What I enjoy most about my research is developing close ties to the department and really getting to know professors, postdocs and grad students. These relationships are just as important as the research experience itself, because they allow you to really get a taste of what it’s like to work in academia while also providing you with a strong base upon which to build your academic and research network.”
Rebekka Puderbaugh, '06
Major: Linguistics
About Research
What is undergraduate research?
Research is the systematic pursuit of knowledge and an exciting process of discovery. And it’s not just for scientists. Every field of study has its own research problems and methods. As a researcher, you choose the tools then gather and analyze data as you seek answers to questions of interest to you. Your research problem could be aesthetic, socio-political, scientific, or technical.
Why should I get involved in undergraduate research?
To challenge yourself, to contribute to knowledge, to learn more about something that interests you passionately, to see if you want to go to graduate school, or to top off your undergraduate career with a capstone research project. Many students find research projects an extremely exciting way to learn—opening them up to new worlds of knowledge.
What are my chances of participating in research?
With a high ratio of faculty to students, it’s possible for almost any student to take part in undergraduate research. Not only is the University a major research institution with world-class scholars, scientists, libraries and laboratories, it also has a long–standing commitment to make these resources fully available to undergraduates. Research exemplifies the kind of learning that the Rochester Curriculum is all about—making you the author of your education.
Erika Ilagan '07, Biochemistry
“I found myself more motivated to do course work while doing research, because I finally saw the application of what I’ve been learning. At the same time, being constantly around principal investigators, post-docs, and graduate students can be very humbling—it makes you realize how truly little you know about things.”
Research: “Biochemical Properties of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (African Green Monkey) Reverse Transcriptase Variants”