As an undergraduate, you can begin building your skills and contributing to the research for the team you work with early on. It’s an opportunity to challenge yourself, build relationships with senior scientists, and add depth to your university experience. You may find that you do research in your freshman year and continue until graduation.
Research opportunities begin on day one
Getting started
Step 1: Learn about the research going on in the department and beyond and identify two or three areas that interest you.
- Visit faculty web pages to learn about their fields of interest.
- Talk to your advisor.
- Talk to other students and your TA’s about their research.
- Look at the posters in the hallways of the department.
Step 2: Contact two or three faculty members and ask for an appointment to discuss their research and the possibility of an undergrad position on their team. If you don't hear back within a few weeks, send another email or drop by their office.
Work with a mentor as a graduate student
As a graduate student, you'll develop and enhance your research capabilities as you work hand-in-hand with your faculty mentor to identify a niche subject for yout thesis. From there, you'll go on to test your theses firsthand, conducting research in the lab and in the field.
Research Funding & Programs
Undergraduate students
The Center for Research and Learning maintains a list of many IUPUI sponsored Undergraduate Funding Opportunities. Several of these that may be of interest to you include the University Research Opportunities Program (UROP), Multidisciplinary undergraduate research institute (MURI), and Commitment to Excellence in STEM Scholarship. If interested, please contact Angel Campbell at: acampbel@iupui.edu.
Sophomores and juniors may apply for the Life/Health Sciences Internship Program, which offers many opportunities for research in the IU School of Medicine and other health professions schools on campus.
The School of Science Institute for Mathematical Modeling and Computational Science may also have research opportunities for students.
Graduate Students
The School of Science Graduate Student Council and the IUPUI Graduate Office both offer travel awards and fellowships to help cover the cost of national conference travel expenses.