Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

UCSD offers numerous research programs that provide undergraduates with research experience, faculty mentoring, instruction on writing papers, and more. Programs are available during the academic year and during the summer.

In addition to the programs listed below, review these ways to find research opportunities:

• For research in a particular discipline, check with the academic department or program.
• Many professional societies offer scholarships for undergraduate research. Ask your advisor about opportunities.
• Many minors either offer or require research experience. Check with your advisor for more information.
• Various honors programs feature research as part of the curriculum. Check with your academic department or program for details.
• Ask your professors about opportunities to volunteer in research labs.
• See a list of summer research opportunities compiled by the Career Services Center.

Programs:

• Academic Internship Program: Participate in programs offered in London, Washington, D.C., and other cities.
• CalIT2 Undergraduate Research: This 10-week program includes hands-on research, discussion, and final presentation.
• California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP): This program is for minority students interested in medical or scientific careers.
• Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (CCIS): Find research opportunities related to international migration throughout the world.
• Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation: Find links to a number of internships and other research opportunities in the field of marine conservation.
• Computational Biology: Do research in biochemistry, physics, mathematics, and computing.
• Faculty Mentor Program: Spend 2 quarters working with a faculty member and present a research paper.
• Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies (IICAS): The institute, created in 2001, promotes research on international, comparative, and cross-regional topics.
• Marine Physical Laboratory Summer Research Internship Program: Physics, engineering, applied mathematics, and chemistry majors are encouraged to apply.
• McNair Program: This 1-year program (for juniors and seniors preparing for graduate research) includes faculty mentoring, research, and guidance in writing and presenting a research paper.
• Medical Scientist Training Program Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF): This 8-week program is for students interested in biomedical careers.
• National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Link to a list of contacts for opportunities in any of the fields supported by the National Science Foundation.
• National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Fellowship NWF fellowships are awared to students involved in projects designed to help reverse global warming on campus and beyond.
• Pacific Rim Undergraduate Experiences (PRIME): Participants can live and work at an international host site in Japan, Taiwan, China, or Australia.
• Physics Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU): Check with the Physics Department for more information about summer and other programs.
• Special Studies: Get academic credit for field, lab, or library research.
• Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences (STARS): This is an intensive 8-week program modeled on graduate school life.
• UCSD Bioinformatics Research Projects: Academic credit and possible funding are available for a variety of different projects.
• UC Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees Program (UC LEADS): Leadership training and research opportunities are available for students majoring in science, engineering, or math.
• Warren College Undergraduate Research Scholarships: Outstanding Warren students can engage in scholarly research and creative or artistic experimentation.
• White Mountain Research Station: The facility offers opportunities for research and special projects; some scholarships are available.

If you have questions, contact Academic Enrichment Programs, (858) 534-1774, or visit Student Center Building B, Second Floor East (map).