Undergraduate Research: For Students

The Council on Undergraduate Research defines undergraduate research as: An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.

Undergraduate research is an opportunity to perform in-depth study, gain transferable skills, develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, define academic and professional interests, and form relationships with faculty mentors and other students. Undergraduate Research is a high impact practice and has a positive influence on persistence and degree completion as well as other forms of student success (employability, student satisfaction, sense of belonging on campus, etc.).

Students from all majors and backgrounds are encouraged to pursue research, scholarship and creative work at the University of Illinois Chicago. Students typically begin as early as their second year. Research opportunities are available in all departments and fields including the arts & humanities and social sciences.

There is no one right path for getting involved in research. The are several ways to begin:

• Search the URE database for research opportunities.
• Schedule appointments with your professors and/or TAs to discuss their research interests. If you are interested in their work, ask if there is any way to get involved in an upcoming project.
• Review faculty biographies and faculty research profiles on the URE website or departmental websites and make an appointment to speak with professors whose work interests you.
• Speak with other students about their experiences and ask them if they know of openings and opportunities.
• Visit the “Students Start Here” link on the Undergraduate Research Experience website for additional tips on finding research opportunities.

If you have demonstrated financial need, you may receive funding through the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award. Liberal Arts students can learn more about financial support by contacting a representative at LASURI (Liberal Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Initiative). UIC is host to a number of other academic-year and summer programs that come with a wage or stipend and other campuses are as well. You can read about them here.

Students are eligible to receive course credit for both learning about research methods and doing research. You can learn more on the Register for Credit section of the URE website. Research conducted outside the classroom can be volunteer, paid, or for credit. Requirements for course credit vary by department. Check with the department for specific requirements prior to course registration. Each department has a Director of Undergraduate Studies and an academic advisor who can either answer your questions or direct you to another person in your department for assistance you need.

Yes! Students are not limited to pursuing projects within their declared major, and are encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary projects that span any and all disciplines.

There are also a number of journals off campus where you can publish work from any discipline. Your faculty research mentor, or PI, can help you immensely, so please consult closely with a faculty member on preparing your submission to be sure you meet the professional standards for IRB approval (research ethics), formatting, citation standards, etc. The staff of the Office of Undergraduate Research and External Fellowships is also available to help guide you in the submission and revision process. If you know of reputable journals and need assistance, please let us know at our@uic.edu.

The UIC Undergraduate Research Forum is hosted annually in April in the UIC Forum. The event includes poster presentations showcasing undergraduate research conducted by UIC students. Abstracts must be submitted by mid-March. UREF also collaborates with the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and the University of Illinois Springfield at the University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Day to enable students from each campus to present their scholarly work at the Illinois State Capitol. Students are invited to Springfield when the legislature is in session to present their posters. “Posters Under the Dome” was initiated by the undergraduate research offices at UIC, UIS and UIUC.

There are also a number of forums, symposia, conferences, and professional meetings on and off campus where you can present work from any discipline. Please consult closely with a faculty member on preparing your proposal to be sure you meet the professional standards for IRB approval (research ethics), format, preparation. etc. The staff of UREF is also available to help guide you in the proposal and preparation process. If you know of reputable opportunities we should share with other students, please let us know at our@uic.edu.

The University of Illinois Chicago is a major research university in the heart of Chicago. As one of the top 200 research-funded institutions in the world, UIC faculty and students create new knowledge through research that others will later teach. UIC researchers are internationally recognized leaders in:

• Alternative, complementary and traditional medicine.
• Biotechnology and biodefense.
• Cancer biology and therapeutics.
• Drug discovery, development and delivery.
• Engaged humanities.
• Genomics and pharmacogenomics.
• Infectious diseases.
• Natural products.
• Neuroscience.
• Patient safety.
• Pharmacoeconomics.
• And more

Undergraduate and graduate students study and work alongside UIC faculty, taking part in groundbreaking research in state-of-the-art laboratories and research centers. As a result, UIC students have unique opportunities to advance knowledge in vital ways. Being a student at a university engaged in research at the highest level also increases the range of classes and majors available to you and provides you with opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary work that responds to the way the real world works today.

The programs and resources of UREF are designed to empower and guide you in taking the next step that you need to engage in and disseminate undergraduate research.

The external fellowships branch of UREF can help you find and apply for fellowship opportunities that are a good fit for your interests and goals, and help you to build on them.

We are located in rooms 800-802 University Hall. Please stop by the office or contact us by email with any questions or comments.

The Council on Undergraduate Research webpage provides news, opportunities and links to their informative social media feeds. Their student resource page can help you locate research opportunities, presentation opportunities, undergraduate research journals, CUR-sponsored student events, a registry of undergraduate researchers, and more.

We provide this planning template to help facilitate communications, planning and evaluation processes within student faculty teams.