What is Undergraduate Research?

At the University of Michigan, undergraduate research can take many forms depending upon your interests and the academic discipline.  UROP encompasses this wide range of research, scholarship, and creative activity at the University of Michigan. UROP students can be found in museums, archives, communities, as well as the traditional laboratories one thinks about when you hear the word “research.”  As a UROP student you might be reading historical texts about the stock market in the 1890s to better understand cyclical fluctuations in the stock market today, developing and administering a survey and analyzing your results to understand voting behavior, or ……If you do laboratory research you may be involved in learning specific techniques used in genetics research such as pcr which stands for….or building test equipment for the development of an artificial lung or fuel-efficient engines for automobiles.  Humanities researchers may study museum artifacts or read ……Most UROP students are working on ongoing or new faculty research projects. As you gain skills and spend time on a project you may have the opportunity to develop an independent piece of a project. Many UROP students use this first research experience to develop an independent research project or an honors thesis topic to pursue their own research question.

Value of Undergraduate Research

Students tell us that undergraduate research has been one of their most meaningful experiences at the University of Michigan. Some of these reasons are:

• learning through hands-on work outside the classroom
• developing research skills to use in courses and other academic and professional pursuits
• identifying academic and career interests
• learning about a new field
• developing a working relationship with a faculty mentor
• learning what you don’t like as well as what you like
• getting a glimpse into graduate or professional school life

Getting Involved in Research

It is important to think hard about why you might want to get involved in a research project and also to understand how the research setting might differ from a traditional classroom learning environment. While clearly being involved in research is helpful to your future plans to go to graduate and/or professional school, research is a commitment. You need to be interested in the project you choose as well as in the research process. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• What role will research play in my future plans?
• Can research help me explore a field that interests me?
• How might a research project make my coursework more relevant?
• Am I excited and intellectually curious about a lot of different things?
• Would I like the opportunity to get to know faculty and graduate students in a non-classroom setting?
• How might research skills help me with future academic and career plans?
• Can I work independently as well as in a team?

What do faculty look for in a student researcher?

Most UROP faculty look for energetic, enthusiastic individuals who are excited and intellectually curious.  They also seek students who ask good questions, have a good work ethic, can be self-directed and self-motivated, and are mature.  In some cases, special skills are required for a project; but in many cases, the faculty will help you learn these skills and train you to do research related tasks.  They can not train you to be excited and interested in their work or patient when the tasks are tedious.

Who is eligible to participate in UROP?

All incoming first year and second year UM students are eligible to participate in UROP. Students transferring to UM, underrepresented students of color and women interested in science and engineering are especially encouraged to apply.  There are no special prerequisites for admissions consideration.  To receive priority consideration, students should apply by the posted application deadlines.

What is the time commitment?

The UROP experience spans a full academic year.   Students conduct research, on average, 6 -10 hours per week, though the number of hours varies from project to project.  Accepted students must be willing to participate both Fall and Winter terms.  Students are also required to attend biweekly research seminars held on Wednesdays from 6-7:30 p.m.