This past Friday marked the end of the University’s Research and Scholarship Week, a period devoted to highlighting opportunities available to undergraduate students on Grounds that are interested in research. The event, which featured two panel discussions, a workshop and a social, aimed to hone in on the already vibrant undergraduate research network.
Brian Cullaty, Director of Undergraduate Research Opportunities at the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, said that a majority of undergraduate students take part in some sort of research project during their time at the University. His office gathered information about undergraduate research from associate deans in each school and sent it to the Institutional Assessment Office for analysis.
“About 65 percent of students that are graduating from U.Va. have done some significant research,” Cullaty said. “This [number] primarily comes through coursework.”
Many undergraduates undertake independent research projects with the help of a faculty member and funding through grants. The Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards program is one source of funding for undergraduate research projects, as are the Jefferson Public Citizen Awards, which aid undergraduates in conducting public service projects across the globe.
“Last year we had approximately 80 students apply for Harrison Awards and approximately 40 students ended up receiving awards,” Cullaty said. “In [Jefferson Public Citizen] projects, students apply as teams. Typically, we’re able to fund about 15 teams.”
Although some students work on projects already designed by a professor, Cullaty said just as many come up with their projects on their own. “Sometimes students will come to a faculty member with their own idea and the faculty will advise them how to develop their idea,” he said.
Sarah Smith, chair of the Undergraduate Research Network, said most undergraduates begin pursuing research opportunities once they are settled at the University. “Most people are getting involved, I think, in their second and third year,” she said.
Network Symposium Co-Chair Venkat Iyer said undergraduate interest in research is evident in the number of students looking to get involved in URN and the number of paper submissions they receive for their journal, “The Oculus.”
“We usually get between 20 and 50 submissions and we publish between five and 10 each semester,” Iyer said. “We have a good selection from all of the different departments.”
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