Student FAQs

Undergraduate Research offers the unique opportunity to get involved in academic pursuits outside of your normal classroom setting, build your resume/CV, and build self-confidence.

What students find most beneficial from their research experiences are gains critical thinking skills, opportunities to present findings while sharpening public speaking skills, and the ability to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in real-world scenarios.  

More importantly, undergraduate research helps you to figure out what fields truly interest you. This can help students narrow down their career and research paths earlier.

Lastly, undergraduate research allows for networking within and beyond your discipline or department. Having the ability to forge strong connections now can assist you in your future applications and prepare you for networking in your career.

The CURCA office provides opportunity to apply for conference/travel grants which can help fund your registration fees for conferences, your hotel stay, and meal stipend. Applying for a travel grant can help alleviate some of the financial stress that you may have.

Aside from finances to present your research, the CURCA office also provides FUSE grants to faculty, which allows them to hire a research assistant in the summer. In addition, CURCA works closely with the Nationally Competitive Scholarships Office to assist students in applying for REUs (Research Experiences for Undergraduates), which fund students to conduct research in different universities and state laboratories.