Department of Biology

TOP TEN REASONS TO DO UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

1. It’s fascinating! Experience the thrill of scientific discovery first hand. You’ll finally use and apply all of that knowledge you learned in class! Learn the scientific method in a real laboratory/scholarly setting, and see how new scientific knowledge is generated.

2. Understand and see your field of interest in a new light. Taking a course in genetics, cancer, ecology, development, etc. gives you a broad overview of a field, but doing laboratory or field research in genetics, cancer, ecology, development gives you a first-hand look at how progress in science really happens.

3. Make informed academic and career decisions – find out if graduate school and a research career is right for you, or of a career in biotechnology or biomedical tecnology may be for you. Undergraduate research experience looks very impressive on graduate and professional school applications, or applications for technical positions at biotechnology companies!

4. It’s required for the Biology B.S. degree. All Biology majors take 2 - 3 credits of K493 plus 1 credit of K394 Senior Research Thesis to graduate with a BS. See tips on "Steps Needed to Organize Your Senior Research Project"

5. Earn Money! The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) participants can apply grants of up to $2,000.00 to support a student stipend, research supplies, and/or travel to a state or national scientific meeting.

6. Travel - you may have the opportunity to travel to state, national, or even an international scientific meeting to present your research results.

7. Be part of a research team: undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, research technicians, and professors work together in Biology research laboratories. You will belong to a family of researchers with a common bond, and you will be much more involved in the work of the department and the whole scientific community.

8. Obtain a very personal letter of recommendation from a professor who knows you well. Your professor will serve as a personal mentor and advisor to help you achieve your academic and career goals.

9. Get to know a what a professor really does (besides teach). You will have a chance to see your professor perform experiments, write research grants and manuscripts, present research seminars, prepare lectures, and perform service work for the Biology department, the School of Science, the university, and the international community of scientists.

10. Develop your oral and written communication skills through daily interactions with lab coworkers, weekly lab meetings, formal presentations at scientific meetings, and writing a senior thesis (and perhaps a manuscript that gets published!). Show off your research results at the IUPUI Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Undergraduate Research Conference.