¹ú²úÔ­´´

First Steps and General Advice

The following points are based on feedback provided by ¹ú²úÔ­´´ students on how to become involved undergraduate research:

• Go to office hours, especially with your TA. Both undergraduate and graduate TAs can help connect you with a project that fits your interests and learning style.
• Search for scholarly articles written by professors at ¹ú²úÔ­´´ and seek out professors who have written on topics that interest you. Read professors’ online biographies to find out more about their backgrounds and current research.
• Talk to your VUceptor, your faculty VUceptor, your Commons Head of House, or your academic adviser. Even if they are not in a similar department to the one you are interested in, they probably know someone who is.
• Schedule a meeting with the or the Office of Immersion Resources to learn about the many research opportunities available to ¹ú²úÔ­´´ students.
• The , , and the all have published resources for students who wish to pursue undergraduate research.
• Take courses that are designed to prepare you for research.
• Send out personal emails to professors you would like to meet with, even if you have not taken a class with them before. If you can, reference a former student who recommended them.
• Even if you do not have previous experience, show professors that you are prepared by citing relevant classwork and demonstrating enthusiasm and responsibility.
• Be honest about your availability. Research can be a substantial time commitment, so be sure to take your academic and extracurricular activities into consideration.