Getting Involved in Research

We're here to help you find the right opportunity to pursue your interest in research projects as an undergraduate student.

Use Your Network to Gather Information

• Ask peers who already have mentors or are working in research labs for advice on how to get involved in research.
• Talk to graduate students in your department.
• Talk to professors you have or had courses with; they may have information about opportunities to join their research group or another professor’s group.

Identify Professors Whose Research Aligns With Your Interest

• Review our Faculty Research Matrices to know professors’ research interests and areas of expertise.
• Get to know the professors in your department/program and visit their research group websites.
• Find out who are their graduate students and postdocs.
• Take note of who to contact about joining the lab.
• Check if there are specific requirements to join the lab (e.g., courses taken, GPA).

Faculty Research Matrices

Before Contacting a Professor

• Draft a list of what you need to do research (e.g., participate in an undergraduate research program, research topic, graduate mentor, research plan).
• Have an idea of the research area you are interested in.
• List courses you have taken that would be relevant to doing research in your area of interest.
• List the courses you plan to take in the next two semesters (this will help you determine how much time you can commit to research work).
• List your skills that could be useful to the research lab.

Contact Professors About Joining Their Research Groups

• Be professional in your communications with professors.
• Send an email expressing your interest of working in their research group.
• You can also stop by during their office hours. Inform the professor if you are applying to an undergraduate research program.
• Request a meeting.
• Follow-up with an email or a visit to their office if you have not received a reply.

Research Integrity

Performing research is a huge responsibility. You will be making discoveries, relied on by a team, and your work will both build upon others and be buit upon in the future. Integrity is vital. Not knowing the rules is not an option.

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