Develop Critical Skills Through Research

Participating in research during your undergraduate years is a great way to develop skills that can be used in future jobs, as well as through graduate or professional school. Through engagement in research, you develop transferable skills that can be used in any career path. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration. Communication skills developed include both written and oral communication as, through research, you may have opportunities to present your research, as well as write papers and reports. Critical thinking and problem solving are skills naturally developed through research as you conduct investigations that often require you to think through challenges encountered in the lab or through analysis. Finally, collaboration is a significant part of undergraduate research. Collaboration with faculty, other undergraduate students and graduate students is an important part of the research experience and a skill that is highly utilized in any workplace.  

In addition to skill development, participating in research provides an opportunity to develop mentor relationships with faculty and graduate students. Mentors can help advise you about your undergraduate career and your future after graduation. They can also provide valuable recommendations for graduate or professional school. 

You may be thinking, wow this sounds great! How do I get involved in research? Here are some ways you can get involved in research as an undergraduate: 

  1. Utilize on campus resources, like the External Scholarships and Undergraduate Research Center. They have many resources you can use to find opportunities during the academic year including the Campus Research Opportunity Postings (CROP). If you’re a first-year student, check out the Source Project
  2. Seek summer opportunities. The Summer Scholars and Artists Program (SSAP) allows undergraduates to engage in special research, scholarship or creative activities during the summer.
  3. There are also research opportunities off campus. Check out this resource from the Fleishman Center that highlights a variety of on and off campus research opportunities.
  4. Talk to your faculty members! Get to know your faculty members and explore their areas of research expertise to see if they align with your own. Go to office hours, or set-up a meeting with a faculty member you are interested in conducting research with to see if there are opportunities to get involved. There may not be opportunities to get involved right away, but maintaining a relationship with the faculty member will ensure that you are notified when an opportunity becomes available.
  5. Stay up to date on emails from your department. Ensure that you are on the listserv for your department and be sure to pay attention to those emails so you are aware of research opportunities shared through the department.
By Erica Kryst, PhD
Erica Kryst, PhD Senior Associate Director, Career Experiences and Education