Undergraduate Research
There are opportunities for undergraduate students to work on research during the summer or academic year. Many faculty members also mentor independent projects led by students, especially students applying for funding to conduct research through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and the Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS).
While students are expected to find their own research opportunities, here are some tips:
Finding a Lab/Faculty Member
Contact professors directly to ask about opportunities as early as possible as an undergraduate
- View the COGS faculty affiliate list to find a faculty member whose research interests you.
- Linus is another resource for finding faculty interested in specific topics
- Tips from OUR on finding on-campus and off-campus research opportunities
- Schedule a meeting with an OUR advisor
Funding Your Research
- Review research funding opportunities provided by the Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS)
- Utilize the Office of Undergraduate Research. They offer various awards, including OUR Supply Awards and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF)
- Check Pivot, a UConn-run search engine for grant funding opportunities. It allows researchers in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to identify potential funding resources, share opportunities with other researchers, and identify potential collaborators within UConn and at other universities.
Connecting With Faculty
- The Importance of Connecting With Your PI
- 4 Ways to Get Into Undergraduate Research
- Getting In Touch: Making Contact With Professors
- It’s OK to be Told “No”
- Meeting with Professors for the First Time
- I Don’t Understand Anything in These Papers!
- Research Mentors: Who, Why, and How
- Developing an Elevator Pitch
- Finding and Approaching a Project Mentor: Creative Projects Edition
Email Advice & Templates
Telling Your Story
Building Your Network
After Accepting a Research Opportunity
Earning Course Credit for Research
Once the research position/project has been secured, students can plan to enroll for course credit. Cognitive Science students interested in participating in research for credit can enroll in COGS 3589- Undergraduate Research with permission from the faculty member teaching the section.
Students can earn anywhere from 1-3 credits for their work in a faculty member's research lab. The number of credits is determined by the number of hours worked per week per specific term. Use the grid below to determine how many credits you should register for. Typically, students will register for 3 credits of research during a regular (fall or spring) semester. This is ultimately decided by the faculty member and the student.
| Credits | Hours Per 14 Week Term (Fall & Spring) | Hours Per 10 Week Term (Summer 3) | Hours Per 5 Week Term (Summer 1 & 2) | Hours Per 3 Week Term (Winter & May Intersession) | Total Required Hours Per Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 42 |
| 2 | 6 | 8.5 | 17 | 28 | 84 |
| 3 | 9 | 12.5 | 25 | 42 | 126 |
| 4 | 12 | 17 | 34 | - | 168 |
| 5 | 15 | 21 | 42 | - | 210 |
| 6 | 18 | 25 | - | - | 252 |