Undergraduate Research

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Why do it?      What kind to do?     How to get paid to do it.      Life Science Researchers at UW Oshkosh.  

Why Do Research as an Undergrad?

It gives you an entirely new perspective on science,  it teaches you to apply classroom learning to real-life situations (which can help your classroom performance, in turn), it might be what you want to do when you grow up, and it's FUN!

In some instances, you can be paid to do research as an undergrad (see below). In other instances, you can arrange to receive college credit (BIO 446, Independent Study) that counts toward the BIO major.
Ask your department what its policy is or consult the Bulletin for course listings.

It looks great on your resumé.   In fact, the National Science Foundation runs a FREE registry of undergraduate researchers, which " matches undergraduates with research experience and a desire to pursue advanced degrees, and graduate schools seeking high-quality students who are well prepared for research".   To register, log on to www.cur.org/ugreg/ and fill out the form provided.

What Area of Research to Pursue?

Your project's actual area isn't as important as you might think, so long as you find it interesting. The fact is that research experience hones an important set of intellectual skills that are universal, regardless of the topic. Research teaches you observational skills, sound experimental design; attention to detail; hands-on tasks with equipment, instrumentation, and/or organisms; objective data analysis; and written and/or oral presentation of ideas.  For the healthcare-minded student, experimental observations are like the patient's history; the working hypothesis is like the preliminary diagnosis; experiments are like diagnostic tests; and the conclusion is like the final diagnosis.  So you should not worry too much if your opportunities for research are not strictly medical in nature.

How to Get $$ to do Research as an Undergrad

Ask the professor. Some have grants that will pay you either work-study or regular hourly wages.

2005-2007, NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates summer program: with a March deadline each year, Undergrads from anywhere in the United States can spend a summer in Oshkosh working supervised by one of our faculty in the use of state-of-the-art equipment within the Robert Moore/NSF Proteomics & Functional Genomics Facility. Travel, housing, research supplies, and a generous stipend are all provided.  Lots of one-on-one attention is assured.   Admission is competitive;  women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Get the details at http://reu.uwosh.edu.

UW Oshkosh Undergraduate Collaborative Grants: with a February deadline each year, Undergrads can work up a short research proposal for the following summer, under the guidance of a faculty member. If awarded, the Collaborative Grant pays $2,000 in "salary" plus $500 in supply money for the project, to be carried out during the summer. The spring following the work, the student must present his/her research at UW Oshkosh Scholarship Day, usually held in April. Great paid experience AND looks terrific on the resumé! Get the details at http://www.uwosh.edu/grants (scroll down and click on Undergraduate Student/Faculty grants).

Council on Undergraduate Research: These competitive grants pay $3,000-$3,500 for 10 weeks of summer work in a lab, plus $500 in supply money. Get the details at http://www.cur.org/UGSF.html.

Sigma Xi:These competitive grants pay $100-$2,500 for equipment or travel relating to the research project (NO salary). Get the details at http://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/giar/guide.shtml 

Mayo Clinic Summer Internships at http://www.mayo.edu/mgs/surf.html

Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) Summer Internships at http://www.mcw.edu/display/router.asp?docid=3844

Swarthmore College's national listing at http://www.swarthmore.edu/x8853.xml

Life Science Research Opportunities at UW Oshkosh

Most in BIO dept, some in Chem or Psych