The Importance of Undergraduate Research

Research experience is an integral part of advanced undergraduate education, especially to students planning to enter graduate school. Conducting research allows students to apply classroom knowledge to real world problems and can help students determine which technical electives are most relevant to their interests. However, the transition to starting research can be confusing and sometimes daunting. The McCormick Undergraduate Research Portal was created to help students find research opportunities, to provide one-on-one peer-mentorship from undergraduates with research experience, and to publicize the work of many outstanding undergraduate researchers.

The McCormick Undergraduate Research Portal

The McCormick Undergraduate Research Portal provides an array of resources for students interested in starting research as well as for those already in research. One of the most useful components of the portal is a database of available research opportunities posted by faculty in all departments of McCormick. However, simply providing such a list doesn't address the numerous questions undergraduates have when trying to start research. Therefore, we have begun a peer-mentoring program to open dialogue between undergraduates already in research and those interested in starting research. Undergraduates currently doing research can describe what research is like in a particular field, suggest coursework, discuss career plans, and provide general insight about research. In addition, the McCormick Undergraduate Research Portal features the work of accomplished undergraduate researchers and posts testimonials of their research experiences. We hope these features inspire other undergraduates to follow similar paths and increase the visibility of the McCormick undergraduate research community. Finally, the website provides links to additional resources, such as undergraduate grants and student groups.

We hope students will find this portal helpful in opening new doors in your pursuit of research.  Please send all questions, comments, and feedback to the McCormick Undergraduate Research Society (MURS)  murs@northwestern.edu