportunities:

Orthopedic Internship

This internship is for undergraduate and graduate/medical students who are looking for exposure to Orthopaedic clinical and basic research.

Orthopedic Trauma Undergraduate Summer Internship

Our program is intended for undergraduates interested in healthcare careers. Our interns are introduced to the hospital experience through orthopedic research and observation.

Women's Sports Medicine Summer Internship Program

Learn more about this month long internship open to medical and premedical students.

Summer Research Program, Division of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital

Summer Student Research Program sponsored by the Harvard Program in Neonatology, an academic program which includes Boston Children's Hospital (BCH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). The objective of the Summer Student Research Program is to provide motivated students with an intensive laboratory and clinical research experience under the guidance of Faculty and Fellow mentors from the Academic Program. The Summer Program experience includes:

Brigham Research Institute Undergraduate Internships

The internship programs hosted by the Brigham Research Institute provides undergraduate students with a focused and challenging summer research experience in a cutting-edge science laboratory. Interns will have the opportunity to obtain a research training experience in a laboratory or research setting at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Deadlines: check program website

Undergraduate Summer Research in Physics

Undergraduate Research in Mathematics

CURE, Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center

The CURE program introduces scientifically curious high school and college students from groups currently underrepresented in the sciences to the world of cancer research. Students are placed in laboratories and research environments at the seven DF/HCC member institutions: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as research environments at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Ragon Institute Summer Program

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard brings together scientists and engineers from diverse fields to better understand the immune system and support human health. 

Deadline: check program website

Harvard Medical School Undergraduate Summer Internship in Systems Biology

The Undergraduate Summer Internship is our headline program enabling undergraduate students to collaborate with our researchers, as well as their own peers, through Harvard's Quantitative Biology Initiative and the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School. ​Participants work in our labs, gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools, learn cutting-edge scientific techniques in our dynamic research environment. Students interested in pursuing a PhD or MD/PhD, and students from under-represented minorities or disadvantaged backgrounds, are especially encouraged to apply.  

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)  Research Experience for Undergraduates  (REU) is a 10-week program that introduces undergraduates to bioengineering, materials research, nanoscience, and engineering while providing a coordinated, educational, and dynamic research community that inspires them to seek a graduate degree. 

Center for Astrophysics Solar Research Experience for Undergraduates Program

Scientists from the Solar and Stellar X-Ray Group (SSXG) and the Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Group (SSP) at the  Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics  (CfA) host undergraduate students from around the US. Please visit the  website for more information .

E3 Evolution, Ecology and Environment REU

We are seeking rising sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in the life sciences who would like to join a new Research Experience for Undergraduates program based in the  Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB)  at Harvard University. Members of the program will enjoy cutting edge research experiences within the context of a strong mentorship community made up of faculty, graduate students, and peers. In addition, members will participate in a professional development program that is aimed at preparing students for the graduate school application process, building confidence to succeed in graduate school, and exploring long-term career opportunities. These professional development activities will include attendance of the annual  Leadership Alliance National Symposium  (LANS) research and mentoring conference. The E3 REU is part of a larger umbrella program, hosted by the Harvard GSAS  Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard (SROH) .

Program website:  https://reu.oeb.harvard.edu/sroh 

Harvard Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) Program

The 10-week  Systems Biology Summer Internship Program  enables interns to work on research projects spanning many scientific fields, including systems biology, biophysics, bioinformatics, genomics, applied mathematics, and computation. 

McLean Hospital Mental Health Summer Research Program

This competitive program seeks to  engage scientific curiosity ,  create research opportunities , and  promote academic success in mental health fields  for promising young  Black, Indigenous and underrepresented People of Color (BIPOC) interested in science .  We had our first, very successful MMHRSP last summer, and applications are now open for next summer. MMHRSP is an intensive, 10-week, full-time mental health/neuroscience research experience at McLean Hospital. McLean is the primary psychiatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in Belmont, MA ( https://www.mcleanhospital.org/ ).  Chosen Fellows will receive a $7,000 stipend for the 10-week program.  

https://www.mcleanhospital.org/training/student-opportunities#research

https://www.mcleanhospital.org/news/new-summer-research-program-welcomes-undergraduates-color

Cell Biology Research Scholars Program (CRSP)

The Cell Biology Research Scholars Program  provides a 10-week full-time research opportunity to undergraduate students with a passion for scientific discovery and fundamental biology. Students will be hosted by faculty investigators to work on cutting-edge research projects and participate in training workshops and mentoring activities in preparation for a productive scientific research career.

Summer Institute in Biomedical Informatics , now entering its 15th year, is a 9-week full-time extensive research opportunity with a curriculum including didactic lectures, clinical case studies, a mentored research project, and presentation of findings. 

The  Summer Program in Epidemiology  at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is an intensive 5-week program that integrates mathematics and quantitative methods to provide students with an understanding of the skills and processes necessary to pursue a career in public health. 

Biodiversity of Hispaniola Booth Fund Fellowship Cognitive Neurosciences at the University of Trento, Italy Darwin and the Origins of Evolutionary Biology, Oxford, England David Rockefeller International Experience Grant Harvard-Bangalore Science Initiative Harvard Summer School Study Abroad in the Sciences HCRP Herchel Smith-Harvard Undergraduate Science Research Program International Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health (I-SURGH) RIKEN Center for Allergy and Immunology, Japan RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan Rosenkrantz Travel Grants Study Abroad in Paris, France The Office of Career Services (OCS) awards Undergraduate Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences Undergraduate Research in Mathematics Undergraduate Summer Research in Physics Weissman International Internship

Harvard Summer School Study Abroad in the Sciences

In 2015 Harvard Summer School Science Study Abroad programs will be offered in the Dominican Republic, England, Italy, France, and Japan. See below for links to information on each of these programs.

Darwin and the Origins of Evolutionary Biology  - Oxford, England.

Prerequisites:  None. Apply through Harvard Summer School.

Information:   Andrew Berry

RIKEN Center for Allergy and Immunology  - Yokohama, Japan.

Laboratory research in immunology. Students will also receive some Japanese language training. Apply through Harvard Summer School.

Accepted students may apply to the  Reischauser Institute  for scholarships to help defray the costs of the program.

RIKEN Brain Science Institute  – Laboratory Research in Neurobiology, Tokyo, Japan.

Prerequisites:  Neurobiology of Behavior (MCB 80) or Animal Behavior (OEB 50); laboratory experience preferred but not required. Apply through Harvard Summer School.

Biodiversity of Hispaniola  - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  This six-week course covers basic prinicples of ecology, evolution, and island biogeography in the context of the diversity of habitats and organisms on the island of Hispaniola.

Prerequisites:  course work in biology

Information:   Brian Farrell  

Cognitive Neurosciences at the University of Trento  - Trento, Italy

This eight-week program at the University of Trento, Italy, organized by the Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative, provides students a unique opportunity to study the mind/brain. Taught by leaders in the fields of neuroscience and cognitive science, the program includes daily, hands-on, laboratory sessions (e.g., neuroimaging demos) and Italian language classes, all while surrounded by the breathtaking Italian Alps.

Information:   Alfonso Caramazza

Study Abroad in Paris, France

Biology and the evolution of Paris as a Smart City.

Information:  Robert Lue

• Bangalore, India;  The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research  (JNCASR)
• National Centre of Biological Sciences  (NCBS)
• The Indian Institute of Science  (IISc) 

Note:  This is not a Harvard Summer School Program. 

Prerequisites:  Introductory coursework in basic biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

Information:   Venkatesh N. Murthy  or   Ryan Draft

International Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health (I-SURGH)  I-SURGH offers Harvard undergraduates the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge global health research in an international setting. Students in I-SURGH receive a stipend to cover travel costs to and from their site, living expenses, and local transportation. Unfortunately Harvard Global Health Institute cannot cover the summer savings requirement for I-SURGH students who are on financial aid.  Once accepted to their site, participants in I-SURGH meet with a Harvard faculty member to develop a project that falls within the research agenda of the site. Throughout the summer, students work with a local mentor who supervises their daily work. While all returning Harvard College undergraduates are eligible to apply for an I-SURGH placement, preference is given to sophomores and juniors. 

The Office of Career Services (OCS) awards funding for research abroad, including both Harvard Summer School Study Abroad and non-Harvard International programs.  The  David Rockefeller International Experience Grant , which is a need-based grant aimed at students who have not previously received Harvard international funding, supports many of these awards. Award amounts vary. The purpose of the grant is to afford all students the opportunity to take part in a significant international experience, regardless of financial background. See the  Office of Career Services Summer Funding webpage  for more information.

Herchel Smith-Harvard Undergraduate Science Research Program  – Primarily directed toward students intending to pursue research-intensive concentrations and post-graduate study in the sciences. Undergraduate research either at Harvard or elsewhere, including internationally. Applications from the  Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships .

Harvard College Research Program (HCRP) – Summer stipend that can be applied towards travel expenses. Applications from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships at 77 Dunster Street.

Weissman International Internship  – Research abroad for returning Harvard undergraduates. Average award ~$4000. More information and applications available through OCS.

Deadline:   See the  Office of Careers Summer Funding webpage

Booth Fund Fellowship  - For seniors to engage in a program of travel, study, research or observation that will further expand and challenge an existing interest in a particular field. 

Rosenkrantz Travel Grants

This grant program is exclusively for concentrators in History and Science.  It allows motivated rising juniors  (who have completed sophomore tutorial) and who are concentrating in history and science to devise a short but meaningful plan of travel and academic discovery in the United States or abroad. This grant program may serve as the first stage of research towards a senior thesis or junior research paper, but there is no requirement that it do so. The only requirement is a sincere passion for adventure and exploration, and a willingness to prepare well for the experience.

Please visit the Department of Physics webpage for more information:  https://www.physics.harvard.edu/academics/undergrad/summer

Please visit the Harvard Mathematics Department webpage for more information:  http://abel.harvard.edu/research/index.html

Undergraduate Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences

Please visit SEAS website for more information: https://www.seas.harvard.edu/faculty-research/research-opportunities

David Rockefeller International Experience Grant The David Rockefeller International Experience Grants were established in 2009 by David Rockefeller SB ’36, LLD ’69 to give students the opportunity to gain a broader understanding of the world beyond the U.S. or their home country, and to learn about other countries and peoples by spending time immersed in another culture. The purpose of the grant is to afford all students the opportunity to take part in a significant international experience, regardless of financial constraints.

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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 . 

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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.

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• Guide to Undergraduate Research at Duke

Duke is among the top universities for research, but when you think of research, do you think of undergraduates?

If you answered no, think again. Research isn’t only for faculty or graduate students; undergrads can begin participating in research in a multitude of ways from as early as their first year at Duke.

The  Directors of Academic Engagement , faculty, and students from across Duke took time this year to explain the value of research experiences for undergraduates and break down the elusive process of finding a research project.

From Dance and English, Political Science and Psychology, to Biology and Neuroscience, these Duke researchers demonstrate the various types of opportunities available to students in all areas of Duke while breaking down myths that research is out of reach.

 Welcome to Undergraduate Research at Duke 

Start with a passion

If students feel overwhelmed by the options available to them, they aren’t alone, says  Bridgette Hard , professor of the practice of  Psychology & Neuroscience . There are many options for students at Duke to pursue research, whether through independent study or work with individual faculty mentors,  summer research programs  or through established, interdisciplinary programs like  Bass Connections .

The first step in research is taking a step — any step — especially if it is still the first year.

What is successful research?

Sometimes research fails. You uncover information or results that you didn’t expect. Plans fall apart, or new hurdles appear along the way. What’s next? Duke researchers discuss why this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and how “failing” research might actually be successful in the long run. 

“Nothing is unproductive in research…and nothing is unproductive in the way you get involved in research at Duke. Everything is a learning process,” says Director of Academic Engagement Jules Odendahl-James.

Finding partners in research

At Duke, there are many avenues to connect to others doing research and lots of people who are interested in helping. The key is finding the right people.

“The institution is resource rich,” says  Iyun Ashani Harrison , associate professor of the practice in  Dance . “Access to intellectuals, to ideas, it influences your processes, your research, how you imagine yourself in the world and what you might be able to do.”

The unexpected gifts of research

The benefits of engaging in research aren’t limited merely to research outcomes.

“Meeting people that you didn’t know you should know,” is one of the most important outcomes of participating in research according to  Candis Watts Smith , associate professor of  Political Science . Listen as other faculty and students share the benefits they have found from participating in research at Duke.

To take the next step — or the first step — in exploring research opportunities at Duke, students can visit this  page for   many resources on identifying mentors conducting research of interest and ideas for contacting potential mentors. 

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Undergraduate Research in Chemistry

Undergraduate research in chemistry is self-directed experimentation work under the guidance and supervision of a mentor or advisor. Students participate in an ongoing research project and investigate phenomena of interest to them and their advisor.

There is a broad range of research areas in the chemical sciences. Today’s research groups are interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries across fields and across other disciplines, such as physics, biology, materials science, engineering and medicine.

Basic or Applied Research?

Basic research The objective of basic research is to gain more comprehensive knowledge or understanding of the subject under study, without specific applications in mind. In industry, basic research is defined as research that advances scientific knowledge but does not have specific immediate commercial objectives, although it may be in fields of present or potential commercial interest.

Applied research Applied research is aimed at gaining knowledge or understanding to determine the means by which a specific, recognized need may be met. In industry, applied research includes investigations oriented to discovering new scientific knowledge that has specific commercial objectives with respect to products, processes, or services.

• Undergraduate Research Opportunities
• International Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (IREU)
• Opportunities

What is research at the undergraduate level?    

At the undergraduate level, research is self-directed work under the guidance and supervision of a mentor/advisor ― usually a university professor. A gradual transition towards independence is encouraged as a student gains confidence and is able to work with minor supervision. Students normally participate in an ongoing research project and investigate phenomena of interest to them and their advisor. In the chemical sciences, the range of research areas is quite broad. A few groups maintain their research area within a single classical field of analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, chemical education or theoretical chemistry. More commonly, research groups today are interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries across fields and across other disciplines, such as physics, biology, materials science, engineering and medicine.

What are the benefits of being involved in undergraduate research?

There are many benefits to undergraduate research, but the most important are:

• Learning, learning, learning. Most chemists learn by working in a laboratory setting. Information learned in the classroom is more clearly understood and it is more easily remembered once it has been put into practice. This knowledge expands through experience and further reading. From the learning standpoint, research is an extremely productive cycle.
• Experiencing chemistry in a real world setting. The equipment, instrumentation and materials used in research labs are generally more sophisticated, advanced, and of far better quality than those used in lab courses
• Getting the excitement of discovery. If science is truly your vocation, regardless of any negative results, the moment of discovery will be truly exhilarating. Your results are exclusive. No one has ever seen them before.
• Preparing for graduate school. A graduate degree in a chemistry-related science is mostly a research degree. Undergraduate research will not only give you an excellent foundation, but working alongside graduate students and post-doctorates will provide you with a unique opportunity to learn what it will be like.

Is undergraduate research required for graduation?

Many chemistry programs now require undergraduate research for graduation. There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in research, either during the academic year, summer, or both. If your home institution is not research intensive, you may find opportunities at other institutions, government labs, and industries.

When should I get involved in undergraduate research?

Chemistry is an experimental science. We recommended that you get involved in research as early in your college life as possible. Ample undergraduate research experience gives you an edge in the eyes of potential employers and graduate programs.

While most mentors prefer to accept students in their research labs once they have developed some basic lab skills through general and organic lab courses, some institutions have programs that involve students in research projects the summer prior to their freshman year. Others even involve senior high school students in summer research programs. Ask your academic/departmental advisor about the options available to you.

What will I learn by participating in an undergraduate research program?

Conducting a research project involves a series of steps that start at the inquiry level and end in a report. In the process, you learn to:

• Conduct scientific literature searches
• Read, interpret and extract information from journal articles relevant to the project
• Design experimental procedures to obtain data and/or products of interest
• Operate instruments and implement laboratory techniques not usually available in laboratories associated with course work
• Interpret results, reach conclusions, and generate new ideas based on results
• Interact professionally (and socially) with students and professors within the research group, department and school as well as others from different schools, countries, cultures and backgrounds
• Communicate results orally and in writing to other peers, mentors, faculty advisors, and members of the scientific community at large via the following informal group meeting presentations, reports to mentor/advisor, poster presentations at college-wide, regional, national or international meetings; formal oral presentations at scientific meetings; or journal articles prepared for publication

How do I select an advisor?

This is probably the most important step in getting involved in undergraduate research. The best approach is multifaceted. Get informed about research areas and projects available in your department, which are usually posted on your departmental website under each professor’s name.

Talk to other students who are already involved in research. If your school has an  ACS Student Chapter , make a point to talk to the chapter’s members. Ask your current chemistry professor and lab instructor for advice. They can usually guide you in the right direction. If a particular research area catches your interest, make an appointment with the corresponding professor.

Let the professor know that you are considering getting involved in research, you have read a bit about her/his research program, and that you would like to find out more. Professors understand that students are not experts in the field, and they will explain their research at a level that you will be able to follow. Here are some recommended questions to ask when you meet with this advisor:

• Is there a project(s) within her/his research program suitable for an undergraduate student?
• Does she/he have a position/space in the lab for you?
• If you were to work in her/his lab, would you be supervised directly by her/him or by a graduate student? If it is a graduate student, make a point of meeting with the student and other members of the research group. Determine if their schedule matches yours. A night owl may not be able to work effectively with a morning person.
• Does she/he have funding to support the project? Unfunded projects may indicate that there may not be enough resources in the lab to carry out the project to completion. It may also be an indication that funding agencies/peers do not consider this work sufficiently important enough for funding support. Of course there are exceptions. For example, a newly hired assistant professor may not have external funding yet, but he/she may have received “start-up funds” from the university and certainly has the vote of confidence of the rest of the faculty. Otherwise he/she would not have been hired. Another classical exception is computational chemistry research, for which mostly fast computers are necessary and therefore external funding is needed to support research assistants and computer equipment only. No chemicals, glassware, or instrumentation will be found in a computational chemistry lab.
• How many of his/her articles got published in the last two or three years? When prior work has been published, it is a good indicator that the research is considered worthwhile by the scientific community that reviews articles for publication. Ask for printed references. Number of publications in reputable refereed journals (for example ACS journals) is an excellent indicator of the reputation of the researcher and the quality of his/her work.

Here is one last piece of advice: If the project really excites you and you get satisfactory answers to all your questions, make sure that you and the advisor will get along and that you will enjoy working with him/her and other members of the research group.

Remember that this advisor may be writing recommendation letters on your behalf to future employers, graduate schools, etc., so you want to leave a good impression. To do this, you should understand that the research must move forward and that if you become part of a research team, you should do your best to achieve this goal. At the same time, your advisor should understand your obligations to your course work and provide you with a degree of flexibility.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to do your best on both course work and research. Make sure that the advisor is committed to supervising you as much as you are committed to doing the required work and putting in the necessary/agreed upon hours.

How much time should I allocate to research?

The quick answer is as much as possible without jeopardizing your course work. The rule of thumb is to spend 3 to 4 hours working in the lab for every credit hour in which you enroll. However, depending on the project, some progress can be achieved in just 3-4 hours of research/week. Most advisors would recommend 8-10 hours/week.

Depending on your project, a few of those hours may be of intense work and the rest may be spent simply monitoring the progress of a reaction or an instrumental analysis. Many research groups work on weekends. Saturdays are excellent days for long, uninterrupted periods of lab work.

What are some potential challenges?

• Time management . Each project is unique, and it will be up to you and your supervisor to decide when to be in the lab and how to best utilize the time available to move the project forward.
• Different approaches and styles . Not everyone is as clean and respectful of the equipment of others as you are. Not everyone is as punctual as you are. Not everyone follows safety procedures as diligently as you do. Some groups have established protocols for keeping the lab and equipment clean, for borrowing equipment from other members, for handling common equipment, for research meetings, for specific safety procedures, etc. Part of learning to work in a team is to avoid unnecessary conflict while establishing your ground to doing your work efficiently.
• “The project does not work.”  This is a statement that advisors commonly hear from students. Although projects are generally very well conceived, and it is people that make projects work, the nature of research is such that it requires patience, perseverance, critical thinking, and on many occasions, a change in direction. Thoroughness, attention to detail, and comprehensive notes are crucial when reporting the progress of a project.

Be informed, attentive, analytical, and objective. Read all the background information. Read user manuals for instruments and equipment. In many instances the reason for failure may be related to dirty equipment, contaminated reagents, improperly set instruments, poorly chosen conditions, lack of thoroughness, and/or lack of resourcefulness. Repeating a procedure while changing one parameter may work sometimes, while repeating the procedure multiple times without systematic changes and observations probably will not.

When reporting failures or problems, make sure that you have all details at hand. Be thorough in you assessment. Then ask questions. Advisors usually have sufficient experience to detect errors in procedures and are able to lead you in the right direction when the student is able to provide all the necessary details. They also have enough experience to know when to change directions. Many times one result may be unexpected, but it may be interesting enough to lead the investigation into a totally different avenue. Communicate with your advisor/mentor often.

Are there places other than my institution where I can conduct research?

Absolutely! Your school may be close to other universities, government labs and/or industries that offer part-time research opportunities during the academic year. There may also be summer opportunities in these institutions as well as in REU sites (see next question).

Contact your chemistry department advisor first. He/she may have some information readily available for you. You can also contact nearby universities, local industries and government labs directly or through the career center at your school. You can also find listings through ACS resources:

• Research Opportunities (US only)
• International Research Opportunities
• Internships and Summer Jobs

What are Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites? When should I apply for a position in one of them?

REU is a program established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support active research participation by undergraduate students at host institutions in the United States or abroad. An REU site may offer projects within a single department/discipline or it may have projects that are inter-departmental and interdisciplinary. There are currently over 70 domestic and approximately 5 international REU sites with a chemistry theme. Sites consist of 10-12 students each, although there are larger sites that supplement NSF funding with other sources. Students receive stipends and, in most cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Most REU sites invite rising juniors and rising seniors to participate in research during the summer. Experience in research is not required to apply, except for international sites where at least one semester or summer of prior research experience is recommended. Applications usually open around November or December for participation during the following summer. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. Some REU sites with supplementary funds from other sources may accept international students that are enrolled at US institutions.

• Get more information about REU sites

How do I prepare a scientific research poster?

Here are some links to sites with very useful information and samples.

• Anatomy of an Ace Research Paper
• Getting Ready for the ACS National Meeting
• Survivng Your First ACS Undergraduate Poster Presentation
• Six Ways Research Can Fire Up Your Chapter

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Research Opportunities

Opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research in engineering, the applied sciences, and in related fields abound at Harvard. As part of your coursework, or perhaps as part of individual research opportunities working with professors, you will have the chance to  take part in or participate in  some extraordinary projects covering topics ranging from bioengineering to cryptography to environmental engineering.

Our dedicated undergraduate research facilities and Active Learning Labs also provide opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning. We encourage undergraduates from all relevant concentrations to tackle projects during the academic year and/or over the summer.

Keep in mind, many students also pursue summer research at private companies and labs as well as at government institutions like the National Institutes of Health.

If you have any questions, please contact or stop by the Office of Academic Programs, located in the Science and Engineering Complex, Room 1.101, in Allston.

Research FAQs

The SEAS website has a wealth of information on the variety of cross-disciplinary research taking place at SEAS. You can view the concentrations available at SEAS here , as well as the research areas that faculty in these concentrations participate in. Note that many research areas span multiple disciplines; participating in undergraduate research is an excellent way to expand what you learn beyond the content of the courses in your concentration! 

To view which specific faculty conduct research in each area, check out the All Research Areas section of the website. You can also find a helpful visualization tool to show you the research interests of all the faculty at SEAS, or you can filter the faculty directory by specific research interests. Many faculty’s directory entry will have a link to their lab’s website, where you can explore the various research projects going on in their lab.

The Centers & Initiatives page shows the many Harvard research centers that SEAS faculty are members of (some based at SEAS, some based in other departments at Harvard). 

Beyond the website, there are plenty of research seminars and colloquia happening all year long that you can attend to help you figure out what exactly you are interested in. Keep an eye on the calendar at https://events.seas.harvard.edu ! 

There are several events that are designed specifically for helping undergraduate students get involved with research at SEAS, such as the Undergraduate Research Open House and Research Lightning Talks . This event runs every fall in early November and is a great opportunity to talk to representatives from research labs all over SEAS. You can find recordings from last year’s Open House on the SEAS Undergraduate Research Canvas site .

Most of our faculty have indicated that curiosity, professionalism, commitment and an open mind are paramount. Good communication skills, in particular those that align with being professional are critical. These skills include communicating early with your mentor if you are going to be late to or miss a meeting, or reaching out for help if you are struggling to figure something out. Good writing skills and math (calculus in particular) are usually helpful, and if you have programming experience that may be a plus for many groups. So try to take your math and programming courses early (first year) including at least one introductory concentration class, as those would also add to your repertoire of useful skills.

Adapted from the Life Sciences Research FAQs

Start by introducing yourself and the purpose of your inquiry (e.g. you’d like to speak about summer research opportunities in their lab). Next, mention specific aspects of their research and state why they interest you (this requires some background research on your part). Your introduction will be stronger if you convey not only some knowledge of the lab’s scientific goals, but also a genuine interest in their research area and technical approaches.

In the next paragraph tell them about yourself, what your goals are and why you want to do research with their group. Describe previous research experience (if you have any). Previous experience is, of course, not required for joining many research groups, but it can be helpful. Many undergraduates have not had much if any previous experience; professors are looking for students who are highly motivated to learn, curious and dependable.

Finally, give a timeline of your expected start date, how many hours per week you can devote during the academic term, as well as your summer plans.

Most faculty will respond to your email if it is clear that you are genuinely interested in their research and have not simply sent out a generic email. If you don’t receive a response within 7-10 days, don’t be afraid to follow up with another email. Faculty are often busy and receive a lot of emails, so be patient.

There are several ways that undergraduate research can be funded at SEAS. The Program for Research in Science and Engineering ( PRISE ) is a 10-week summer program that provides housing in addition to a stipend for summer research. The Harvard College Research Program ( HCRP ) is available during the academic year as well as the summer.  The Harvard University Center for the Environment ( HUCE ) has a summer undergraduate research program. The Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships ( URAF ) has more information on these, as well as many other programs.

Students that were granted Federal Work Study as part of their financial aid package can use their Work Study award to conduct undergraduate research as well (research positions should note that they are work-study eligible to utilize this funding source).  

Research labs may have funding available to pay students directly, though we encourage you to seek out one of the many funding options available above first.

Yes! Some students choose to do research for course credit instead of for a stipend. To do so for a SEAS concentrations, students must enroll in one of the courses below and submit the relevant Project Application Form on the Course’s Canvas Page:

• Applied Mathematics 91r (Supervised Reading and Research)
• Computer Science 91r (Supervised Reading and Research)
• Engineering Sciences 91r (Supervised Reading and Research)

In general, you should expect to spend a minimum of one semester or one summer working on a project. There are many benefits to spending a longer period of time dedicated to a project. It’s important to have a conversation early with your research PI (“Principal Investigator”, the faculty who runs your research lab or program) to discuss the intended timeline of the first phase of your project, and there will be many additional opportunities to discuss how it could be extended beyond that.

For students who are satisfied with their research experience, remaining in one lab for the duration of their undergraduate careers can have significant benefits. Students who spend two or three years in the same lab often find that they have become fully integrated members of the research group. In addition, the continuity of spending several years in one lab group often allows students to develop a high level of technical expertise that permits them to work on more sophisticated projects and perhaps produce more significant results, which can also lead to a very successful senior thesis or capstone design project. 

However, there is not an obligation to commit to a single lab over your time at Harvard, and there are many reasons you may consider a change:

• your academic interests or concentration may have changed and thus the lab project is no longer appropriate
• you would like to study abroad (note that there is no additional cost in tuition for the term-time study abroad and Harvard has many fellowships for summer study abroad programs)
• your mentor may have moved on and there is no one in the lab to direct your project (it is not unusual for a postdoctoral fellow who is co-mentoring student to move as they secure a faculty position elsewhere)
• the project may not be working and the lab hasn’t offered an alternative
• or there may be personal reasons for leaving.  It is acceptable to move on

If you do encounter difficulties, but you strongly prefer to remain in the lab, get help.  Talk to your PI or research mentor, your faculty advisor or concentration advisor, or reach out to [email protected] for advice. The PI may not be aware of the problem and bringing it to their attention may be all that is necessary to resolve it.

Accepting an undergraduate into a research group and providing training for them is a very resource-intensive proposition for a lab, both in terms of the time commitment required from the lab mentors as well as the cost of laboratory supplies, reagents, computational time, etc. It is incumbent upon students to recognize and respect this investment.

• One way for you to acknowledge the lab’s investment is to show that you appreciate the time that your mentors set aside from their own experiments to teach you. For example, try to be meticulous about letting your mentor know well in advance when you are unable to come to the lab as scheduled, or if you are having a hard time making progress. 
• On the other hand, showing up in the lab at a time that is not on your regular schedule and expecting that your mentor will be available to work with you is unrealistic because they may be in the middle of an experiment that cannot be interrupted for several hours. 
• In addition to adhering to your lab schedule, show you respect the time that your mentor is devoting to you by putting forth a sincere effort when you are in the lab.  This includes turning off your phone, ignoring text messages, avoiding surfing the web and chatting with your friends in the lab etc. You will derive more benefit from a good relationship with your lab both in terms of your achievements in research and future interactions with the PI if you demonstrate a sincere commitment to them.
• There will be “crunch” times, maybe even whole weeks, when you will be unable to work in the lab as many hours as you normally would because of midterms, finals, paper deadlines, illness or school vacations. This is fine and not unusual for students, but remember to let your mentor know in advance when you anticipate absences. Disappearing from the lab for days without communicating with your mentor is not acceptable. Your lab mentor and PI are much more likely to be understanding about schedule changes if you keep the lines of communication open but they may be less charitable if you simply disappear for days or weeks at a time. From our conversations with students, we have learned that maintaining good communication and a strong relationship with the lab mentor and/or PI correlates well with an undergraduate’s satisfaction and success in the laboratory.
• Perhaps the best way for you to demonstrate your appreciation of the lab’s commitment is to approach your project with genuine interest and intellectual curiosity. Regardless of how limited your time in the lab may be, especially for first-years and sophomores, it is crucial to convey a sincere sense of engagement with your project and the lab’s research goals. You want to avoid giving the impression that you are there merely to fulfill a degree requirement or as a prerequisite for a post-graduate program.

There are lots of ways to open a conversation around how to get involved with research.

• For pre-concentrators: Talk to a student who has done research. The Peer Concentration Advisor (PCA) teams for Applied Math , Computer Science and Engineering mention research in their bios and would love to talk about their experience. Each PCA team has a link to Find My PCA which allows you to be matched with a PCA based on an interest area such as research. 
• For SEAS concentrators: Start a conversation with your ADUS, DUS, or faculty advisor about faculty that you are interested in working with. If you don’t have a list already, start with faculty whose courses you have taken or faculty in your concentration area. You may also find it helpful to talk with graduate student TFs in your courses about the work they are doing, as well as folks in the Active Learning Labs, as they have supported many students working on research and final thesis projects.
• For all students: Attend a SEAS Research Open House event to be connected with lab representatives that are either graduate students, postdocs, researchers or the PI for the labs. If you can’t attend the event, contact information is also listed on the Undergraduate Research Canvas page for follow-up in the month after the event is hosted. 

For any student who feels like they need more support to start the process, please reach out to [email protected] so someone from the SEAS Taskforce for Undergraduate Research can help you explore existing resources on the Undergraduate Research Canvas page . We especially encourage first-generation and students from underrepresented backgrounds to reach out if you have any questions.

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Undergraduate Research Opportunities for Economics Majors

From all accounts, getting into research is one of the more rewarding experiences students can have in college. Research can open doors - academic or career - that you hadn't imagined before. Delve into a topic and seek answers to questions of great interest to you. Establish an easy camaraderie with one of the faculty or graduate students. Here's how... Engage in Faculty-led Research

URAP. Apprentice with a faculty member in the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP). The URAP program provides opportunities for you to work with faculty on some cutting-edge research. Working closely with faculty, you can cultivate professional relationships, enhance your research skills, and deepen your knowledge and skills in areas of special interest. Applications are online. For a complete listing and description of research projects, check out the URAP website or stop by 2412 Dwinelle Hall.

Design Your Own Research

Please note that these courses require a significant level of departmental approval. See links provided for important details. Independent Study Courses. Think about your own research, perhaps as an independent study. In such cases, a faculty mentor can help you stay focused and develop skills in asking and answering research questions. You can receive credit for your independent research by enrolling in one or more units of Econ 199. Courses vary from one to three units, depending on the extensiveness of the project, and are only offered on a Pass/Not Pass basis. During the regular academic year, forms are due the Friday of the 3rd week of classes . For additional details, visit the undergraduate advisors. Honors Thesis. About 5 to 10% of Economics majors write an Honors Thesis. If you have a strong interest in a particular topic and would like the experience of researching and writing a long research paper, consider writing an Honors Thesis. Students who write an honors thesis work independently with a faculty sponsor. In order to qualify for honors, Economics majors must have 1) a 3.3 or higher GPA in all their UC coursework; 2) a 3.5 or higher GPA in thier upper-division Economics courses at UC Berkeley; and 3) complete an honors thesis, as noted by a passing grade in Econ H195B. For specifics, please refer to the Honors website or speak with an undergraduate advisor. The Haas Scholars Program. The Robert & Colleen Haas Scholars Program funds financial aid eligible, academically talented undergraduates to engage in a sustained research, field-study or creative project in the summer before and during their senior year at Berkeley. Each year, twenty Haas Scholars are selected from all disciplines and departments across the University on the basis of the merit and originality of their project proposals. For more information, call (510) 643-5374, go to the website , or visit the program office at 2414 Dwinelle Hall.  

Identify Sources of Funding Various units on campus offer or administer grants, scholarships, and awards for purposes ranging from: introductory and senior thesis research, study abroad and research related travel, community and university service projects, and merit based awards acknowledging outstanding scholarship. For more information about these funding opportunities, check out the listings below.

• Haas Scholars Program
• McNair Scholars Program
• SURF: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (L&S)
• Student Mentoring and Research Teams (SMART)

Publish Your Research

The Berkeley Undergraduate Journal is dedicated to publishing the academic work of undergraduates from the Humanities, Social Sciences, and related fields at the University of California, Berkeley. Essays are selected on the basis of academic content, general interest, and clarity of writing. Papers should be 15-60 pages long, on topics that would be of interest to the generally well-educated reader. For submission instructions, applications to the all-undergraduate Editorial Board, or further information, call (510) 664-4410 or email [email protected] .

Issues in Political Economy is edited and refereed by undergraduates and publishes essays by undergraduates. This journal is published by Elon University and the University of Mary Washington.

Undergraduate Economic Review is edited by undergraduates and publishes essays authored by undergraduates. It is based at Illinois Wesleyan University.

The Michigan Journal of Economics , founded in 1979, is the oldest undergraduate economics journal in the country. The MJE provides an opportunity for outstanding undergraduates interested in economics to have their papers published. Furthermore, it provides undergraduates with models of how to write economics papers. It encourages students to become interested in economics by providing examples of what is studied within the discipline.

Summer Opportunities for Undergraduates

American Economic Association Summer Training and Scholarship Program Since 1974, the American Economic Association has sponsored the Summer Training and Scholarship Program (AEASP). The AEA Summer Training Program, currently hosted at Howard University, seeks to prepare talented undergraduates for doctoral programs in Economics and related disciplines, by offering a unique opportunity for students to gain technical skills in Economics and conduct research with prominent faculty.  All US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for scholarship assistance. Preference will be given to applicants who, by their background, life experience, and scholarship can show they will bring greater diversity to the field and who also demonstrate financial need. The purpose of the Summer Training Program is to provide a strong basis for the professional success of individuals from diverse backgrounds who will inform the profession and broaden the scope and impact of high quality research agendas that are pursued in economics and in related fields.

Information about upcoming conferences, events and fellowships through AEA for current undergraduates can be found here .

Post-Baccalaureate Research Opportunities

Pursuing research after completing an undergraduate degree is a great option for students who would like to gain more experience prior to graduate school. Post-baccalaureate research opportunities can be found through the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and PREDOC: Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers . For research opportunities outside of the NBER, click here and follow @econ_ra on Twitter.

Visit the American Economic Association (AEA) for information about conferences, events and fellowships for post-bacs.

For additional research opportunities visit the Office of Undergraduate Research. Last updated 5/3/2021

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Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

• REU Program Overview
• Program Solicitation

For Students

• Search for an REU Site
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• REU Contacts
• Research Areas

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. An REU Site may be at either a US or foreign location.

By using the web page, Search for an REU Site , you may examine opportunities in the subject areas supported by various NSF units. Also, you may search by keywords to identify sites in particular research areas or with certain features, such as a particular location.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Office of undergraduate education, undergraduate research spring symposium.

The 18th Annual Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium was held Tuesday, April 16 from 10 am - 4 pm in the Exhibition Hall. Over 150 students gave talks or presented posters on their projects. 

Talks covered topics in Computer Science, Energy and Space, Finance and Policy, Materials and Devices, Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Teaching and Learning.

During the afternoon poster sessions, the Midtown Ballroom “buzzed” with conversation as presenters shared their work. 

Congratulations to all the presenters! Many thanks to their excellent research mentors - from graduate student to faculty. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Symposium!

Click below for access to a photo album of the Symposium.

URA: Fall Research Fair

The Spring 2024 Undergraduate Research Fair is an afternoon of engaging in amazing research by undergraduate students. It will be held next Thursday, April 18th from 11 AM to 1 PM in the Ford ES&T Atrium. Undergraduate researchers are welcome to present their work. Research groups also have opportunities to recruit students and share openings. Attendees can learn about all the cool work going on in the undergraduate research world at Georgia Tech. If you are a researcher, this is an incredible opportunity to showcase your work!

To register, click the Register button below!

Are you an undergraduate student interested in presenting your research? Sign up for oral and poster presentations by clicking the Sign Up button below!

The deadline to sign up is April 14th, 2024.

For Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Graduate Students: Recruiting Reviewers

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is recruiting reviewers for two programs: PURA Salary Awards and the Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium.

For both of these programs, UROP relies on graduate students, postdocs, staff, and faculty to help us evaluate undergraduate students' proposals or presentations and provide valuable feedback. If you are interested in contributing as a reviewer, please complete the form below. We're always open to reviewers! Thank you!

COMING UP! Workshop: How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Professional Conference

Come to CULC 262 on Tuesday, April 23rd from 11am-12pm!

Sharing your research and scholarly work at a meeting with your professional community can be an incredible and inspiring experience. It's also an unfamiliar experience for many undergraduate students. With this workshop, UROP will help you prepare for your conference. We'll cover how to use the conference program to tailor your experience, how to navigate large vs small conferences, how to set and achieve networking goals, and more!

As an undergraduate at one of the foremost institutions in the nation, there are many reasons to delve into research. Undergraduate research sparks critical thinking and creativity. By engaging in research and scholarship, students actively contribute to discovery and deepen their understanding within and beyond the classroom. Research is the innate pursuit of progress and service and the catalyst of innovation. We work to enhance it.

For Students

Research opportunities.

Research Programs

How to Apply

For Faculty

Mentoring resources.

NSF REU Supplement

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Undergraduate Student Research Opportunities

CONDUCTING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH HELPS STUDENTS EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS, GAIN EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOP SKILLS.

Digital humanities students create a database of African-American silent films ― and inspire a museum exhibit. Environmental science students survey the impact of oil drilling on a neighborhood and share results at a public forum. Biology students conduct field research in French Polynesia and publish their results in a scientific journal. At UCLA, undergraduates have the opportunity to work on original research not only in the STEM sciences, but in the humanities, arts and social sciences. Two on-campus centers help match faculty and students for research opportunities.

The Undergraduate Research Center for Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences works to serve students and faculty in the humanities, arts, social science and behavioral science disciplines. The center promotes, develops and celebrates undergraduate student research with the overall goal of enhancing undergraduate education and preparing students for careers in all areas.

The Undergraduate Research Center for Sciences works to serve students and faculty in the life and physical sciences, engineering and mathematics. The center focuses on increasing the retention of science majors in all disciplines, as well as preparing students for academic and research careers.

UCLA Undergraduate Research

Continue to Research Center — Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Continue to Research Center — Sciences

(310) 825-7943 [email protected]

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Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research plays a pivotal role in fostering intellectual growth and preparing students for successful careers. Engaging in research at the undergraduate level offers students the chance to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of their chosen field. Just as in graduate research, undergraduates have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to their disciplines through innovative ideas and fresh perspectives. Undergraduate research serves as a stepping stone towards graduate studies while simultaneously equipping students with a robust foundation for future success.

More than 800 undergraduate students

are involved in research annually at UW.

UW's research enterprise generated $96.5 million in grants

from federal agencies, private industry and non-profits.

Programs Offering Undergraduate Research

College of arts and sciences.

• Music - B.A.
• Sociology - B.A.
• Spanish - B.A.
• Gender and Women’s Studies - B.A.

College of Business

• Business Economics - B.S.
• Economics – B.S.
• Entrepreneurship – B.S.B.
• Marketing - B.S.B.

College of Health Sciences

• Dental Hygiene – B.S. 
• Basic BSN - B.S.N.
• Kinesiology and Health Promotion -  B.S.
• Psychology - B.S. 
• Social Work - B.S.W. 

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

• Computer Science - B.S.
• Physics - B.A. or B.S.
• Astronomy and Astrophysics - B.S.
• Chemistry - B.A. or B.S.
• Mathematics - B.A. or B.S.

College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources

• Microbiology - B.S.
• Agricultural Business - B.S.
• Animal Science - B.S.
• Molecular Biology - B.S.
• Plant Production & Protection - B.S.
• Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management - B.S.
• Zoology - B.S.

Additional Research

Opportunities.

• Wyoming Research Scholars Program  

Students at UW enjoy unprecedented opportunities to take part in undergraduate research as early as their freshman year, gaining real-life experience, earning money toward school, building their resumes, discovering their passions and much more.

What Does Research Look Like at UW?

Research is conducted in every academic discipline, and it takes multiple forms. Historians sift through archives, anthropologists perform studies in the field, physicists work in laboratories and artists paint in studios.

At its base, research is any scholarly or creative activity that leads to new knowledge, improves our ability to solve problems, or results in new theory, art, or artistic performances.

At UW, our mission is to facilitate engagement in original research, scholarship, and creative activities through mentoring and relationship building for all undergraduate students. There are many ways to get involved in undergraduate research. With so many areas of excellence there is no place more exciting to conduct research than at the University of Wyoming.

Resources for Research

Academic Affairs

Office of the provost, finding research opportunities, we help connect inquisitive students with experienced mentors, find your research experience, » take your curiosity to the next level.

VCU has teamed up with Student Opportunity Center (SOC) to provide a central place to find experiential learning activities like undergraduate research.

Sign up with SOC today to explore — and apply for! — mentored research opportunities on the VCU and VCU Health campuses and beyond.

You will find three types of research opportunities while navigating with SOC:

• VCU Research Experiences:   These opportunities will take the form of a research internship or credit-bearing experience and they are available to all VCU students. All positions of this type will begin with “VCU Research Experience”.
• Work Study Research Assistantships:   These opportunities are reserved for students who have a work study award as part of their Financial Aid package. All work study research assistantships will begin with “FWS-Research Assistant”.
• National Research Opportunities:   These opportunities are offered by other institutions all over the country and are typically funded opportunities as part of a research training program.

Simply log in with your VCU eID and password, verify your account, and search for “VCU Research Experience” to find and apply for available opportunities.

Join SOC and start searching for opportunities »

Help using SOC

• Student Guide: How to Use SOC video
• SOC Guide for Student Users 2020

Submit your research opportunity

» recruit students for your mentored research experience.

VCU has teamed up with Student Opportunity Center (SOC) to provide a central place to recruit students for experiential learning activities like undergraduate research.

SOC allows you to more effectively share your research opportunity with aspiring undergraduate researchers while streamlining the recruitment and application review process on your behalf. It also helps us identify the contributions you are making to experiential learning at VCU as a mentor, and allows us to link you and your students with on-campus safety and responsible conduct training and campus funding opportunities.

Submit your research assistant position for spring and/or summer »

• Automated process will email you application materials that detail students’ interest in your research.
• Easily select your preferred students and connect with them for an interview.
• Engage your selected student(s) in a research internship or credit-bearing experience.

Please note that postings for paid   Work Study Research Assistants   at no cost to faculty will continue to be hosted by VCU Handshake and   can be submitted here .

Want to add additional questions to your custom application? Contact us directly at [email protected].

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Getting Involved with Research 

Are you ready to ask questions in your discipline? Curiosity is a main requirement in research, but it’s also important to note that you might not find the answers you seek.

Be prepared to invest time, perseverance and flexibility. When you’re ready to get involved, here’s what you need to know.  

Find a Mentor

More than 200 tenure-track faculty are engaged in student research. The Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURAS) offers several ways to connect with a faculty mentor and get started on a research project: 

Fill out an undergraduate research interest survey . (For current students only.) The CURAS Research Program Planner or one of the CURAS student ambassadors will get in touch with you and help you find something that grabs your interests. 

Talk directly to one of your professors in class . Faculty are often looking for talented students to help them in their research programs and often discuss their research in their courses. This can also help you get to know your professors better and put you on a path to success in the classroom! 

Check out the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Databases . You can find specific projects that professors are recruiting students for. Or look at the open projects directory for faculty who have an open call for students. 

How Research is Rewarded

There are several different ways you might be rewarded or compensated for your research efforts:  

Federal Work Study . Students who qualify may be compensated through a work study program. 

Graded research credit (e.g. BIO 497) . These credits can sometimes count toward your major and are required for the new Concentration in Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. 

Hourly wage . Faculty with internal or external grants often include payment for undergraduate researchers in their research groups. Paid opportunities are often advertised in the CURAS Research Opportunities Database   

Summer Fellowships . The Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Fellowships (SURF) program is an undergraduate competition at Creighton hosted by CURAS. It provides a $4,000 student stipend, summer campus housing discounts, and $500 in research supplies for student recipients 

“I got started with research through connections and my professors helped me find research that would best fit my interests.”

Darby Durbin, Neuroscience Major

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Summer Research Opportunities

• Graduate Student Travel Award
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• Graduate Student Seminar Series
• Spark Symposium
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• Resources for Students

Explore your research interests this summer

Every day, the faculty of the University of Delaware engage in groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research, and they want to invite interested undergraduate students to join them for summer research opportunities.

Summer research opportunities, available within most academic programs, enables undergraduates with personal research interests to work closely with expert faculty mentors to gain experience with graduate-level research that has real-world applications.

See the Opportunities

Summer opportunities for undergraduate research and creative endeavors (source) program.

The UD SOURCE - Summer Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (formerly URS) program provides summer research opportunities for college students who are not currently enrolled at the University of Delaware. The program is designed to prepare, motivate, encourage and support students who want to learn more about the graduate school experience and possibly pursue an academic or research career.

Learn More About the SOURCE Program

Opportunities Outside of the Graduate College

Advancing diversity in physical therapy (adapt) summer scholars program.

The ADaPT Summer Scholars Program provides prospective physical therapy students from racial minority groups an opportunity to explore rehabilitation research with world-renowned physical therapy scientists at the University of Delaware Department of Physical Therapy (UDPT). Selected scholars experience the research setting of physical therapy by serving as assistants in the labs of UDPT faculty for 10 weeks over the summer. They are invited to attend journal clubs, social gatherings and have the option of presenting their research knowledge at a symposium at the end of the program. More information about ADaPT can be found on our website .

Please contact Jeanne Warrington with questions.

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Agriculture and Natural Resources - CANR Summer Institute

Work closely with canr researchers on projects that provide real-world experiences in scientific careers..

The University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UD CANR) is offering summer research and education experiences to undergraduates (both UD and non-UD students) who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in the agricultural, natural resources or life sciences.

Please contact  Mark Parcells  with any questions

Note from the Coordinator:

Participation in the Summer Institute is awarded through a competitive application process. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are encouraged to apply. The Summer Institute seeks diversity among its participants and thus particularly encourages student applicants who are from groups that are underrepresented in the nation’s scientific or agricultural workforce.

Annual Summer Workshop in Cognitive and Brain Sciences

Brain camp gives students intensive introduction to neuroscience.

This workshop for undergraduates is a two-week intensive learning experience in cognitive and brain sciences. Topics covered include optogenetics, multiple methods in brain imaging (with labs), neuropsychology, language, spatial perception, social cognition, replicability and more. Furthermore, a few students can apply to do research over the entire summer at the University of Delaware. This workshop is free thanks to generous support from the National Science Foundation.

Please contact  Yolanda Williams-Bey  with any questions

Generally, participants are provided with an intensive experience in cognitive neuroscientific research via lectures, hands-on labs and discussion, led by faculty at the University of Delaware.

Biden School Summer Undergraduate Public Policy Fellows

Gain an in-depth understanding of delaware policy issues.

Classroom concepts and hands-on practical experience come together for students selected to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Public Policy Fellows Program.

Through this scholarship program, students conduct research with faculty and staff in one of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration’s affiliated research centers—the Institute for Public Administration or the Center for Community Research and Service—on public policy issues such as aging, civic engagement, education, the environment, healthcare, healthy communities, homelessness, housing discrimination, land-use planning, poverty, transportation, welfare and water resources planning.

Fellows learn about policy issues from leaders in the field, network with practitioners, and witness classroom concepts come to life through research and public service.

The Summer Undergraduate Public Policy Fellows Program runs for 10 weeks for a total of 300 hours. Fellows take a required UNIV course that includes two field visits outside of work hours and receive a $3,000 scholarship.

Please contact  Lisa Moreland Allred  with any questions

Biomechanical Engineering Foundations in Impactful Research, Science and Technology (BE FIRST) Program

An opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art biomechanics research lab on an independent project.

The Center for Biomechanical Engineering Research (CBER) at the University of Delaware offers a comprehensive Research Experience for Undergraduates who “Dare to BE FIRST” which will establish Biomechanical Engineering Foundations in Impactful Research, Science and Technology (BE FIRST). We will take advantage of faculty expertise in osteoarthritis research to train qualified minority undergraduate students in essential research skills for biomedical engineering.

After admission, students will submit a description (250 words) of the proposed research project related to the REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) theme, written by the student, typically in collaboration with the matched faculty research advisor.

Center for Composite Materials (CCM) Undergraduate Internships

Become part of a multidisciplinary team.

The Center for Composite Materials (CCM) offers students at all levels (high school to graduate students) internship opportunities at the University’s Composites Manufacturing Science Laboratory. Students will work under the guidance of CCM staff and/or affiliated faculty as members of multidisciplinary teams, addressing problems on a variety of research topics. Research areas span all aspect of composite materials, from basic materials research, design, manufacturing, characterization and evaluation, and additive manufacturing. Internship opportunities are available throughout the year and students are expected to conduct and present their research at our Research Symposiums.

Please contact  Kristen Scully  with any questions.

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Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-modal Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CIAMTIS)

The CIAMTIS REU site was established to train a highly specialized cadre of engineers capable of addressing the grand challenges faced by critical infrastructure. Participants will engage in research on development and deployment of new materials and technologies to improve durability, facilitate safe and rapid construction and repair, extend service life, and reduce life-cycle costs of transportation infrastructure. Furthermore, students will participate in professional development workshops and networking activities. This project is supported by the  Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-modal Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CIAMTIS) .

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Center for Plastics Innovation (CPI) Research Experience for Undergrads

The Center for Plastics Innovation (CPI) is hosting a 10 week summer research opportunity in polymers, catalysis, enzyme engineering, and data science at the Center for Plastics Innovation (CPI). Experience in chemical conversion strategies and enabling cross-cutting tools to address the global problem of plastics waste. 

• Research projects with graduate student and faculty mentorship
• Research seminars and professional development workshops
• Industry and government lab site visits
• Interdisciplinary research symposium

Students can submit interest by emailing  [email protected]  – An application will then be generated.  Applications for the summer 2023 undergraduate research experience are due Feb. 15, 2023.    

Delaware EPSCoR

Improving delaware’s environment and economy through research and education.

Delaware EPSCoR has funded more than 350 undergraduate research internships at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wesley College and Delaware Technical Community College since 2004.

The Summer Scholars program takes place over a 10-week period beginning in June and culminating in August with the presentation of research results at an undergraduate research symposium. In addition to completing an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, interns participate in skill-building seminars on such topics as choosing a graduate school, research ethics and making research presentations and posters. Summer Scholars typically receive a stipend of $4,000.

Prospective interns are generally expected to identify a research project and mentor, although help is available at each institution for students who need assistance in making connections with faculty.

Please contact  Yolanda Williams-Bey  with any questions.

Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Program is an undergraduate summer research program sponsored through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) through funding to the Delaware INBRE program. In a partnership with six state institutions, including ChristianaCare, Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware State University, Nemours Hospital for Children, the University of Delaware and the Wilmington VA Medical Center, selected undergraduate students are able to carry out independent research projects while studying full-time under a mentor to gain knowledge of research techniques and making unique scholarly or original impacts to the biomedical sciences.

Please contact  Linda Polasko  with any questions.

Scholars will be required to sign an agreement adhering to all terms and conditions of the program. Underrepresented minority groups and veterans are especially encouraged to apply. Regional summer opportunities also are available in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Contact the Delaware INBRE education office at [email protected] , for more information.

Energy Research Internship (ERI) program

Spend your summer exploring energy research.

The Delaware Energy Institute (DEI) along with the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI) offers summer internships to a select group of motivated undergraduates and first-year graduate students (officially accepted to UD) to work on independent research projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor and graduate student or staff scientist.

Please contact  [email protected]  with any questions.

The summer session program concludes with a poster presentation at the University of Delaware’s Undergraduate Research and Service Scholar Celebratory Symposium in August. In addition, students participate in career-development activities such as research ethics, communication skills, laboratory safety training and field trips to industry. Students will be expected to work 40 hours per week for the duration of the program.

Participate in paid summer research at the University of Delaware

UD Envision is an undergraduate research experience funded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) focused on generating the next generation of agricultural scientists. As minorities are underrepresented in these disciplines and research target areas, this project has been developed to address this disparity. Intensive, hands-on research education and experiential learning projects help to bridge the perceptual change required for students to Envision themselves as scientists. The faculty areas of research span the disciplines of 'One Health,' food security and environmental sustainability.  

Please contact  Mark Parcells  with any questions.

The summer includes training in video equipment, editing, and storytelling, ethics, laboratory, and safety trainings, and participation in camraderie-building activities .

Marine Sciences Summer Program

Research the many facets of marine science.

Interns work with faculty and research staff in a research-intensive atmosphere on a research topic in chemical, physical or biological oceanography, marine biology, marine geology, or marine biogeochemistry. Students develop their project under the guidance of their faculty mentor and present written and oral reports at the end of the summer. Interns also attend weekly research seminars, professional development presentations and field trips to nearby coastal marine systems.

Please contact  Dr. Joanna York  with any questions.

Note from the Coordinator

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Ocean Sciences, this REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program awards 10 science, engineering and mathematics undergraduates summer internships to conduct guided research in marine science.

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Fellows

We’re providing immersive research, educational, and mentorship experience for undergraduates at Delaware State (DESU) and Claflin (CU) universities through a “Pathways to Graduate School” program. Our MRSEC Fellows program enhances exposure of HBCU undergraduates to materials science, expands their academic networks, and facilitates their transition to an R1 environment. This new pilot program is intended to become a fully functioning ‘pathway/bridge’ program in science and engineering that provides:

• Fellowships to support HBCU student research and coursework at UD
• Co-mentorship by UD and DESU/CU faculty members
• Fellow Seed grant opportunities to fund DESU/CU mentors to conduct research at UD (UD providing facility access with mentee)
• A joint seminar series between UD, Delaware State, and Claflin faculty and students
• REU summer programming participation for increased networking
• Planned certificate program development between UD-DESU-CU

Nemours Summer Undergraduate Research Program (NSURP)

A well-rounded, healthcare-focused experience in biomedical research for undergraduates interested in pursuing advanced studies in the biological sciences and/or health professions..

The Nemours Summer Undergraduate Research Program (NSURP) is accepting applications for funded Summer Research Scholar positions in our Summer 2022 program.  NSURP is a 10-week, full-time program that offers opportunities consisting of laboratory-based, translational, and clinical biomedical research projects. The available positions are located at three Nemours sites:

• Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware in Wilmington, DE From the DE site, there are occasionally projects based at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA.
• Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL
• Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida in Orlando, FL

Please contact  Nemours  with any questions.

We encourage diversity in our student cohort: we welcome applicants from all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and abilities/disabilities to apply.

NSF REU Site in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems

Climate change is one of the major challenges that the U.S. faces in the 21st century. Carbon emissions, as a major catalyst, are in great part a result of construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation systems. With support from the  NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers , the REU Site in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems at the University of Delaware will contribute to the state-of-the-art technologies and design methodologies with a potential to reduce carbon emissions and, consequently, help address climate change. The site will host a diverse cohort of undergraduate researchers who will engage in interdisciplinary research programs in electric and autonomous vehicles; green construction materials and structures; and resilient infrastructure.

Science and Engineering Leadership Initiative (SELI) Research Experiences for Undergraduates

This REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program is open to all undergraduate students with disabilities (mobility, sensory, learning, psychological, medical or other) who are majors in chemistry, biochemistry or chemistry-related fields. Research experience is not required. Preference will be given to students who are:

• Juniors (i.e. one to two years away from graduation)
• Interested in chemistry and biochemistry research projects (related disciplines will be considered)
• Considering graduate or professional school following graduation
• Highly motivated to excel

Please contact  [email protected]  with any questions

Research projects are assigned based on the students’ scientific interest. Once students are admitted to the program, we have a phone conversation with them to learn more about their preferred research field. We then match them with an appropriate academic mentor from the Chemistry, Biology or Engineering Department. We arrange for the student to discuss the potential project with a prospective mentor and we find that these discussions are very helpful to finalize the research project.

UD CHARM with the Materials Research and Engineering Center

Building a more diverse science community and create new opportunities for talent generation..

UD CHARM offers a comprehensive Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, leveraging CHARM’s expertise and spirit of cross-cutting materials innovation. We specifically aim to improve the capabilities of undergraduate students who have interests in materials science-related research, especially among underrepresented groups. Our REU students are paired with a faculty member and their lab group within CHARM and assigned a graduate student mentor. The activities designed to meet this objective include:

• Creating a cohort of sophomore and junior undergraduate students from Delaware State University, Claflin University, UD, and other universities with diverse representation involved in 10 weeks of summer research
• Hands-on experience in a related laboratory (chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, or physics)
• Workshops dedicated to fundamental laboratory skills, effective mentor relationships, safety, human subjects training, innovation & entrepreneurship, applying to graduate school, available university resources, and other professional development topics
• Research lab and industry site visits to broaden the scope of learning
• Social events to promote communication among interdisciplinary students and mentors
• Research symposium where students synthesize their summer research for a diverse audience
• Systematically administered surveys and professional evaluations of program outcomes giving students a key role in program updates and improvements

Undergraduate Research in Electrical and Computer Engineering (UR-ECE)

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Delaware is proud to introduce our new Undergraduate Research in Electrical and Computer Engineering (UR-ECE) summer program. Our goal is to inspire and engage undergraduate students in science and engineering to use the unique skillset in electrical and computer engineering to solve major issues facing today’s society. Annually the program will offer a set of research projects with intellectual exploration that spans the broad range of ECE subdisciplines, while directly aligning with one of the following National Academy of Engineering (NAE)  Grand Challenges : 

• Make Solar Energy Economical
• Reverse-Engineer the Brain
• Advance Health Informatics
• Secure Cyberspace
• Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery

Students will spend 10 summer weeks in an ECE research lab at UD. They will engage in research alongside faculty and graduate students, and participate in research and professional development activities including  scientific literature searches, the scientific process, and communicating research effectively. Students will also have access to our state-of-the-art student collaborative innovation suite (iSuite) that includes a Collaboration Hub, Cyber Range, and a Makerspace. Participants will engage in established research activities that include access to advanced research facilities including the  Maker  Gym ,  University of Delaware Nanofabrication Facility  and the  Delaware Advanced Research Workforce and Innovation Network

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234 Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716 USA   [email protected] General: (302) 831-6824 Fax: (302) 831-8745

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence research at Tufts Computer Science is centered at the  Machine Learning Group  and the  Human-Robot Interaction Lab  with some collaboration between the labs. Our work spans many aspects of AI:

• Learning:  including foundations and algorithms for machine learning and data mining, interdisciplinary applications, and learning from natural language instructions 
• Planning:  including deterministic and decision-theoretic planning, learning for planning, and applying planning to robotic domains 
• Knowledge representation and inference:  including representation, inference algorithms and complexity analysis for propositional problems, and for relational structured domain
• Natural language understanding:  including parsing, semantic and pragmatic analysis, and dialogue processing 
• Agent architectures:  for simulated and robotic agents, including investigations of architectural tradeoffs and novel architectural mechanisms and algorithms for introspection and reflection, fault detection and recovery 
• Cognitive architectures:  for complex computational models of human cognitive functions and for complex artificial agents that interact with humans in natural language
• Multi-agent systems:  including computational middle-ware for artificial virtual and robotic agents, as well as grid-based computational infrastructures and simulation environments
• Human-robot interaction:  including empirical investigations and evaluations of robots interacting with humans in a variety of tasks, using natural language as well as brain-computer interfaces
• Robot/machine ethics:  including foundational work on potential dangers of technology as well as empirical human-robot interaction studies

For more details about AI research at Tufts and ongoing projects, please visit these research websites:

• The Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory
• The Assistive Agent Behavior and Learning Laboratory
• The Multimodal Learning, Interaction, and Perception Laboratory
• The Machine Learning Research Group

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Undergraduate Research Key to Finding Future Career Interests

For many undergraduate students in the School of Engineering, research is an integral part of their time as Flyers. Many students choose to work alongside faculty researchers on their personal projects or even research sponsored by national organizations and the military. 

Two students currently conducting research with associate professor Dr. Brad Ratliff in his Applied Sensing Lab have found a future career interest in research thanks to the experience. 

Michael Taylor

Senior electrical engineering student Michael Taylor just started research work with Dr. Ratliff this semester, but he’s already secured a paid graduate assistantship in the Applied Sensing Lab. 

Taylor, from Fairborn, is eager to continue studying for his master’s degree in electrical engineering at UD while also learning more about image and signal processing.

“I found out about Dr. Ratliff’s lab after I mentioned to a friend who was working with him that I was interested in image and signal processing,” Taylor said. “I emailed Dr. Ratliff then met with him and he took me right in. It never occurred to me that finding research opportunities would be that easy.”

Taylor will be working on an Army sponsored project that utilizes object detection. Right now, he’s mainly learning more about the field before he starts working with hands-on applications this summer.

“With research, I like that I kind of can guide it myself,” Taylor said. “I can say, ‘This is something I'm interested in’, and then go do it. I don't feel limited.”

Allison Schafer

For Allison Schafer, an electrical engineering student from Beavercreek, Ohio, UD, electrical engineering — and even research — is a family affair. 

Her brother and father are also electrical engineers, her siblings are Flyers and now she is working in Dr. Brad Ratliff’s lab alongside her brother, Austin, who introduced her to Dr. Ratliff during her freshman year and now continues research as a graduate student.

“The research that I am working on has to do with machine learning and image processing,” Schafer said. “My brother and I are taking scans of a parking lot scene Dr. Ratliff made, and we are trying to teach the software to be able to decipher between what in the scan is a car, and what is not.”

Schafer enjoys her research because it provides her an opportunity to learn more about electrical engineering outside of her classes.

“As an undergrad, we have to take some classes that we may not be interested in,” Schafer said. “Doing this research really just helps guide you on the right path with what elective classes you may want to take here, and sparked my interest to learn more and take certain classes dealing with image and signal processing.”

After graduation, Schafer is looking forward to continuing into a master’s program and a career in research.

“I very much enjoy the research aspect of this job because I enjoy furthering my knowledge every day with what I do,” Schafer said.

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UD chosen to lead state efforts to increase 5G broadband workforce and training in Western Ohio area

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Undergraduate student project explores potential light-based therapy for Raynaud’s phenomenon

April 17, 2024 — A pioneering group of undergraduate students and faculty member Steven Saliterman have developed a novel, non-pharmacologic therapy device that might someday help people with Raynaud’s phenomenon and disease, a blood-flow disorder.

The device shows so much promise for treating the condition that findings were recently published in Annals of Biomedical Engineering and clinical studies are planned to test the therapy’s efficacy.

The project started with a request from a physician for an effective, non-medicinal therapy that would treat his wife’s Raynaud’s phenomenon. The phenomenon reduces blood flow to areas of the body through blood vessel spasms in affected areas, often the fingers and toes. Symptoms can be triggered by cold temperatures, stress, and upsetting emotions.

With the goal of treating these symptoms, Prof. Saliterman; two undergraduate students, Jennifer Chmura and Brett Levac; and Jerry Molitor, an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases at the University of Minnesota Medical School, developed a low-energy blue light phototherapy device. They also worked with Vaughn Schmid, UMN Technology Commercialization, to identify and secure intellectual property on behalf of the University of Minnesota.

Biomedical engineering undergraduate students James Kerber and Kushal Sehgal, along with Levac, continued the development effort in Prof. Saliterman’s Medical Device Practicum course (BMEN 3151), with the intent of developing a suitable study instrument. Emily Wegner, a UMN undergraduate student studying physiology, also joined the team as they progressed to writing a study protocol and submitting their work for publication.

Previous studies in animal models had suggested that low-energy blue light stimulates the vasodilation of blood vessels through cellular signaling mechanisms. The team hypothesized that a similar blue-light therapy may mitigate the vessel spasms responsible for troublesome Raynaud’s symptoms.

The project team created four different iterations of the phototherapy device over many years, starting with simple foam-board mockups and progressing to full-scale subassemblies. The electronic circuitry was designed by the team and hand-wired to create various prototypes. One of the primary challenges for the research group was designing a low-level light source that produced the specific wavelength of blue light known to stimulate vasodilation.

Once the phototherapy device was complete, the project team received approval from the University of Minnesota Institutional Review Board (IRB) for their clinical study protocol.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the team received special permission to complete over 20 trial runs of their clinical protocol as both healthy volunteers and research assistants, allowing the team to further refine the phototherapy instrument and study design.

On January 9, the team received a utility patent (U.S. 11,865,357) for light-based treatment devices and methods. Independent clinical studies will soon be conducted to determine the effectiveness of the blue-light phototherapy device in patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Remarkably, the phototherapy device project began in 2017 and remains active, composed of an interdisciplinary team in the fields of biomedical and electrical engineering, intellectual property law, public health, rheumatology and internal medicine.

“It’s extraordinary that an undergraduate team of students has continued to work together for so long and achieve so much on such an important topic,” says Prof. Saliterman.

The team plans to continue refining the phototherapy technology, with the hopes that it can be used to develop marketable devices, such as a stationary treatment unit or wearable glove, that can help people with Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Read the paper and learn more about the project

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April 23, 2024

Related Announcements

• February 3, 2023 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-23-076

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ( AHRQ ) 

Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA )

This Notice supersedes  NOT-OD-23-076  and establishes stipend levels for fiscal year (FY) 2024 Kirschstein-NRSA awards for undergraduate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral trainees and fellows, as shown in the tables below which reflects the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 ( Public Law 118-047 ), signed into law on March 23, 2024. NIH is being responsive, as much as possible given the constrained budget environment, to the Advisory Committee to the Director Working Group on Re-Envisioning NIH-Supported Postdoctoral Training report recommendations. In fact, FY 2024 stipend levels for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and fellows represents the largest year-over-year increase in recent history. We are committed to reaching the $70,000 recommendation over the next 3-4 years, as appropriations allow.  The Training Related Expenses and Institutional Allowances for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and fellows reflect a moderate increase. The Tuition and Fees for all educational levels remain unchanged from the prior budget year. See  NIH Funding Strategies for guidance on current NIH Fiscal Operations.

The budgetary categories described in this Notice apply only to Kirschstein-NRSA awards made with FY 2024 funds. All FY 2024 awards previously issued using  NOT-OD-23-076 will be revised to adjust funding to the FY 2024 levels. Appointments to institutional training grants that have already been awarded in FY 2024 must be amended to reflect the FY 2024 stipend levels once the training grant award has been adjusted by NIH. Amended appointments must be submitted through xTrain in the eRA Commons. Retroactive adjustments or supplementation of stipends or other budgetary categories with Kirschstein-NRSA funds for an award made prior to October 1, 2023, are not permitted.

Stipends Effective with all Kirschstein-NRSA awards made on or after October 1, 2023, the following annual stipend levels apply to all individuals receiving support through institutional research training grants or individual fellowships.

Undergraduates: For institutional training grants supporting undergraduate trainees (T34, TL4), appointments for undergraduate candidates will continue to be made by distinct categories (i.e., Freshmen/Sophomores and Juniors/Seniors), but the stipend levels for the categories will be the same:

Predoctoral Trainees and Fellows: For institutional training grants (T32, T35, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F30, F31), one stipend level is used for all predoctoral candidates, regardless of the level of experience.

Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows: For institutional training grants (T32, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F32), the stipend level for the entire first year of support is determined by the number of full years of relevant postdoctoral experience when the award is issued. Relevant experience may include research experience (including industrial), teaching assistantship, internship, residency, clinical duties, or other time spent in a health-related field beyond that of the qualifying doctoral degree. Once the appropriate stipend level has been determined, the trainee or fellow must be paid at that level for the entire grant year. The stipend for each additional year of Kirschstein-NRSA support is the next level in the stipend structure and does not change mid-year.

Senior Fellows (F33 only): The stipend level must be commensurate with the base salary or remuneration that would have been paid by the institution with which the individual is permanently affiliated when the award is issued but cannot exceed the current Kirschstein-NRSA stipend limit set by the NIH for those with 7 or more years of experience. The level of Kirschstein-NRSA support will take into account concurrent salary support provided by the institution and the policy of the sponsoring institution. NIH support does not provide fringe benefits for senior fellows.

Relevant Policies Current stipend levels are to be used in the preparation of future competing and non-competing NRSA institutional training grant and individual fellowship applications. They will be administratively applied to all applications currently in the review process.

NRSA support is limited to 5 years for predoctoral trainees (6 years for dual-degree training), and 3 years for postdoctoral fellows. The NIH provides eight levels of postdoctoral stipends to accommodate individuals who complete other forms of health-related training prior to accepting a Kirschstein-NRSA supported position. (The presence of eight discrete levels of experience, however, does not constitute an endorsement of extended periods of postdoctoral research training).

It should be noted that the maximum amount that NIH will award to support the compensation package for a graduate student research assistant remains at the zero level postdoctoral stipend, as described in  the NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.3.7.9 .

Tuition and Fees, Training Related Expenses, and Institutional Allowance for Kirschstein-NRSA Recipients

The NIH will provide funds for Tuition and Fees, Training Related Expenses, and Institutional Allowance as detailed below.

A. Tuition and Fees

Undergraduate and Predoctoral Trainees and Fellows: For institutional training grants (T32, T34, T35, T90, TL1, TL4) and individual fellowships (F30, F31), an amount per predoctoral trainee or fellow equal to 60% of the actual tuition level at the applicant institution, up to $16,000 per year, will be provided. If the trainee or fellow is enrolled in a program that supports formally combined, dual-degree training (e.g., MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, AuD/PhD, DVM/PhD), the amount provided per trainee or fellow will be 60% of the actual tuition level, up to $21,000 per year.

Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows: For institutional training grants (T32, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F32, F33), an amount per postdoctoral trainee or fellow equal to 60% of the actual tuition level at the applicant institution, up to $4,500 per year, will be provided. If the trainee or fellow is enrolled in a program that supports postdoctoral individuals in formal degree-granting training, an amount per postdoctoral trainee or fellow equal to 60% of the actual tuition level at the applicant institution, up to $16,000 per year, will be provided.

B. Training Related Expenses on Institutional Training Grants

For institutional training grants (T32, T35, T90, TL1), these expenses (including health insurance costs) for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees will be paid at the amounts shown below for all competing and non-competing awards made with FY 2024 funds.

• Predoctoral Trainees:  $4,750
• Postdoctoral Trainees:  $12,400

C. Institutional Allowance for Individual Fellows

This allowance for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows will be paid at the amounts shown below for all competing and non-competing awards made with FY 2024 funds.

Institutional Allowance for individual fellows (F30, F31, F32, F33) sponsored by non-Federal Public, Private, and Non-Profit Institutions (Domestic & Foreign, including health insurance):

• Predoctoral Fellows:  $4,750
• Postdoctoral Fellows:  $12,400

Institutional Allowance for individual fellows (F30, F31, F32, F33) sponsored by Federal and For-Profit Institutions (including health insurance):

• Predoctoral Fellows:  $3,650
• Postdoctoral Fellows:  $11,300

Please direct all inquiries to:

Specific questions concerning this notice or other policies relating to training grants or fellowships should be directed to the grants management office in the appropriate  NIH Institute or Center ,  AHRQ , or  HRSA .

General inquiries concerning NRSA stipend and tuition policies should be directed to:  

NIH Division of Biomedical Research Workforce Office of Extramural Research National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website: https://researchtraining.nih.gov   Email: [email protected]   AHRQ Division of Research Education Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Email: [email protected]  

HRSA Paul Jung, M.D. Director, Division of Medicine and Dentistry Bureau of Health Workforce Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Email:  [email protected]

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