What is Undergraduate research: Definition and 100 Discussions

Undergraduate research is the exploration of a specific topic within a field by an undergraduate student that makes an original contribution to the discipline. It is a fairly recent concept in the academic community, with roots in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The creation of MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) in 1969 encouraged an explosion in popularity. Undergraduate research programs were fairly common by the 1990s. Students may work on their own, collaborate with faculty members, or seek enrollment in a research program within their field. Both faculty members and students experience advantages and disadvantages when collaborating on research. Undergraduate research can be conducted in the sciences (both biological and physical) and in the humanities. The research approach differs depending on the field and the focus. Undergraduate research is often required for acceptance into graduate and professional schools.

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  1. P

    What makes undergraduate research publishable?

    Hi guys, I'm going to be starting my senior project in computational physics by next semester, and my goal is to do something publishable in the fields of either analytical or quantum mechanics. However, I'm having difficulty determing what exactly that could be; the idea is either so...
  2. Astrum

    Preparing for UnderGraduate Research

    I'm interested in getting some research under my belt starting during the 2014 academic year. What should I study over the next year, so I can try and get some research in right away? The obvious ones: Undergrad QM, EM (in the process), Class Mech (doing Morin now, the questions are much...
  3. C

    Schools How Important is Undergraduate Research for Grad School?

    I was wondering how much graduate admissions look at your research experience. I have worked with two projects with a professor, and I am going to be working with him on another project this summer. Two of these things were not "new" physics, but they were either new for our department, or were...
  4. M

    Undergraduate Research Opportunities

    Hi! I am and undergraduate student and I am planning to join some universities for graduate school. My problem is that every single one of those schools list 'undergraduate research' not really like a necessity, but definitely a big plus. In addition to that seeing how the majority of the...
  5. R

    Undergraduate Research in Science/Physics Education

    I am a physics undergraduate student and have a passion for education research. I have spoken to some professors I know that work in that field and have some possible undergraduate research opportunities lined up, but I was wondering if anybody knew of any other undergraduate research...
  6. K

    Is it a good idea to join undergraduate research in freshman year or sophomore year?

    Is it a good idea to join undergraduate research in freshman year or sophomore year and why?
  7. C

    Undergrad Research Opportunities - Ideas Needed

    I am in my second year of my undergraduate studies and I am involved in a research society. Does anybody know of/can recommend any projects that I could do ?(either individually or part of a group). I am not sure of all the apparatus/instrumentation that the university has, so any ideas would...
  8. A

    Is Undergraduate Research Crucial for Aspiring Physicists?

    hello everyone, How much important is doing undergraduate research during summer ? I'm a physics student of the second year, and next summer I could ask for doing research at LIGO or SURF. I'd like to ask you: Is this highly evaluated in the curriculum ? Is it important for my future work as a...
  9. C

    Sophomore in Undergraduate Research

    I just finished my first 2 years of college and completed all the lower division classes. I spent 2 quarters part-time researching and a summer full time researching for my professor (who is a theorist) in solid state physics. The work I done was mostly calculation through programming and I...
  10. C

    What are the significant differences between graduate and undergraduate research?

    I understand that undergraduate research is big at UCSC and that it is required for both of my prospective majors (physics and robotics engineering). What I'm trying to figure out is the specific differences between undergraduate and graduate research. I would guess that undergraduate reseach...
  11. PhizKid

    Schools List of schools based on undergraduate research?

    My school doesn't have any faculty involved in Condensed Matter Experimentation, and that's what I want to get my PhD in, so I'd like to transfer to a school that offers plenty of research opportunity in this field, instead of just having 1 summer of research experience at an external lab (I...
  12. K

    Is Multiple Research Experience Necessary for Graduate School Applications?

    Hi all. I recently finished my sophomore year as a physics and math major. I'm doing well in my classes with all A's in every science and math course I have taken, except a B+ in Physics1 in my first semester of college. I have been working with a high energy physics group since the summer after...
  13. A

    Schools Undergraduate research in graduate school admission

    If I did theoretical research in a certain area of physics but applied to graduate school indicating interest in another area of theory, will that affect my chances?
  14. C

    Undergraduate research topic help?

    Hello everyone, I'm trying to start a new undergraduate research project. I have about 2 years to finish it, but honestly, I'm unsure as to what to do. Everything I really want to do is theoretical, but I need to design an experiment off of it, which would be tough. I was wondering if any of...
  15. M

    Skeptical about undergraduate research

    I am a sophomore at a highly respected university and, as I decide whether to concentrate my remaining academic years with undergraduate research, I must say that I am very skeptical about it. I mean, I see undergrads involved in advanced physics research without having completed basic courses...
  16. A

    Undergraduate Research Dilemma

    Ok I have an important question about having publications in a field that is not related to your field, does it still increase your chances of getting accepted into grad school ie, does it add to your research experience in the way they look for or is it just about doing research in one area and...
  17. P

    Undergraduate Research with poor grades

    Hello, I understand marks are important because, when the time comes to chose between applicants, GPAs are a quick tool to narrow the list. Additionally, to any credible scientist, simply claiming ability isn't enough - you need to provide some evidence. Indeed, unfortunately for me, my...
  18. A

    Undergraduate Research in EE or Physics?

    Hi all, I'm currently a double major in Physics/EE with about 2 semesters left until graduation (in the Fall), and I'm having a little trouble choosing between two potential mentors for undergraduate research. I'm planning on attending grad school in Physics once I finish up my degrees, and I'm...
  19. T

    Advice on obtaining an undergraduate research position

    Im currently a junior physics major with an average gpa. I want to continue my education to the graduate level, and in order to better my chances of getting into a good grad school I really need to start focusing on getting some research experience. I have looked over some of the research...
  20. G

    C++ or Java for Undergraduate Research Oppurtunities?

    Hello, everyone. I've been learning how to code for a bit. I picked Python because I figured I'd be able to skip the issues I would otherwise have with syntax and focus more on the programming aspect of it. Soon, though, I'm going to be ready to dive into one of the other languages with a...
  21. S

    About undergraduate research assistance?

    How can we make a best resume to apply for undergraduate research assistance? I sent a message to professor and he said to send a resume. How can I make a best resume? The program is about: Assist with behavioral neuroscience testing of husbandry laboratory rats. Duties include tube/slide...
  22. A

    Undergraduate research in the UK?

    Hey, I'm an undergraduate student, studying Mathematics and Computer Science (but dropping the Computer Science part next year) at a UK university. I definitely want to do a PhD and get into academia later on, and I've read countless times that undergraduate research is the best way of...
  23. M

    What is undergraduate research like?

    Do students help out (set up apparatus in the lab, write some code?) on something the grad students/professors are working on or are they handed a topic which they work on individually or in groups, as with a bachelor's thesis? What kind of research can undergraduates even do anyway?
  24. N

    How to get involved in undergraduate research?

    I want to attend grad school in engineering and I hear research is a very important thing to have on the application but how can I get involved in research? I have emailed many professors expressing interest, but I have been unable to secure even a volunteer position for myself. :(
  25. M

    Topic for physics undergraduate research

    I am a physics major. I took introductory quantum mechanics, theoretical mechanics, general relativity, and math until linear algebra, diff. equations, probability and statistics, and discrete math. I had decided to do some research while being undergraduate. Approaching faculty members...
  26. A

    LaTeX Software/Tools for Undergraduate Research: R, Octave, Latex & More

    I am not sure whether I have posted in the right section. As the title says, I want to know which software/technology I need to be familiar with for making a research paper. I am planning to take an undergraduate research program in my university. It is required for us to make a report in...
  27. D

    Undergraduate Research in Mathematics

    I plan on one day going to graduate school for Math or Physics, depending on what graduate programs I get into and where my interest finally ends up falling. I am already doing some undergraduate research in physics and I began to wonder about if REU's in math were common and if so, what level...
  28. X

    About Undergraduate Research Opportunities In US.

    I am a junior undergraduate student with speciality of physics in R. P. China. I am planning to have graduate study in US. I think that it will be of help to me if I can have undergraduate research experiences in American universities. On the one hand, I can show the American professors whether...
  29. M

    Undergraduate research - first time

    How is it like to do undergraduate research? what are you expected to do (in general)? is there anything I need to know? I am transferring to a university with research opportunities for undergraduate students and I am curious about this. I have never done research in my life and I am really...
  30. D

    Undergraduate research journals

    I've written 2 papers one was more or less an expository on a difficult topic in group theory and the other one I just finished writing is a paper that introduces the basic concepts in elementary measure theory and then gives an original result from it. I submitted the first one to a journal but...
  31. N

    Undergraduate Research: How to Get Started in Theoretical Physics

    Hello. It seems that a demand of renowned international graduate colleges is having research experience and even publications in your undergraduate years. How does one actually get to this? Does one simply contact a professor and offer their services? I've only had the first year of bachelor...
  32. S

    Help on email for undergraduate research mentor

    Hello all, I am currently emailing a professor asking if he would be willing to mentor me and take me under as an intern. Unfortunately I do not know what is etiquette to state in an email such as this. Ultimately I am asking to meet and discuss the matter but I am unsure how to propose the...
  33. F

    How to Choose the Right Research Project as an Undergraduate?

    Hi all, I was just hoping to gather some advice for a research project. I am currently a junior, and I have asked to do some research with one of my professors for next year. The problem is that he does research in several fields, and I don't really have preference to any of them yet. I...
  34. S

    Undergraduate Research Topics in Point-Set Topology?

    Hi all, Like the title suggests, i am interested in finding a topic in topology that would serve as the basis for a research paper. Since i am currently taking a first course in Topology (Munkres), i am basically looking for something that is not too advanced. So far i haven't been able to...
  35. T

    Undergraduate Research in Theory, what fields are feasible?

    Well, this semester is coming to a close and I need to have form a plan soon for what I will do outside of class in the spring. Let me first begin by giving my background, then I will describe my predicament. I'm majoring in Physics at UT Austin, and am halfway through my third year. I plan...
  36. M

    Undergraduate Research to Graduate Reasearch and More

    Hello, Let's say that my undergrad institution does not have any groups working in experimental AMO, but does have some theoretical AMO research going on. I plan to go to grad school for experimental AMO. Would I be better off working in the theoretical group, or working with an experimental...
  37. P

    Undergrad Research: What Does It Mean & Does It Matter?

    So whenever the subject of graduate school admissions comes up, the importance of having research experience as an undergrad comes up. My question is, what does this actually mean. Are you expected to publish? Does it really help if you've spent a few years tooling around in a lab with no...
  38. N

    Undergraduate Research for Graduate Program Admission

    Hi, a month ago it was brought to my attention that I will need some sort of research experience as an undergraduate if I want to be considered by a "top" university's graduate program ("top" university - MIT, stanford, caltech, etc). I may have an opportunity to do some research in computer...
  39. U

    Independant Undergraduate Research

    Alright here's my story, I wanted to apply for undergraduate research positions this summer related to some astrophysics, however I didn't get any callbacks (not sure why, my grades are fine, my guess would be, being a math major I lost out to too many physics students applying, it is pretty...
  40. F

    Engineering undergraduate research as a physics student

    Hi everyone, I am physics student (junior), and I just signed up for a research project with an engineering lab (more or less common at my school) There's a lot of other undergrads working there, but no-one else from physics. (it's mostly biomed-E students) So far it's starting out pretty...
  41. M

    Undergrad Research: Possible w/High GPA?

    Hey. I want to start researching and I am a second semester sophmore. I had pretty bad grades last semester however (3.2 and a 2.5 in EM honors). I am not too worried academically because it was a bad semester and Ill just step up my game, but wouldn't they make it impossible to apply for a REU...
  42. X

    How Should an Undergrad Approach Their First Chemistry Research Project?

    I'm going to be a second year student majoring in chemistry this fall and a professor wants me to work on a research project (or with a group) either with him or with another professor. I performed well in his class (in the top 2-3 students of several hundred). I'm really excited about getting...
  43. K

    Undergraduate Research: Avoiding "Cookie Cutter" Projects

    I am an uprising junior at a small liberal arts and sciences college. I spent this past summer doing research in computational astrophysics with a professor at my university. I would like to do another computation astrophysics research project (an REU or program away from my own university)...
  44. N

    Undergraduate research in computer science

    I'm an undergraduate student studying computer science.I am interested in doing some research in discrete mathematics or theoretical computer science.Can anyone tell some interesting research topics or open problems on which i can work on?
  45. T

    Suggestions for undergraduate research

    Starting in the summer I will be participating in undergraduate research with the theoretical high energy physics group here at Florida State University. As I am the only undergrad (I think) in this group they are giving me a choice of what I was to do. They told me to think of some things that...
  46. R

    Undergraduate Research: Weighing the Options

    Please tell your opinion with reasons (if possible). I hope this will be important for those who do not have a good undergrad research experience Please consider all the factors including the demand, funding, research, jobs,...etc.
  47. T

    Undergraduate research opportunity

    Okay, so here's the deal. I spoke with my undergraduate adviser yesterday and he gave me the names of several faculty on campus who were looking for undergraduate students to get involved in research. I have contacted both of them and have appointments to speak with them within the next 2 weeks...
  48. B

    Question about being an undergraduate research assistant

    I'm a sophomore in physics and I asked my physics professor about helping him with his research in his astrophysics group. I would be involved in his astrophysics research while being a student at the university. Now I've never been a research assistant to any physics project before, but I know...
  49. E

    Undergraduate Research Journals?

    I'm looking for journals which are specifically for undergraduate papers. So far, I've found the Canadian Undergraduate Research Journal (cupj.ca), but I'm in the United States and doubt they accept out-of-country papers. I've also found The Online Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics...
  50. W

    Undergraduate Research Topic Suggestions

    Hello my friends, I need to select a topic for undergraduate research. I have a meeting set-up with my advisor, and I would like to take some possible problems with me to discuss with him. After searching for unsolved problems for some time, all of them seemed well above something an...
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