Research opportunities for undergraduate students abound in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In fact, the faculty’s dedication to the intellectual growth of its undergraduate students perhaps is best exemplified in the laboratory, a natural extension of the classroom, where students work under the direction of their advising professors to apply and test knowledge and theory in the pursuit of new discoveries.

This level of faculty-student interaction builds a true community of scholars, a defining characteristic of academic life in the College that has a transformational effect on all who study and teach here.

“So great is the influence of a sympathetic mind that our students are affected by us as we teach and we by them as they learn. Thus we come to dwell in each other; they speak within us what they hear, while we learn in them what we teach.”
— The Instruction of Beginners XII, 17

Through laboratory work and field study, students enrich and deepen their educational experiences and stimulate their creativity. They use and sharpen their critical thinking, reading, and writing skills; they analyze and synthesize data and information, building hypotheses, applying methodologies, and drawing sensible conclusions. As a result, research produced by undergraduates in these disciplines is often of the same caliber, rigor, and sophistication as work generated by students at the graduate level.

Faculty, in turn, who administer their own labs and guide undergraduate students through research projects in them, remain immersed in developments in their respective fields and in their own scholarly research. Through a commitment to undergraduate teaching and mentorship, faculty members stay at the forefront of advances in their disciplines and share this knowledge with their students in the classroom and the lab.

Students are encouraged to speak with their professors to learn more about specific opportunities related to their chosen fields of study.

“Our faculty members are passionate about their roles as research mentors because they are passionate about the future of our students. I have never worked with a group of scientists who are more committed to this mission.”
— Dr. Russell M. Gardner, professor and chair of the department of biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

“The psychology faculty believes that the pursuit and discovery of new knowledge through empirical research is one of the most intellectually stimulating and most rewarding experiences our students can have. It is especially beneficial for those who may be considering graduate school and careers in psychology. Our faculty is committed to providing research opportunities for our students, and we are proud of their achievements.”
— Dr. Thomas C. Toppino, professor and chair of the department of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences