Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about undergraduate research. If you still have questions after reading this, please feel free to reach out to the department head.
Be proactive! Do your homework! Visit the department webpage and click on the link for Faculty & Staff. Under the profile section for each faculty member there is a description of their research projects. Once you identify a research project that interests you, reach out to the faculty member to discuss your interests and determine whether it is possible to join their research group.
Under certain circumstances, a student can start doing research as early as the second semester of their first year. More realistically, students join a research group in their sophomore year or later. Remember that doing research under the supervision of a particular faculty member may not always be possible. Faculty can only mentor a certain number of students during the semester and it is possible that some factors such as lab space available or time constraints limit their ability to become your research mentor.
There are no department-wide requirements to conduct research in the Biology department. However, some faculty members expect that their prospective research students have completed certain courses related to the faculty member’s area of research (these courses are typically taught by that particular faculty member). Perhaps, commitment is what you need the most!
The short answer: it depends. A great GPA never hurts, but faculty mentors will take students for a wide variety of reasons. Thus, if you’re interested, it’s always worth discussing research with a faculty member, regardless of your GPA. Talk to your academic advisor and the prospective faculty mentor to learn more about this. However, if you plan to pursue an Honor Thesis project, there are certain College criteria you must meet first, one of them a minimum GPA.
Independent research (course designations BIOL 401 through BIOL 404) and Honors Thesis (course designations BIOL 495 and BIOL 496) are exclusively conducted for academic credit. Only one semester of research can count towards graduation (read more about this on our “Degree requirements” page). However, there other opportunities to conduct paid research, such as the EXCEL program.
Expectations vary and are set exclusively by your faculty mentor. Typically, students are expected to be in the laboratory or doing field work an average of 10 hours per week. Prior to joining a research group, you are required to undergo a safety training workshop. Some faculty may expect you to turn in a final report or give an oral or poster presentation. Your mentor will share a comprehensive set of guidelines with you at the start of the semester.