Research Experiences
How do I get started doing undergraduate research?
There are four steps to getting started in undergraduate research at Arizona State University. These are:
- Determine your goals, interests, and existing commitments;
- Decide which of the four points of entry (volunteer, employment, course credit, organized program) into an undergraduate research experience is best for you;
- Review School of Life Sciences faculty research profiles to find out which faculty are doing research that interests you; other ASU departments and schools maintain similar faculty profiles; and
- Take action (volunteer, register, interview/get hired if the fit is good, apply to your program of choice/get accepted if your application is competitive).
First, it is important to articulate your goals, interests, existing commitments, and level of preparation. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself:
- What do I hope to gain through participating in research? What expectations do I have?
- Where are my strongest interests?
- Which courses have sparked my interest the most?
- How much time (hours per week) do I realistically have to commit to research?
- Do I want to make a one-semester commitment or an academic year commitment?
- Do I have previous practical research experience or technical skills to draw on?
- Do I have the motivation to develop the skills necessary to do research?
Whether you are ready to engage in research depends on your willingness to ask questions, be persistent, communicate with your faculty mentor, and work through ambiguous and sometimes frustrating situations. If you have ample time to commit, are intellectually curious about a topic and willing to work hard to learn what you need to know and to master new skills, then you may be ready for a research experience.
Second, understand that there is no "right" or "best" way to get involved in research. Students at ASU forge their own unique pathways into and through research experiences. Some of the possible options you should consider are:
- Work as a volunteer. Get to know a faculty member through the courses or seminars you attend. Talk to the faculty member about volunteer opportunities available in their lab or at their field site. Read publications like ASU Insight or the State Press to get more information on the kinds of research faculty are engaged in. You may also be able to locate volunteer opportunities through School of Life Sciences Research Centers or on bulletin boards outside of faculty labs, Student Services (LSC 206), or the Enrichment Program Office (LSC 226).
- Work as a paid lab assistant. Lab assistant jobs can be found through the ASU Student Employment and through the School of Life Sciences Employment Opportunity link. Although these jobs may primarily be glassware cleaning, media and chemical stock preparation, and more routine lab tasks, there are often opportunities for highly responsible and motivated students to secure small, structured research projects with the faculty mentor’s consent.
- Do research for course credit. If you want to pursue this option, be sure and check with your advisor to confirm that the course you select meets the requirements of your degree plan. Begin by talking to everyone you can think of about what kind of research you would like to do and ask them for feedback and advice. Then, talk to a variety of faculty members whose research interests you. It is usually best to talk with faculty who are familiar with your academic skills through courses, seminars, and personal contacts. Find out if a research opportunity is available from a faculty member whose research interests you and get a detailed explanation of the research project. Make sure you understand the responsibilities and prerequisites of the research as well as the expectations of the faculty mentor. Obtain a form for research credit from the Enrichment Program Office (LSC 226). Consult with the faculty member you will be doing research with to complete the form. Once the Research form is completed and signed, take it to LSC 226 to obtain the schedule line number (SLN) needed to register for the course. The following courses are available for course credit for research: BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 310 Special Problems and Techniques; BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 484 Internship; BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 492 Honors Individual Study; BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 493 Honors Thesis; BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 495 Undergraduate Thesis; BIO/MBB/PLB/MIC 499 Independent Study.
- Apply to and participate in an organized research program. Find out more about the School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research (SOLUR) program and Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program at ASU. These university and nationally funded programs may provide a salary or stipend to conduct either short-term or long-term independent research with a faculty mentor.
- Apply for summer research experiences for undergraduates (REU) at various universities and college, research centers, and biological field stations (search engine for "REU opportunities"). In addition, summer research positions are posted outside the Enrichment Program Office (LSC 226) as opportunities become available.
Third, understand that you are more likely to be engaged and successful in an undergraduate research position when you have a strong interest in the discipline and topic. Be thorough as you review faculty profiles and current research opportunities available. Don’t hesitate to look at faculty profiles in other departments or schools at ASU for opportunities. Interdisciplinary research opportunities (i.e., mathematics and biology, chemistry and biology, anthropology and biology) may be available.
Fourth, understand that securing an undergraduate research position often requires that you expend a good deal of effort. Not only is it important to peruse faculty profiles and set up appointments with faculty members to find out more about research opportunities available, there are often applications to complete, statements of interest to write, letters of recommendation to request, and interviews to engage in. Be persistent! Act with commitment! And, don’t hesitate to ask for help from administrators in the Enrichment Program office when you need to.