how to get undergraduate research experience

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 15 March 2019

A student’s guide to undergraduate research

• Shiwei Wang 0

Shiwei Wang is a junior undergraduate student studying Integrated Science and Chemistry at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Twitter: @W_Shiwei

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience working in a materials-chemistry laboratory at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, for the past two years. Being able to mix an undergraduate education with original research in a proper laboratory has been a fantastic opportunity.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00871-x

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

Wang, S. et al. Preprint at ChemRxiv https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.7824707.v2 (2019).

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A student’s guide to undergraduate research

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Originally written by Shiwei Wang for Nature journal in March 2019.

Participating in original research during your undergraduate studies can greatly expand your learning experience. However, finding the project can be a challenging task, so here’s a short but comprehensive guide that can help you get the most out of an undergraduate research opportunity.

Choose the right lab

Learn to think like a scientist. A lot of people start their undergraduate research by glancing at the faculty list and e-mailing multiple professors whose work seems interesting. Although this might get you a position somewhere, it is not the most effective approach. Before looking at labs, dive into the science to find out which areas fascinate you. Read a lot, go to talks, and talk to your professors not just about their classes, but about science in general as well.

Subscribe to e-mail newsletters from journals such as Nature and Science. Try to read research highlights and science news regularly. Podcasts and articles by, for example, Nature, Science, Scientific American or Quanta can also be interesting sources of information. Follow academics, journals and universities on Twitter. Start your undergraduate research by learning more about science, thinking like a scientist and working out what you love.

Look for questions, not subjects. You might have chosen a major to study, but don’t let this limit your search for research labs. Modern labs are interdisciplinary and very different from what you do in undergrad labs. Instead of limiting your search to your department, try to look at labs in all related departments. Choose labs on the basis of the questions they’re trying to answer.

Mentoring is as important as research. Contact group members to learn about your prospective laboratory’s environment. Are the group members close? Is the lab friendly or competitive and condescending? Is the lab head hands-off or hands-on? The size of the group is also important. If you join a small group, you’ll have a higher chance of being mentored directly by your principal investigator, whereas in a big group, you are more likely to be mentored by a postdoctoral researcher or graduate student.

Reach out with confidence. Once you’ve determined that the research programme interests you and the group dynamic is healthy, send the principal investigator an e-mail. Make sure to explain why you’re interested in working in the lab and that you have spoken to other lab members. Be patient if they don’t reply. If you don’t receive a response after a week or so, send a second e-mail or reach out in other ways, such as by asking group members to enquire for you.

Get the most out of the experience

Start your research with reading, and keep on reading. Usually, the principal investigator will assign you a mentor and a project. Ask for literature to read: learning about the state of the field and why the work is important will help you to push the project forward. Read about your field as well as other, totally unrelated fields. As an undergraduate, you have the freedom to change your major and your future plans. Make sure to strike a balance between reading and conducting experiments. It’s hard to do both at the same time, but it will make you a better scientist.

Set specific goals for yourself and let your mentors know. Think about what you want from your research and how much time you are willing to put in. Besides learning the techniques, do you want to learn how to analyse results and design experiments? Do you want to learn how to write proposals by applying for undergraduate research grants? Do you want to improve your presentation skills by going to conferences? Do you want to potentially finish a project for publication? Working out what you want to achieve will help you to direct your time effectively.

Research takes time. Don’t blame yourself if experiments don’t work or the project is not moving forward as fast as you expected. Science is about failing and trying again. Getting used to and coping with frustration is part of the learning curve of research.

Find a healthy balance. University is already a lot of work, and research will only take up more time. When planning your schedule, try to allocate large blocks of time (whole afternoons or individual days) to research. Rushing through a procedure could be unsafe and will often produce useless results. Always plan extra time for experiments. Consider working less in the lab during exam weeks so you don’t get overwhelmed. Talk to your mentor about your schedule and feelings regularly, so that you can arrange experiments at times that suit you, and you can keep on top of your mental health.

Find financial support. If you wish to do research at your own institution over the summer, your institution might offer funding to cover your expenses. If you want to go to another university, you can apply for funding from that institution’s undergraduate research programme, or from foundations, companies or academic societies. For example, the US National Science Foundation offers a Research Experiences for Undergraduates programme. Universities, foundations and academic societies might also offer grants to cover your travel expense to various conferences. Don’t let money limit what you want to do. Talk to senior students or professors, or search online to find all the opportunities!

Always think about the big picture. Your undergraduate research doesn’t define what you’re going to do after your degree. Keep reading and taking classes outside your comfort zone. Explore and learn as much as possible. Working out what you love is the best preparation you can get for the rest of your career.

Read the full article on the Nature website.

To find a research opportunity at Johns Hopkins University, visit the Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research website .

Undergraduate Research Experience: A Roadmap to Guide Your Journey

• Conducting Research

Students usually get pretty good guidance on which courses they need to complete to fulfill their major and graduation requirements. Course catalogues detail the general curricular path and advisors are typically available to help students build their semester schedules. 

But coursework is only one piece of the career preparation puzzle. Both employers and graduate programs highly value the real-world training students get when they take advantage of experiential learning opportunities like internships and research assistantships. Unfortunately, the path into these experiences can be challenging to navigate. The goal of this article is to provide you with a roadmap to help you get started on this journey. 

Why is research experience valuable?   

Research experience can help you: 

• hone the skills that all employers seek in college graduates such as the ability to work effectively in teams, engage in critical thinking, and analyze and interpret data (Finley, 2021)
• delve more deeply into the areas within psychology that interest you the most
• cultivate a closer relationship with your professors and gain mentorship
• prepare for a job after graduation as a social science research assistant
• bolster your competitiveness as an applicant for graduate school in psychology or other STEM fields  

Psychology alumni who gain research experience during college rate themselves higher on the skills needed to succeed in the job market, perceive their psychology training to be more useful to them in their current job, and report more satisfaction with their undergraduate education than those without research experience, regardless of the career path they follow (Budesheim et al., 2021).

What is research experience? 

What students actually do when they gain “research experience” can vary widely depending on the nature and setting of the experience. 

From start to finish, the psychology research projects you learn about in your classes involve a lot of complex steps, completed by a team of researchers, over a period of time that can last several years.  

Some of those steps can include:

• conducting a literature review to identify what we already know about a particular psychological phenomenon
• identifying a knowledge gap that a new research project can fill
• designing a study – choosing the participants, methods, and measures
• considering ethical issues related to designing, conducting, and reporting on research
• applying for approval from the Institutional Review Board
• conducting the study, collecting data, etc.
• coding, managing, and analyzing data
• preparing posters and/or manuscripts to share the results with others
• presenting at local, regional, or national conferences

Contributing to ongoing research as a team member.

Most students gain research experience by joining a team that is already in the process of conducting a research study and helping out with one or more of these steps. For example, you might spend a semester helping to run participants through a research study. Or devote part of your summer to coding data that has already been collected. If you join a team at the start of a project, you might be asked to find, read, and summarize research articles that could stimulate the design of a new study. And if your research team is busy juggling multiple projects at one time, you might get the chance to do a little bit of all of the above on different projects.

Designing and conducting your own research project.

Working on specific tasks as one member of a research team is a valuable way to learn more about the field, hone your skills, and gain mentorship. But it is not always what students envision when they imagine gaining research experience. Some students hope to design and conduct their own independent research project. Although that is certainly possible, it can be extremely time intensive, and it requires finding a faculty member or researcher who is willing to provide intensive supervision. Students who’ve developed research skills earlier in their academic journey by working with teams will be better prepared to take on this challenge.  At many institutions, these opportunities are only available to students who are approved to complete an undergraduate thesis and there may be GPA or other requirements. 

Deepening your research experience.

Although it can be rewarding to design and conduct one’s own research project, there are definitely other paths one can follow to deepen their research experience. For example, many students who work on research teams get the opportunity to present a piece of their work at a local, regional, or national conference. Some get the opportunity to contribute to a paper that is published in an academic journal. Authorship on presentations and papers can definitely bolster the application of those looking to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. 

How do I find a research experience and get started on this journey?    

• Take coursework early . Ideally, you should consider completing coursework in research methods and statistics as early as you can in your program of study. Taking these classes early will prepare you to take advantage of opportunities to gain research experience within your college or university. 
• Find out about opportunities within your institution. You can always volunteer to work on a faculty members’ research team, but many departments also offer research experience for academic credit. Check your program manual and ask your academic advisor about research opportunities within your program. Use these resources to figure out if your program offers students the opportunity to conduct a thesis (and if so, if there are any GPA or other eligibility criteria). 
• Use your research skills to find a potential research mentor. Faculty members often have webpages where they describe their research interests and current projects. Once you identify a few faculty members doing research in an area that interests you, reach out and ask if you can set up a meeting or drop in to their office hours to learn more about their research. 
• Don’t start the meeting by asking, “Tell me about your research.”
• Do start the meeting by saying something like “I was fascinated by the paper you recently published on XX, especially the finding that XXXX, and I was wondering if you were working on a follow-up to that study.” 
• Look for research opportunities outside of your institution. Researchers work in a variety of settings including academic institutions, medical centers, research institutes, community-based organizations, and in private industry. Look for opportunities to volunteer, complete an internship, or find a part or full-time paid position in these settings. Some of these opportunities are advertised on the APA webpage , but it can also be helpful to go directly to an organization’s website to search for employment listings. For example, research positions with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can be found at the USA Jobs Website. Exploring the employment websites of large research-oriented medical centers such as Massachusetts General Hospital , the Mayo Clinic or John’s Hopkins can yield research opportunities. Keep in mind that you will be more competitive for these external experiences if you first gain research experience at your institution.   

Although I recommend this path into research for psychology majors who are just starting their journey, there are many roads that lead to research experience. So, if you are a senior or recent graduate who is just now looking for research experience, don’t be discouraged. It is definitely possible to enter the research experience pathways at different points in the journey, although you may need to put in some extra work to secure a position. For example, if you are struggling to secure   a paid research position, you might consider looking for volunteer opportunities. Reach out to faculty members from your undergraduate institution, as well as researchers in your local community to express your interest and ask for help. 

Finley, A. (2021). How College Contributes" to" Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most.  Association of American Colleges and Universities .

Budesheim, T. L., Khanna, M. M., Klanecky Earl, A. K., & Guenther, C. L. (2021). The Long-Term Impact of Undergraduate Internships and Research Experiences in Psychology: An Alumni Survey Study.  Teaching of Psychology .  https://doi.org/10.1177/009862832110410

About the author:

Sue is also a licensed clinical psychologist, whose clinical research focuses how acceptance-based behavioral therapy–informed strategies can help buffer against contextual stressors, build resilience, improve psychosocial functioning, and enhance quality of life among students and individuals struggling with anxiety and related disorders.

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How to get involved in research as an undergrad student

Zeaan Pithawala

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Table of contents

• Introduction

Find a topic you’re interested in 

Preparing to apply for internships , preparing to reach out via email , what it’s like to be involved in research as an undergraduate , how to bring research into your degree .

Doing research as an undergraduate student is not only great for your CV, but it hones your critical thinking and problem-solving skills too. If you’re interested in applying to graduate school, having research experience can give you an edge.  

As an undergraduate biochemistry student at Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, I worked on exciting research projects with institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and universities in the United States.  

Here’s my advice on how to get involved in research as an undergraduate student. 

The first thing I did was think about a topic within biochemistry that I’d be interested in researching. For me, that was computational biology and bioengineering. I was interested in exploring how can we accelerate drugs development research in biology using computational power, and I wanted to study the evolutionary relationships that can positively impact society. 

Do some online research around the topics you like and find the institutions where research is already happening in that area. Make a list of the academics leading the research projects you’re interested in.  

I found two different ways to get involved in research opportunities while studying at university. The first is applying to a research internship programme and the second is by emailing professors directly. Both methods have pros and cons. 

Once you’ve found a list of internships you’re interested in, I’d recommend gaining some further background knowledge on the subject you want to research.  

When applying for my research internship at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, I read research papers, watched YouTube videos and learned the basic terminology of the field. It gave me a good idea of whether I’d really like DNA nanotechnology and it helped me to draft a better application.   

When applying to internships, you will be required to submit documents including your academic record, a letter of recommendation, a written statement of purpose and some identification.  

The statement of purpose, which explains why you’re interested in taking part in the research, what you can contribute to the project and how you will benefit from being involved, is the most important part. You can ask a professor you know well to read through it before submitting, and get a letter of recommendation.  

All internships will have a deadline, so make sure you make a note of the date and apply in good time.  

When preparing to email academics, make sure you read through their research thoroughly, so you can show that you know exactly what the professor is currently working on and how you might be able to help. You can do this by finding the academic on the university’s website, or on ResearchGate where you’ll find more detailed research papers and journals.  

Even when emailing academics directly, it’s worth speaking to one of your own professors to see if they have any recommendations or feedback on how to catch their attention. Always make sure that you only email professors if you are genuinely interested in their research.  

When I’ve emailed professors for research opportunities, I write my emails as follows: 

Introduce myself (name, subject, university) 

Provide my previous experience and/or relevant skill set (like coding) 

Describe my interests and how I can contribute to their research 

Ask for a time to chat 

You’ll not always get a reply to your emails or your internship applications, but don’t get disheartened. Keep trying and something will come up.  

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Being an undergraduate student in a research group might be intimidating at first, given that you will usually work with people who are more experienced than you, but you settle in quick and it’s a great learning opportunity. 

In my experience, a project starts with reading. I’m usually provided with research papers to read so I can get familiarised with the project. There will also be regular meetings with the lead investigator and the rest of the team to discuss progress and important tasks over the coming days.  

I might work individually on a project or with other members of the team, where I’ll be assigned tasks based on my skillset and we’ll bring our learning together. If I’m working individually, there is sometimes a chance to conceptualise my own project and work on it.  

There is always a learning curve because in research, I’m working on an idea that has never been worked on before. Being able to implement what I’ve learned on my course is a great feeling.   

If you do not find an internship or project to work on, an alternative is to speak to the professors at your own university to see how you could get involved in research as part of your degree.  

It could be that a professor has a project you could get involved in, or they could recommend modules and classes that would introduce you to research methods. They might know a doctoral research student that could use the help.  

There are lots of ways to reach out and get involved in research as an undergraduate. It will sharpen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills and prepare you for a career in research, if that’s what you choose. Good luck! 

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NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates

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The U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program supports intensive research by undergraduate students in any area of research funded by NSF.

Faculty can apply for funding to support a cohort of undergraduate students in research projects designed specifically for the NSF REU program (an REU Site) or can apply for additional funding to involve undergraduate students in a new or ongoing NSF-funded research project (an REU Supplement).

Undergraduates (college and university students) can apply directly to REU Sites to participate in research projects across the United States and the world. REU-supported students receive stipends and in many cases assistance with housing, meals and travel. (For additional research opportunities, explore the Information for Undergraduates page.)

How to Get Research Experience

New section.

Working in a research setting can make you a competitive medical school applicant and help you  determine if a career in medicine or medical research is right for you.

How do I find a research position?

If you’re currently in college, check with your institution’s science or undergraduate research websites for opportunities to assist with faculty research projects. You can also review faculty bio pages and lab websites for more information. Next, reach out to your immediate network: express your interest in assisting with a research project to your science professors, academic advisor, and your prehealth advisor.

Try exchanging ideas with your peers and upperclassmen for advice on research opportunities at your institution. You can also ask peer advisors, resident advisors, or any fellow premedical students for introductions to principal investigators (PIs). You might even try the “Undergrad-Grad-PI” method. This is where you first reach out to undergraduate students in research labs to learn about their responsibilities; they oftentimes are more responsive. Then, reach out to the graduate or postdoc students to learn about the research question being investigated. After this, read the most recent paper or abstract the lab published. Once you complete these steps, you can approach the PI more confidently and more effectively demonstrate your commitment to and understanding of their project.

Your school’s career center or student employment office may know about research job openings, and they can also offer resume help and go over interview tips and techniques. Remember, opportunities may be on or off campus, full- or part-time, paid or unpaid, or part of a summer program. Once you find a position, you can connect with your school’s fellowships or awards office to inquire about research funding opportunities.

If you’ve already graduated, consider looking into open positions. Research hospitals, universities, and biotech companies are always looking for lab technicians or clinical research coordinators (CRC). Job opportunities are typically posted on the career pages of their websites.

When should I begin gaining research experience in college?

Some premedical students begin their research experiences during their first year of college, and others begin research positions after they have already graduated. On average, most students secure a research position during their junior or senior year. There are three big factors that will impact this:

• Your level of interest in pursuing research. If you are really excited to investigate a question under a mentor, you might find yourself reaching out to professors early and often. Other students may focus on gaining clinical experience, and therefore wait later in their academic career to start research.
• Readiness for the research project. Different PIs will have different expectations for preparation. A research project might require you to first take coursework in basic lab sciences, statistics, or another advanced topic specific to the project. Other PIs may prefer to train you on the job through their graduate or postdoc students. This will impact when you are ready to join a project.
• Finding the right research project. There is a process of reviewing different PIs and research projects to find the right fit for you. What subject do you want to investigate? Do you want your research project to take place in a lab or non-lab setting? Is there an independent question you want to investigate with the help of a mentor?

When is the best time to look for a position?

According to Kate Stutz, PhD, Director of Pre-Health Advising at Brandeis University, if you’re interested in a research position during the academic year, the best time to look for positions is at the very beginning of the semester. There also tend to be a lot of research opportunities in the summer, both paid and volunteer, through set programs like the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs). It’s best to start applying for summer research positions in December-February for the upcoming summer. Remember, typically there are more applicants than available spots so get your applications in early. Each undergraduate institution will be different, therefore make sure to connect with your advisors and peers for feedback on when to start looking.

What’s the best way to apply?

The outreach email message that you send to potential research faculty is very important. This message should include a formal introduction of yourself, evidence that you are familiar with their research project(s), and a clear, specific ask. Identify what you hope to contribute to the project. Do you want to clean the glassware or analyze lab findings? Consider attaching your resume as well. Dr. Stutz stresses that networking and persistence are crucial to finding a position. Make sure you’re using all of your network, including your peers and professors, to find open positions. Don’t be afraid to send follow-up emails; faculty are very busy and often overlook emails. Sometimes, it can be even more effective to stop by a professor’s office hours to hand deliver your materials and indicate your interest in person.

How should I prepare for an interview?

With any interview, it’s important to make a good impression. Be sure to dress appropriately. Come prepared with a resume. Use your campus career center for advice on proper attire and resume best practices.

Often during interviews, you’ll be asked about your career goals. It’s helpful to be able to speak about the steps you plan to take to meet those goals. Talk about classes you’ve taken, especially upper-level science courses. Speak about your skills, your knowledge of techniques, and the equipment you’ve used throughout your coursework. Be prepared to discuss the lab experiments you’ve completed. If you’ve done any sort of research — even in your coursework — keep track of it. This shows you have experience. Lastly, interviewers often ask candidates if they have any questions. Dr. Stutz suggests asking something that indicates you’ve done your own research into their project. You could ask where they see their research going in the next three years or what challenges they anticipate. You could also ask about expectations for undergraduate researchers; do they expect you to work 20+ hours a week? Full time over the summer? Do they require you to have work study or to sign up for research credits? Asking these questions ahead of time can help you plan ahead and determine if this position is the best fit for you. Check out these  interview resources  for more tips.

Does research experience have to be in a wet lab?

No! Research can be performed in any field or subject. We’ve had successful applicants with research in classics, sociology, history, and policy, as well as applicants with research in biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience. Medical schools value all types of research. Research can take place in a scientific lab that requires advanced devices and procedures to obtain data for analysis. Research can also take place in the humanities or social sciences where participant interviews or surveys are needed to obtain an individual's life perspective. The clinical research field is constantly investigating patient outcomes and how to improve care through clinical trials or analysis of patient data. As a premedical student, consider what question you want to investigate further. Do you want to learn more about how health inequities impact disadvantaged communities in your area, or perhaps you want to know more about the protein channels involved in memory cognition? Once you choose a direction, you can then partner with a research PI for guidance on how to navigate your question. Sierra Perez, Pre-Health Advisor at Brandeis University, shares not to be afraid to get creative with your research question. She has been impressed by the medical school applicants who have created independent questions that address community needs. “Applicants are recognizing the critical needs of specific populations, such as [those experiencing] homelessness, LGBTQ+, veterans, youth with disabilities, etc.,” she stated. “There is also a demand for translational researchers, or individuals who can take complicated bench topics and apply it to the clinical world.”

Is research experience required to be accepted to medical school? 

It depends. Some medical schools are very research-focused; they may require a research thesis or have research time built into the curriculum. Other schools are more community or clinically focused; they would rather have an applicant work in a health care setting or volunteer at their local soup kitchen than be at the bench moving clear liquids from one test tube to another. Research experience (in whatever discipline) is helpful for developing some of the Premed Competencies , such as critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, scientific reasoning, as well as teamwork and oral communication skills. How much you should engage in research depends on how much you enjoy it once you try it!

The majority of accepted medical school applicants have some form of academic or clinical research at the time they apply. Competence in research has become increasingly important in the medical field to improve patient care outcomes.

You can also review medical school mission statements to see if research is a focus at a particular school. You can read each school’s mission, and the number of accepted students in their most recent class who had research experience, in the  Medical School Admission Requirements™ . Remember, it’s best to pursue experiences that you’re genuinely interested in, rather than just to check a box, but you may not know if research is for you until you give it a try.  

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Participating in undergraduate research at UC San Diego is a rewarding experience that provides many benefits:

• Create and share knowledge​
• Build relationships with mentors​
• Gain critical thinking and communication skills​
• Cultivate community with peers​
• Travel to conferences​
• Practice public speaking​
• Develop a broad professional network
• Get paid and/or receive academic credit​
• Prepare for graduate school

If you are interested in getting involved with undergraduate research, but need guidance on how to start, we are here to help! Below we detail common factors and opportunities to consider when you're narrowing down your research options and completing the application process.

Important!  Getting involved with undergraduate research is not a linear process (step 1, step 2, etc). The information below is in a list to help you easily find what you need, but the process of getting involved with research is not the same for every opportunity or program. T he order of the steps will vary across opportunities .  For example, depending on the program, you may need to find a faculty mentor prior to applying to the program, after applying to the program, or a faculty mentor will be assigned to you. Use the information below as applicable and necessary.

Personal factors to consider

When considering research programs or other research opportunities, it is important to know your wants, needs, and eligibility. Below are a list of questions to think about and answer to help you when you start researching, narrowing down, and applying to opportunities. Consider current and future interests when answering the questions. 

• What goals do you have in mind (e.g. gain technical skills, gain experience for medical school applications, etc.)?
• What skills do you want to gain?
• What skills do you have to offer?
• UC San Diego
• Other university
• Out-of-state
• When do you want to do research? 
• Academic year and/or summer?
• Which quarter(s)? 
• How many experiences do you want to complete?
• What other time commitments do you have in your life?
• Pay as an employee
• Scholarship/stipend
• Research/class credits
• Co-curricular record
• What field(s) do you want to do research in?
• Do you want to do research individually or with a group? (This often, but not always, depends on the field/professor).
• Do you want to work on your own project or a professor/PI's project? (This often, but not always, depends on the field/professor).
• Citizenship
• Race/ethnic identity
• Family income
• Student status (number of course units you have)
• Career goals
• Education goals (bachelor's, master's, doctorate, medical school, etc.)
• Are you a first-generation student? (your parent(s) didn't earn a 4-year degree)

Research opportunities

There are many ways to find and participate in research at UC San Diego and elsewhere. Here are some of the ways to explore your options. These apply to all fields and interest areas, including interdisciplinary options. 

Hint:  When researching opportunities, look for those geared towards your chosen field as well as those open to "all fields."

• Search the Undergraduate Research Hub's programs
• Search the All UC San Diego Undergraduate Research Programs database
• Academic Internship Portal
• Research Experience & Applied Learning Portal
• TAs / graduate students
• Student organizations
• Mentoring programs
• Opportunities outside for UC San Diego (FAQ)
• Opportunities abroad (FAQ)

Field specific factors

The information below is based on common experiences of our students; however, some students have converse experiences.  Use the information to guide your pursuit of conducting undergraduate research, but understand that your experience may be different.

Arts, humanities, and social sciences

For arts, humanities, and social sciences (e.g., music, literature, sociology) students, it is common to work with a professor individually, whether through a formal opportunity/program or through volunteering. Our information on finding a mentor can help you find a faculty member to work with. 

In these fields, it can be easier to pursue your own research project.

In addition to the research opportunities listed above, you may be able to

• Volunteer for a professor with similar research interests
• Ask a professor if you can do research for 199 credit (without a formal program)

Engineering, life sciences, and physical sciences

For engineering, life sciences, and physical sciences (e.g., engineering, biology, physics) students, it is common to work in a lab / with a research group on a ongoing project, whether through a formal opportunity/program or through volunteering. 

In addition to the research opportunities listed above, you may also want to

• Look for undergraduates listed (this indicates that they are open to working with undergraduates)
• Reach out to an undergraduate and/or graduate student to learn details about this research group
• Find contact information for this research group and contact them about opportunities

Evaluate opportunities

Consider multiple options! Don't limit yourself to one program. You can apply to multiple options at a time and can participate in different options throughout your undergraduate career.

Important!  After you decide on the opportunities that you want to consider, research what is required to apply.

• How they align with your answers to the questions in the "things to consider" list above
• Eligibility
• Requirements
• Application due dates
• Application documents (e.g. personal statement, letter of recommendation, transcripts)
• Application processes
• Research group requirements and expectations (if applicable)

Other steps: picking a topic, picking a mentor, applying, etc.

Remember: Getting involved with undergraduate research is not a linear process (step 1, step 2, etc). The information below is in a list to help you easily find what you need, but the process of getting involved with research is not the same for every opportunity or program. The order of the steps will vary across opportunities.

• Choose a research topic
• Find a faculty research mentor
• Ask for a letter of recommendation
• Reach out to the writing hub  for help
• Undergraduate Research Hub (URH) application process  
• For non-URH opportunities, visit their websites for application instructions.
• Review our FAQs  for commonly asked questions
• Contact a URH staff member with any further questions!

The Research Guide

Anahi Ibarra is a UCSD Alumna that created a research flip-book guide for her TRELS Spring 2020 research project, specifically for first generation college students. She hopes this PDF guide can help all students interested in research and provide resources on how to get involved on campus.

Check out the Guide!

Undergraduate Research Hub

CONNECT WITH THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH HUB:

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Online and remote research, online & remote research opportunities .

Ground-breaking research is being done everywhere across the world, with much of the work being done from remote locations. Many academic departments offer both in-person and remote research opportunities for undergraduates either through working directly with faculty in a mentored project, through  Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs), or through  Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). As the university and faculty members adapt to an increasingly flexible workplace, online and remote research opportunities continue to increase. This page provides resources for undergraduate students seeking to find and be involved in remote and online research experiences during both the school year and the summer. 

Where do I find online and remote research?

The sections below share different avenues to find online, virtual, and remote research experiences for both the academic year and over the summer. These opportunities are available for any undergraduate student interested in remote research.

Check out Handshake , which can be used to find research positions, internships, employment opportunities, and networking events that are currently accepting applications!

What is Handshake?

• Handshake is a free-to-use online platform that undergraduates can use to find on-campus and/or off-campus workshops, jobs, internships, research experiences, and events.
• Students must use their UA NetID to create and log into your Handshake account.
• For more tips and tricks on how to utilize Handshake in your research journey, please visit here .

How can I use Handshake to find online and remote opportunities? 

• Log in Handshake  with your UA NetID in order to access the main home page.
• On the left-hand side bar, click on  Jobs .
• Go to  All Filters  and scroll down to the bottom until you see the heading  Labeled by your school .
• In the search bar that is below the Labeled by your school  heading, search  undergraduate research  in order to see the research opportunities that the URA staff has tagged.
• On the top bar, go to the  on-site/remote drop-down heading and filter by  remote - work from home.

ura online work.png

The UA Researchers Database  is   an online list of UA faculty from every academic department that welcome undergraduates students into their research projects. The database is updated regularly with new faculty who are interested in welcoming undergraduate students into their research projects on- or off-campus. Faculty can now indicate their ability to offer remote and online opportunities.

We recommend using our Faculty Profiles resource in conjunction with the UA Researchers Database. While the UA Researcher Database provides brief descriptions of current projects, profiles.arizona.edu  provides a convenient and extensive platform for learning more about a faculty member's research interest, current and past projects, publications, classes, and much more. 

How do I use the UA Researchers Database to find online and remote research?

• Go to our UA Researchers Database , which can be found under our  Find Research  drop-down heading.
• You will be able to set your preferences at the top of the database list, such as your preferred College ,  Department , and  Types of Opportunities  (e.g. for course credit, paid, volunteer, and/or not given). 
• You can also type a certain research interest you may have in the Keyword Search  area.
• You can also set your preferred location! In the  Research Location  menu, choose the  Online  option. This option was recently added to the database, so not many researchers have responded yet. Please Check again regularly for more online opportunities!
• Click the Apply option   when you have set all your preferences to see the list of faculty that best fits with your own interests and preferences!

How do I use the Faculty Profiles resource to find online and remote research?

There are two ways that you can use the profiles.arizona.edu to find online and remote research opportunities; we will be showing you both!

In Conjunction with the UA Researchers Database:

• Once you have found a faculty member that you are interested in from the UA Researchers Database, type their name name in the search bar below the  Search UA Faculty, Educators, Scholars, and Researchers  heading. Sometimes, it takes a long time for the profile to load, so please be patient!
• After the page has loaded, the faculty member's profile will appear below the search bar. Feel free to explore this informtion, which will include their  Biography , Interests  in teaching and research,  Courses , and  Scholarly Contributions , which includes their journals and publications.
• Before reaching out to the faculty member, we encourage you to read through their research interests as well as explore their publications , such as reading the abstract of their publication, in order to gain a better understanding of their research. If you need help in emailing and reaching out to faculty about research opportunities, please go to this helpful resource .

Only Using the Faculty Profiles:

• In the search bar below the  Search UA Faculty, Educators, Scholars, and Researchers  heading, you can search up certain key words that will lead you to faculty profiles that best matches it!
• Try searching up  online  and/or  remote  in the search bar to find faculty profiles that either teach courses or conduct research remotely and/or offer research opportunities that can be done remotely.

There are many online, remote, and virtual research programs available for undergraduate students across a broad variety of research interests. These programs can be summer or academic year and are offered by a number of universities. Please read each program carefully for their description, application requirements, and program dates. This section will be updated regularly as more online programs become available for the summer.

Online Programs for 2024-25

For other online summer research programs, please visit the AAMC's list of Summer Undergraduate Research and the NSF's list of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) .

Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) Scholars

Description :   The Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) offers an immersive online course in Asian Health for undergraduate and graduate students, featuring a 9-week summer focus on Data Science and Vulnerable Populations. The program trains scholars in population science research, equipping them with skills in database analysis, healthcare research, and problem-solving in vulnerable populations. It emphasizes collaboration with various stakeholders and covers topics like Asian health, medical technology, AI, global health, research essentials, innovation, leadership, scholarship, presentation skills, and career development. Students will also be able to build valuable connections within Stanford CARE's global network and present their research at the annual Stanford's CARE Summer Research Symposium .

Application Requirements :   $75 application fee

Deadline :   January 14th, 2024

Program Dates : June 2024-August 2024

Texas A&M University Department of Material Sciences & Engineering Online Research Experience for Undergraduates (O-REU)

Description : The Texas A&M University is pleased to offer an online REU (O-REU) program in partnership with  Los Alamos National Laboratory . During the summer, students are expected to participate ( 40 hours/week ) and are remunerated $5000 for the summer. All activities are carried out fully remotely: there are no in-person meetings and no residency requirement. Travel support for one site visit will also be made available. O-REU is open to US citizens and permanent residents currently pursuing bachelor's degrees.

Application Requirements :   1 page resume, recent electronic transcript, list of preferred mentors (please consult the faculty interests list), and contact information (name, professional affiliation, email address) of two professional references

Deadline : Friday, April 28th, 2024 at 5:00 PM CST

Program Dates : May 24 to August 4, 2024

Please email the application required materials and/or any inquiries to  Ms. Isabel Cantu .

Neoscholar CIS Online Research Program

Description : The CIS online research program is offered throughout the year. A CIS program course usually hosts fifteen students, who are divided into small research groups. The program is generally 24 hours with our professors across ten weeks , including 2 hours of lectures in each of the first six weeks and 3 hours of research seminars in each of the last four weeks. Each course will be assigned an experienced instructor to provide academic instruction sessions and research guidance to students. 

Application Requirements : Please access the application form  and be able to answer its secondary questions.

Deadline : N/A

Program Dates : N/A

Please email any questions or request a brochure from [email protected] .

Description : CrowdMath is an online, open project that gives all college students the opportunity to collaborate on a large research project with top-tier research mentors and an exceptional peer group. MIT PRIMES and Art of Problem Solving are working together to create a place for students to experience research mathematics and discover ideas that did not exist before.

Application Requirements : Please create a free account to participate.

Please email any questions to  [email protected] .

Pembroke College of Cambridge Online Summer Research Programme

Description :  The Online Summer Research Programme offers you the unique opportunity to experience the renowned Cambridge style of teaching from anywhere in the world. It’s a real opportunity to challenge yourself academically and develop deep subject knowledge, working one-to-one with an expert in the field. From cyber warfare to the economic viability of Obamacare, we almost cover it all on our Subject Stream and for everything we don’t, you’re able to propose your own research topics on our Open Stream. Outside of supervisions, you’ll also connect and make friendships with other students on the programme through online networking events.  

Application Requirements : Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2, have finished your first-year of college, and have high level of English Fluency. Please visit the application site to see what other application materials are required (e.g. transcript, project form).

Deadline : TBA

Program Dates : July 1st-28th, 2024

Please email any questions to  [email protected].

BeMo ®  4-Month & 1-Year Research Programs

Description :   BeMo ® offers many different types of online research projects   for all undergraduate students that will best prepare them for their application to medical school.

• Online Independent Research Program : You can get research experience that makes your application stand out from the comfort of your home and have weekly meetings online via video conference with your team of research committee members. You can choose between the 4-months or the 1-year research program to conduct a literature review research project on a high impact topic hand selected by the PhDs.
• Step-by-Step Guided Research : The BeMo® team of research experts will help you each step of the way from choosing the best research topic to scientific research methodology to presentation and publication. Each week you'll meet for private one-on-one consultations to go over your research and get specific guidance and feedback as your progress.
• High-Impact Research Projects : You can research high-impact topics, such as Psychiatric, COVID-19, Substance-abuse, Vaccines, COPD, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Ulcerative Colitis, Stroke, Heart Attack, Asthma, Obesity, Women’s Health, Cancer, and more.
• Master Scientific Research Methodology : You will attend 6 guided workshops and complete 5 exercises to learn research methodology, literature search, data analysis, scientific communication, research manuscript creation, and research presentation. In the 4-months program you'll attend 15 sessions and in the 1-year program you'll receive 48 sessions to guide you at every step of the way.
• Gain Experience Writing Research Papers:  BeMo®  team of research experts will help you complete a research summary paper on your research topic to help you learn the essential principles of scientific inquiry and publication. Your research summary will be published on the BeMo®  website, so you can use it as a reference on your applications and CV.

Application Requirements :  You can schedule a free 15-minute initial consultation , where you will be able to talk about what option of research is the best fit for you. Prices for these research projects are listed on their website .

Program Dates: N/A

The University of Arizona Library  is available online for all UA undergraduate students. Students will be able to find wide variety of online resources, such as research journals, course guides, tutorials for library research, and much more. This section will provide a brief overview of resources that are available and important for online and remote researchers. Please also explore the UA Library Online & Distance Students site , which provides information on research resources, on how to develop your research skill. 

How can I find online research resources?

There are many different ways on how to find online research through the UA Library site. You will be able to access these online resources for free with your NetID and password.

• Use the library search engine to find both print and online content, including articles, books, ebooks, films, and more. You can type any keywords that may aid you in your search in the search bar at the top of the screen.
• You can also search through the online A-Z database  to find a specific resource based on subject, database type, vendor/provider, and keyword (e.g. description or title). 
• If you are unable to find what you need through the website, you can also receive a free library card at your local library, such as at Pima County Public Library , if you are a local resident.
• Finally, you can search for academic resources that are tailored to your discipline . This site features many guides that are categorized by course number (e.g. ENG 101), subject (e.g. General Chemistry), and topic (e.g. AI literacy). You can also search for a specific guide using the search bar near the bottom of the webpage. 

How can I learn and/or improve my research skills?

The UA Library has made quick video tutorials, articles, and quizzes that can teach you skills on how to be a better researcher, through both academics and research. These videos are meant to build your foundation in research, such as how to cite empirical articles, how to evaluate online information, how to find a research interest/topic, etc! Please explore the Learn with Tutorials webpage from the UA Library in order to delve deeper into the resources our online library has to offer! The UA Library also offer support for any researchers , such as funding & networking opportunities, research proposal plans, management of citations, publishing opportunities, and much more!

Not sure how to find an online research opportunity that suits your interests? Need help reaching out to faculty?

The Undergraduate Research Ambassador (URA) Team is here to support you on any step of your research journey. The URA Team URAs are able to provide one-on-one support to students who would like individualized help in exploring possibilities, communicating with a research mentor, sharing their research ideas, or preparing an application for a research program.

How can I individually meet with an URA?

There are many ways for undergraduate students, who are online and/or remote, to receive  one-and-one support  from URAs at any step of their research journey:

• Sign up for a 1:1 meeting!  Schedule your appointment through  Handshake . Meetings are available through zoom and usually last 30 minutes! Appointments can be made throughout the week, including weekends!
• Send an email!  Write any questions, thoughts, or concerns to  [email protected] . You can also send us email drafts, research program applications, resumes, etc for us to review for you!
• Check out other SECD resources!  The  Student Engagement & Career Development (SECD)  also provides individualized support on preparing your resume, CV, or cover letter for any applications through  Lifelab , which appointments can also be made through Handshake  with a  Career Educator  or  Career Peer Coach . 

What academic departments at the UA offer online and remote research?

Each academic department manages their own undergraduate research program and may have specific steps for how to become involved, even for online and remote research opportunities. The list below will provide links and information on the different types of online research, such as VIPs, CUREs, research teams, or faculty projects that are unique to the academic department or college. The full list of all of the academic departments and colleges, with links to their websites, can be found here . 

This sections lists online Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for the  academic year of 2023-24  and other online research opportunities by online UA Faculty . This site will be updated regularly, so check in with us!

Online Course-Based Research Experiences for Fall 2024

APCV361: Data Analysis and Visualization

Description :   Data Analysis and Visualization will lay a foundation for students to understand how to process, analyze, and visualize data.  Topics include data collection and integration, exploratory data analysis, statistical inference and modeling, machine learning, and data visualization.  The emphasis of the course topics will be placed on integration and synthesis of concepts and their application to solving problems.  Students will explore these topics using software tools.

Prerequisites :   College of Applied Science & Technology (CAST) student, APCV 302 and APCV 320, Prior Python programming

Credits :  3 credits

Other Information : Asynchronous online, optional weekly meetings

Instructor :   Dr. Li Xu , College of Applied Science & Technology

BAT/ENGR/CALS 102 | Data Science Heroes: An Undergraduate Research Experience in Open Data Science Practices

Description :   Despite a growing demand for data scientists, university training in science ethics, code licensing and best reproducibility practices are not generalized for undergraduates. In this Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), students will conduct an assessment of the current landscape and the evolution of accessibility, documentation and reproducibility practices in bioinformatics. The CURE will be a two-credit course in the Department of Biosystems Engineering accessible to students from any college. Students will learn and reflect upon best practices for open science and science reproducibility. Several practical skills will also be developed such as science communication, as well as the use of computational tools for code versioning and documentation.

Prerequisites :   None

Credits : 3  credits

Other Information : Asynchronous online

Instructor : Dr. Bonnie Hurwitz , Dr. Alise Ponsero, College of Engineering

HWRS 349A&B/350 | Principles of Hydrology

Description : Students in this course will work to answer the question: “Do monsoon storms start later in the day than they did decades ago?” This question has been raised by numerous long-time Tucson citizens, who insist that monsoon storms start in the late evening (after sunset) rather than 3-5pm. While this started as a pedestrian question, it also has meteorological and practical implications if it is in fact true. The in-person class is a hands-on Collaborative Learning course, and there is a practical, applied lab with several field trips, many of which involve interaction with hydrology & atmospheric science professionals. Some examples of field trips for the lab include: Stream gaging with the US Geological Survey; A tour of the National Weather Survey office and a weather balloon launch; A tour of Biosphere2's Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) Project; and more! This is an excellent course to gain a broad, applied understanding of virtually every subdiscipline in hydrology!

Prerequisites :   Calculus I (MATH 113 or MATH 122A&B)

Credits : 3 Credits

Other Information : Online

Instructor : Dr. Martha Whitaker , College of Science

LING 2/3/499: Community-led Language Technology Development

Description : Students will join a community-based language technology development project, the Coeur d’Alene Online Language Resource Center (COLRC), as an example of a community lead language technology development project that focuses on the needs of a low-resource, minoritized language community. Depending on their skills and interests, participating students will enroll for 1 to 3 credits, at a course level (299, 399, 499) appropriate to their experience, and be assigned to assist in the development and deployment process. The project supports students who wish to develop skills in linguistic analysis and language activism, along with at least one of the following technical skills: coding for frontend, backend, rest interfaces, and scripting (javascript, python); database development (postgres, graphQL); and/or natural language processing (ingest, tokenization, annotation tasks using lum.ai/odinson libraries). Interested students should have at least some familiarity with and enjoyment of coding, but need not have significant experience or expertise in these areas. Students who are members of minoritized or low resource language communities will bring particularly valuable experience and expertise to this work, but any undergraduate student is welcome to participate

Credits : 1-3 credits

Other Information : Asynchronous Online

Instructor :  Amy V Fountain ,  College of Humanities

Online Course-Based Research Experiences for Spring 2024

PAH 420 | Innovation and the Human Condition: Learning How to Improve Life in the Community and Beyond

Description :   This course will equip students with the skills to use the humanities intellectual and analytical traditions to identify and pursue strategic responses to opportunities for innovation in the human condition. Over the course of the semester, students will draw on a range of humanities-based ways of seeing and doing to: 1) identify opportunities for improving the human condition at the community level and beyond; 2) analyze the cultural, political, and economic conditions that influence such opportunities; 3) design technological, industrial, and socio-cultural innovations that are directly responsive to these opportunities; and 4) develop strategic storylines that effectively convey the merits of these innovations to relevant stakeholders.

We will begin by forming small teams of student innovators. Each team will engage, experience, and internalize the course content through a series of activities and tasks that include: 1) identifying a community-based issue or opportunity that warrants an intervention; 2) analyzing the issue or opportunity through secondary research; 3) formulating an innovative strategy that is data-driven and based in the principles and concepts central to the humanities intellectual and analytical traditions; 4) refining and enhancing said innovative strategy through primary research; and 4) developing and delivering a multi-faceted presentation (visual, oral, written) of the strategy to a panel of experts.

Other Information : Asynchronous online, mandatory team weekly meetings, final research project showcase

Instructor :   TBA

HNRS 195J-101: Tasting Tomorrow: Portraying Culture and Futurity through the Culinary World

Description :   The course focuses on a few key areas that center of the relationship we all have with food: examining how food operates in defining culture and discussions around cultural heritage; how specific restaurants and figures have informed the growth of Tucson into a City of Gastronomy; and, how different modalities of food media (food writing, poetry, television, film, web content, art, etc.) shape a variety of discourses on contemporary issues ranging from food scarcity to the politics of eating meat/plants to the treatment of laborers within the broader scope of the food industry. By the end of the semester, students have read and viewed materials to foster robust in-class (or online, or both) discussions of these concerns and themes while producing several research-based small-scale projects using a variety of composing strategies and multimodal mediums (such as using Instagram, developing newsletters/web pages, and executing in-person/digital presentations).

Prerequisites :   Honors College

Credits : 1 credit

Instructor :   Joseph Nardinelli , College of Humanities

HNRS 195H-102: Speaking for Yourself: Understanding Your Linguistic Identity

Description :   We apply methods and concepts from the study of linguistics, with a focus on acoustic and articulatory phonetics for spoken and signed languages, in order to investigate the patterns of language that give each of us our own 'voice'. We share our findings with each other, and in doing so begin to develop an understanding and appreciation of the linguistic diversity around us.

Online UA Research Labs & Projects for Spring 2024

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, you will need to contact the faculty member in charge of the project. Please read our tips on  writing an email to faculty  or schedule a 1:1 Handshake appointment with an URA for personal support on drafting emails.

For other online research opportunities by UA faculty, please visit our extensive database of professors conducting online research and welcoming undergraduate students.

Dr. Dalal Alharthi - Cybersecurity and related fields

Description :   Preferred interest in Cloud Security; Penetration Testing; Incident Response; Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Privacy; and Cybersecurity Education. I nterdisciplinary Research opportunities are available in the intersection between the area of Cybersecurity and several areas such as Computer Science; Public Administration; Business Administration; and Education.

Prerequisites : None

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit

Commitment :  If volunteering, you should commit to 6 hours or more per week. For credit, you may enroll in an Independent Study course.

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Dalal Alharthi , Computer Science

Alicja Babst-Kostecka - Plant Environmental & Genomic Adaptation

Description : My research combines genetic, phenotypic, and environmental information in an integrated framework to study plant adaptation to changing environmental conditions. I am particularly interested in the mechanisms that allow certain plant species to colonize industrially contaminated habitats at former mining sites. These species thereby undergo rapid genetic and physiological adaptation. Specifically, they have evolved the ability to tolerate and sometimes accumulate remarkable amounts of metal trace elements – traits that I am studying in both field and controlled laboratory experiments. My interdisciplinary work sets the stage for mitigating the legacies of industrial exploitation. By advancing the molecular basis of phytoremediation and biofortification efforts, I strive to contribute to improving environmental and human health.

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit, Paid

Commitment : N/A

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Alicja Babst-Kosetecka , Environmental Science

Mixed Augmented ViRtual eXtended Reality Laboratory - MA[VR]X

Description : The Mixed Augmented ViRtual eXtended (Reality) Laboratory in the College of Applied Science & Technology is the University of Arizona’s home for research, exploration, and development for alternative and extended reality media and training in southeastern Arizona. We take a very broad view of “extended reality” to include everything from head-mounted display Topics include: Posthuman inquiry, applied post-phenomenology, extended reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, Web3, metaverse, educational technology, instructional technology, human-computer interaction, cybersecurity, cyber operations, digital identity.

Prerequisites : Preferred interested in extended reality and comfortable with fully remote research. Enrollment in APCV 399 (1-3 credit hours) required.

Types of Opportunities : For Credit

Commitment : 3-9 Hours per week

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Ryan Straight ,  College of Applied Sciences & Technology

Purnima Madhivanan   - Public Health & Health Promotional Sciences

Description : Purnima Madhivananis an Associate Professor in Health Promotion Sciences at the Mel & Enid College of Public Health at University of Arizona. A physician by training from Government Medical College in Mysore, she has a MPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley, USA. She completed her post-doctoral training in 2010. She is the Director of Public Health Research Institute of India (PHRII) and is also the Director of the Global Health Equity Scholars (GHES) Training Program in collaboration with Stanford, Yale and University of California, Berkeley. For the past 20 years, her work has focused on disadvantaged populations, elucidating the dynamics of poverty, gender, and the environmental determinants of health, in particular the impact on women and children living in rural communities. She established a clinic in Mysore, India in 2005 while completing her PhD dissertation. For over a decade, the PHRII/Prerana Women’s Health Initiative has delivered low-cost, high-quality reproductive health services to 44,000 low-income women living in Mysore District. Offering a full-service clinic, molecular laboratory and active affiliations with several major tertiary care hospitals, the site is recognized as a research and training site for Global Health. The Saving Children Improving Lives Program focused on increasing integrated antenatal care and HIV testing services for women in rural and tribal communities using mobile clinics with the help of women’s self-help groups to mobilize and follow-up women. This program model was then adapted to provide cervical cancer screening services in the community in India, which is the only community based cervical cancer screening program in India. Dr. Madhivanan’s work focuses on addressing the systemic inequities that put India’s tribal and rural women at-risk for poor health and birth outcomes. Her current work is at the intersection of infectious and chronic diseases with a special focus on cancer. Dr. Madhivanan serves as an advisor to a number of state departments of Public Health, non-profit as well as governmental research organizations. In 2007, she received the prestigious International Leadership Award from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation for her work on HIV prevention. She has received several awards and honors for mentoring. Dr. Madhivanan’s global health credentials and clinical service has brought unique opportunities for collaboration; most recently benefiting students and faculty interested in learning about Global Health and service in a developing world setting.

Prerequisites : Proficient in Social Media, Website, Technology, MS Office

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Purmina Madhivanan ,  Public Health

Noshene Ranjbar - Cultural & Trauma Psychiatry

Description : Interested in integrative medicine; integrative psychiatry; culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed work with underserved, particularly American Indian community and refugees; mind-body medicine; physician wellness and burnout; medical student wellness and burnout; integration of indigenous and modern medicine and healing practices; PTSD and trauma-spectrum disorders

Prerequisites : Pre-Med

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit, Paid

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Noshene Ranjbar ,  Integrative Psychiatry Program