Is UROP right for you?
Participating on a research project through UROP can open up all sorts of career and academic opportunities, but making the decision to spend an entire year (with a minimum of 6 hours a week) on a research project AND another hour and a half in a biweekly seminar can be hard. Below are some questions we think you should ask yourself before applying to our program.
- Do you have an overwhelming interest in your subject?
- You will need to spend a lot of time getting educated on background material regarding the research project you eventually wind up working on, regardless of the field. So it’s crucial that it interests you strongly enough. In addition, working on a research project will take time, patience, and lots of academic learning even before you get any “hands-on” work. Potential UROP students, particularly those in the biomedical sciences, need to know this could very well happen, especially during the Fall semester when first starting a project.
- How much time do you have?
- Remember, it’s not only about working on a research project for 6-8 hours a week, you also have to attend a bi-weekly seminar on top of that, plus do any additional readings and assignments for that seminar. So participating in UROP regardless if you are doing it for credit or work-study, is like taking a 3 credit course.
- Have you had a research experience or are you just looking to get paid?
- UROP is a program designed for undergraduate students seeking their FIRST research experience. Our seminars and workshops are designed to teach students who have never done research how to develop a research question, find and be able to read research and scholarly articles, learn about the various campus resources available to students doing research in different fields, and in for some students how to do basic statistical analysis. Everyone who participates in UROP must attend the seminars, regardless if they are doing it for academic credit or work-study. Students who are already working on a research project and want to go through UROP as a way to get financially compensated, should look at other funding sources rather than UROP and/or consider asking their sponsor for assistance in getting independent study credit.
- Finally, are you good at managing your time and being independent?
- A research project, particularly in the humanities, can be quite lonely as you may find yourself working in libraries or in archives. Even in the sciences where you are more likely to be working in a group with other students and post doctoral students you may have to spend long hours in the laboratory to complete your experiments. You need to be motivated to finish your work to submit it for examination.
If you decide that research is for you, then you’ll want to think about what type of field you may want to participate in. Take a look at some of our previous research projects and student accomplishments through our Sample Projects to learn more about what’s available through us.
Committing yourself to research can be exciting and challenging, even life-changing. Successful students reap the benefits in both personal growth and career development. With the guidance of UROP, research allows you to unlock your full intellectual potential.
