Choose Your Next Adventure: The Undergraduate Research Experience

Every scientist is on their very own unique path. With all of the innovations being developed, fields intersecting, and new directions being taken, the medical industry is changing day by day. These changes are good, and they enable each person to pursue a path that fits them, a path that fits their strengths and interests, a path that lets them change the world in their very own way. Many college students in STEM fields, though, seem to believe that they are just learners at the moment; we think that we are just standing by and watching during college until we can finally engage after we receive a 8.5-by-11-inch diploma. However, what I have learned during the first half of my freshman year is that even freshmen have a plethora of opportunities to learn by participating and engaging in the scientific community.

 

Undergraduate Research

Personally, I am drawn to research as a means of active learning because I can gain insights about my field while gaining insights about the nature of life itself and of the world. When you are working in an academic laboratory, you are observing new things, many of which have never been seen or measured before. It is so empowering to be on the front lines of discovery. Whether you find yourself interested in traditional laboratory research or whether you would rather research in the social sciences, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. The two main types of undergraduate research (as I see it) are listed below.

 

Laboratory Research

There are many stereotypes about laboratory research; many see it as boring, tedious, or even lonely. However, these ideas are challenged by actually laboratory scientists like Annaliese Hettinger, who wrote a blog post on her experiences in the laboratory. She says that while laboratory research can occasionally be tedious, it is never boring. Being bored by your research might indicate that you should take another direction or revisit the true purpose of your research to regain inspiration and motivation. Another common misconception is that most laboratory research is in the life sciences; however, chemistry (inorganic and organic), physics, and engineering labs are just as common as life sciences laboratories and they are just as important to society.

 

Social Science Research

If you find yourself scared off by micro-scale pipettes, mega-scale machinery, or hefty-sized Excel sheets, do not fear. There is a large sector of research based on social science with research methods based more in surveys and focus groups than procedures and probes. Disciplines from psychology to education need to conduct research in order to optimize their knowledge of their fields. Most professors value undergraduates in these research settings, especially because people rarely realize that this type of research is even available to them. So, even if STEM is not where your interests lie, you can still learn new things about the world that nobody has ever observed before.

 

How to Get Involved

A great first step is to check out this database of all of the available undergraduate research at opportunities at Penn State. You can filter opportunities based on the areas of study (by academic college funding the research) or you can just browse the full list. Another (slightly more tedious) option is to find a faculty listing for your major or the realm you would like to research in. Each of the listed faculty often have their research stated on their profile, and some of them even have links to their research lab’s website where you can learn about what they are currently doing. Then, it is helpful to contact professors through email expressing your interest in their research (be sure to know what their specific research is about) and try to schedule a meeting where you can discuss their research and discuss becoming a member of their research lab. If you feel uncomfortable becoming a student researcher right away, you can also participate in social science research as a test subject. You can complete surveys or volunteer to get tested every once in a while, and some of these opportunities even offer pay.

 

You are smart, capable, and determined to gain knowledge in your field. Participating in whatever capacity you can will help you, your immediate college community, and the scientific community as a whole. You can do it!