| Welcome to the fastest, most
comprehensive tool for finding and applying to faculty-mentored
undergraduate research opportunities here at UCSD in virtually every
academic discipline! This
site allows you to
- search for Special Studies opportunities
including 97, 98, 99, and 197, 198, 199 courses; and, for various faculty-supervised
research positions (e.g., paid,
for credit, volunteer, summer, off-site)
- store research papers, transcripts,
photos, presentations and other materials, and
- electronically submit customized applications to
professors or programs seeking undergraduate research assistants
Start now by creating an account and building your personal portfolio.
Overview Page menu:
Why undergraduate research?
Working with distinguished UCSD faculty
members in
your field of study, or in any academic discipline that interests you, pays
big dividends. Hands-on research provides you with skills beyond those
obtained in the classroom – skills that enhance your competitiveness for
graduate or professional school admission or high-level employment. Student
researchers receive instruction and experience in some or all of the following areas:
- basic and advanced research protocols/procedures
- critical thinking and analysis
- drafting and completing research papers
- presenting research findings at scholarly
and professional society meetings (on-campus, statewide, national)
- collaboration with research team members
and other
researchers
Undergraduate research
experiences are available in virtually every academic discipline at
UCSD, including: Chemistry and Biochemistry; Humanities and Social
Sciences; Bioengineering, Physics; Cognitive & Neurosciences; Structural
& Civil Engineering; Ethnic Studies; Arts & Humanities; Pharmacology;
Biomedical Research; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Physics;
Bioinformatics; History; Political Science; Psychology; Communication,
and Economics.
UCSD ahead of the curve in providing
undergraduate research
Only recently have significant numbers of undergraduates conducted
original research at colleges and universities. UCSD has encouraged
serious research opportunities for decades through individualized study
courses, programs and activities including the McNair Program,
Faculty Mentor Program, CAMP Science Program, Undergraduate Research
Conference, and UCSD Summer Research Program. These programs are
offered through Academic Enrichment Programs (AEP).
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Types of research
Research is conducted in virtually every
discipline – from biology and astrophysics to music, drama and art.
Generally defined, research is a systematic inquiry that establishes
findings, investigates hypotheses, suggests new interpretations of data or texts,
and poses new questions for future research to explore. In practice, research methods take on many
different patterns and vary widely, depending upon the academic
discipline’s accepted standards, the individual researcher’s preferences,
or a particular study’s needs.
Broadly speaking, research is divided into
three categories: Basic (also called Pure), Applied, and
Clinical. You
will encounter other varieties as well, but these three are the most
common within university settings.
Basic (or Pure) research is generally characterized by exploration of the
theoretical and performed to further the frontiers of human knowledge.
Applied (or Practical) research is
generally characterized by experimental investigation with the goal of
discovering solutions to specific, existing problems defined in advance by
researchers. The results of this type of research, can be “applied”
or directly utilized in some practical application.
Clinical research is generally conducted in
a clinical setting (for example, hospital, medical clinic) and focuses upon
discovering cures for specific human/animal diseases or other health
problems. Such research, building upon knowledge gained through basic and
applied research, results in treatments and drugs that directly improve
human healthcare.
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Five Steps to Good Research - Get the
best out of your undergraduate research experience – follow these 5
steps.
1. Follow a Plan. Even the most unexpected
developments in research often arise from a well thought-out approach to
solving a specific problem or filling a gap in existing knowledge.
2. Carefully Review Previous Work.
Reviewing current and past information and data related to a project may
require days or even weeks of reviewing journal articles or other texts
and searching the web. Although pains-taking, this step often actually
saves time by helping you focus on particular issues, avoid dead-ends, and
support or reject certain assumptions about the project.
3. Test Your Project’s Underlying Theory.
To test a theory or hypothesis, you may conduct a lab experiment, survey a target
population group, or observe a particular phenomenon or activity. Arts and
humanities scholars often move immediately from review to analysis.
4. Analyze Project Results. As a scholar in
science or engineering, you must demonstrate to reviewers how each step in
an
experiment supports your conclusion. It is essential that scientific
research results are able to be duplicated (i.e., proven) by others. If
you are conducting research in the social sciences or humanities, you must build your
conclusion upon reasonable interpretations of texts or other materials
easily available to others.
5. Make Your Results/New Ideas Available to
Others. This is usually accomplished through publication, presentations at
scholarly conferences, or ongoing communications with other researchers. Seeing your
work and dedication
contribute to the growth of knowledge in your field, and receiving
subsequent ideas and suggestions from other researchers, is one of the most
satisfying elements of conducting research.
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Finding the right
faculty mentor and research
opportunity -- FOR YOU
The many benefits of being involved in a
research project (e.g., hands-on experience, forming a working
relationship with your faculty mentor, strong letters of recommendation)
make it a rewarding and valuable activity. Identifying your best research
opportunity, however, may prove challenging.
In today's world, complex research projects
are very often undertaken by teams of researchers. Your research as an
undergraduate, for example, may team you with a faculty researcher and
very possibly with his/her graduate research assistants and/or other undergraduate research assistants.
Begin by asking yourself some fundamental
questions:
• Are you interested in a more thorough
exploration of a subject you already know fairly well?
• Are you interested in being introduced to a new subject?
• Are you hoping this experience will help you decide whether to attend
graduate or professional school?
• Do you have time for a 10-15 hour/week commitment?
• Do you have a faculty research mentor in mind?
• Do you wish to receive academic credit?
• Do you want/need a salary/stipend/scholarship?
• Are you willing to do volunteer work?
• Are you looking for a full-time summer program (perhaps involving
travel)?
If you answered yes to any of these
questions, you should begin exploring research opportunities. Talk to
friends, advanced students, faculty members, program staff, and others
familiar with serious research. Ask them how they selected their own
research activities. Use this site and its links to determine which
programs are suitable for first and second year students and which are best
for upper division or transfer students. Look for eligibility
requirements, including GPA or ethnicity, citizenship, or other conditions
of participation. Identify programs or positions that mesh with your goal
of becoming a physician, economist, professor, film-maker, biomedical
engineer, or some other profession. With a bit of dedicated searching you will
find a wealth of opportunities, so it’s helpful to have some guidelines in
place.
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What is the Faculty Mentor Program
option?
Juniors and seniors with a 2.7 Grade Point
Average (GPA) are eligible to conduct research as part of UCSD's Faculty
Mentor Program (FMP). FMP students perform faculty-mentored research for
two quarters (usually Winter and Spring), write a research paper and
present their findings at the annual Faculty Mentor Research Symposium,
thus gaining valuable professional experience and insight. In exchange,
they receive eight units of 199 credit and are entitled to attend monthly
seminars focusing on research principles, academic writing, research
presentations, graduate school admission, and financial support. If
qualified, you should strongly consider applying for this program through
Academic Enrichment Programs (AEP).
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