By Grace Vaidian, Peer Research Ambassador 

As I transitioned from conducting research in high school to embarking on a new academic journey in higher education at UConn, I couldn’t help but notice some distinct differences in the research landscape. Back in high school, my research endeavors were predominantly solitary. I would conceive a project idea, gather the data, write a research paper, and even compete in science competitions, all largely on my own. However, once I became an undergrad at UConn, I quickly realized that the normal approach to research was notably different.

Here at UConn, a prevalent avenue for delving into research is to reach out to professors and join their existing projects. While the structure and guidance that this approach offers can be undeniably valuable (it’s how I obtained the research opportunities I’m currently working on!), there are students who feel like they have a brilliant research idea of their own but lack the know-how to bring these projects to life. I’m here to offer some tips on how to initiate and successfully navigate an independent research project. Continue reading →

By Lucie Lopez, Peer Research Ambassador

“Why do I need research? I don’t need to write an Honors Thesis.”
“I can’t do research; I’m not a STEM major.”
“Why should I do research? I’m not going to medical school.”

Do any of these statements sound familiar? Have you said or thought these yourself? If you’re asking yourself these questions or if you’re skeptical about getting involved in research, read on.

Close your eyes and picture a “researcher.” The image that probably popped into your head was a person in a white lab coat sitting at a lab bench, working with a pipette and a microscope. That person is a researcher, but they represent only a fraction of what research looks like.

Before coming to UConn, I didn’t know what research could look like. I was stuck on the image of the person in the white lab coat. However, as I became more involved with research, I realized it didn’t have to look like that. As an undergraduate researcher working on an IDEA Grant project investigating the relationship between participation in free/reduced school meal programs and sense of belonging at school, I collect quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data. I spend a lot of time at my computer reading previously published research papers, creating surveys, and statistically analyzing data. The type of researcher I am is another tiny fraction of what it looks like to be engaged in research.

For an English major, research could involve reviewing literature archives and writing a literature review summarizing what they read and how it can contribute to a more extensive investigation. The SHARE Summer Apprenticeship program supports social sciences, humanities, and arts students. This program is geared towards first- and second-year students from underrepresented backgrounds with little to no research experience. In addition, research does not only involve analyzing data or literature. Research can also include creative and community service projects. The IDEA Grant program supports various creative projects, from documentaries to composing music to puppetry. Engaging in research will look different for everyone! Continue reading →

By Riley Beckham, Peer Research Ambassador

Almost a year and a half ago, I was nearing the end of my sophomore year at UConn. As an Electrical Engineering major, I was getting my first look at upper division course work, finally starting to peel back the curtain on what people in my field do on a daily basis. I’ll be honest; it terrified me.

I, like most people, don’t like the feeling of not understanding something. Worse still is the feeling of not even being able to describe your lack of understanding, because that would require you to understand any number of other complicated things to put your ignorance in context. It’s a feeling rife with anxiety, and it is this uneasy feeling that washed over me as I continued to work through my courses in the Spring of 2022. Had I made the wrong choice of major? Was this just not in the cards for me? Was I to blame, was it some failure on my part, some personal defect? Maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this…

I knew these questions were normal to an extent, especially at the halfway mark of my undergraduate journey. But that did little to allay my fears, and another question began to burn into my mind; What can I do to make this feeling go away?

Eventually, I was convinced by people close to me to investigate the possibility of getting involved in research. Several of my friends had great experiences with research, and they thought I could get something positive out of it. At first, I was very hesitant. “Who would want to take me on as a researcher?”, I remember thinking to myself. “I don’t know anything. I’m barely keeping up with my classes and I have no confidence in my knowledge or experience.” Despite these misgivings, after a brief search process and some exploratory meetings with faculty, I managed to land a summer job as an undergraduate research assistant at the UConn Eversource Energy Center. Continue reading →

By Darren Lee, Peer Research Ambassador

Another fall semester at UConn. Undoubtedly, it’s been a whirlwind of moving in, seeing new faces (or re-acquainting yourself with familiar ones), and settling into the rhythm of classes. By now, you’re most likely aware that many of your professors and TAs are involved in research in addition to just teaching. Whether they’re using their research to introduce themselves to the class, weaving references to it in between lecture slides, or complaining about deadlines (professors are human too!), they’ve probably made that fact abundantly clear. Without a doubt, research is an integral part of the work being done at this university. But what does this actually mean for you?

Most students’ first exposure to research is in college, so there’s naturally a lot of confusion and apprehension about it. Maybe you’re in awe of all the cool research being done at the university and you’re itching to work on your own project, but you don’t know how you can find a mentor or if you even can do research as an undergraduate. More likely, your eyes are glazing over as you wonder if you could ever get to that level of knowledge in your subject—research seems like an interesting way to get there, but it just seems so hard to get started. If those scenarios describe you at all, then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll be trying to dispel some common myths about research and help you understand what it’s like to be involved in research (Hint: you can do it and it can be really great!).

I’m just an undergraduate student. Are we even allowed to do research?

Yes! Many professors are happy to take in undergraduates who show a strong interest in their work. We even have an entire office at UConn (OUR!) dedicated to providing support and resources to undergraduates who want to get involved in research. Generally, there’s a really great culture surrounding undergraduate research here at UConn, and we’re always excited to have more students share in that! Continue reading →

By Emma Beard, Peer Research Ambassador

As a STEM major, my biggest misconception about research was that I would spend more time at the lab bench than at my desk. I was surprised to find that for the first week of my time with the Health Research Program, I ran one or two experiments and then spent the rest of my time reading papers. At first, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough work since I wasn’t getting any data, but as I began to design my own experiments and brainstorm project directions, I realized just how important it is to learn from others’ projects. Reading research articles has been a constant throughout my time involved in undergraduate research, and through experience, I’ve discovered a few tricks that I would have loved to know when I was just getting started. While these tips are based on my experience in STEM research, hopefully one or two of these tips can help you as you begin your research journey, no matter the field!

1)  Write down every paper you read

I don’t know how many times I’ve thought to myself, “oh I read this in a paper,” and then realized I couldn’t remember which paper I found it in. Especially when I was first getting started, I read a lot of research papers to get introduced to the field, but thought about them in almost the same way as a textbook for a course where once I learned the material, I could move on. I didn’t realize how much I would need to refer back to papers later on, especially the materials and methods section for guidance on how to plan my own experiments.

Whether it’s a hand-written list kept in your lab notebook or typed out on your computer, write down the title and a few key points or relevant experimental techniques from each paper you read. I’m usually someone who prefers to handwrite rather than type (and did when I first started making my list), but for ease of reference, I’d recommend a typed list. Control/Command+F will be your best friend once you’ve read enough articles, and having the direct links available is extremely helpful. Continue reading →

By Fraser McGurk, Peer Research Ambassador

What do you do when it’s time to move on?

The journey through the world of research is as unpredictable as it is exciting. There is never one clear cut way to find your passion through research, and often this requires a bit of trial and error. On some occasions, someone’s first research mentor fits their every need, and that is great! However, that’s not the case for everyone, and sometimes it’s better to expand your horizons. There are a variety of reasons someone may want to diverge from their original research mentor. Whether it’s for convenience, disagreements, or just the passion to pursue something new, it’s OK to feel like you fit better somewhere else. But leaving your lab or mentor can be a daunting task. What if they react poorly? What if I lose a connection? Am I really making the right decision?

It is completely understandable for these thoughts to be rushing through your head, this is a big decision, and these conversations are never easy to have. But there are a few things that are crucial to know about breaking up with your mentor:

1) Do not feel guilty for leaving

When deciding to leave a lab, it can be easy to put it on yourself. Imposter syndrome is common for early-career researchers. Was I not smart enough for the lab? Am I just not made for research? What if I hurt their research by leaving? It’s normal to have second thoughts when you decide to leave. However, you should not feel guilty about your exit. You have every right to explore all the wonderful areas of research on campus, and you are not confined to one single research group for the entirety of your career. If a research group makes you feel guilty about exploring other options on campus, that is a glaring indicator of a toxic workplace that does not treat its students with respect. Continue reading →