Research Opportunities
All you need to know about research!
Research is an opportunity for students to get hands-on experience
working with faculty or graduate students. Although research is not
required, many students find it beneficial because it allows them to
apply concepts learned in the classroom. It provides them the
opportunity to work with faculty members who are well-known experts in
their fields of study and can be an excellent avenue for requesting
letters of recommendation for graduate studies. Students in the past
have used their research experience to develop their own research
projects. Some students have even co-authored works with their research
professors.
Research Responsibilities are...
Some of the tasks that students perform include: library research,
interviewing subjects, data processing, coding data, and lab research.
Duties do vary depending upon the demands of the research project.
Two ways students may receive credit for their research involvement are...
1) Social Ecology 198- Students can receive 2-4 units, P/NP.
2) Social Ecology 199- Students can receive 2-4 graded units.
**Individual requirements for 198/199's vary according to the needs of the research project.**
NOTE: Students are limited to a maximum of five quarter units for
ALL Independent Study classes taken under ANY school or program.
Students get involved by...
One way to get involved in research with graduate students and
sponsoring faculty members in the School of Social Ecology is to
approach them. Be prepared to talk about your coursework and interests
and be sure to ask about their current research. Most students approach
professors in courses they have enjoyed and done well in. The best time
for students to approach professors and graduate students is during
their office hours and before or after class. E-mail also works well.
You can learn more about each professor's particular areas of expertise
and interest by reading about the faculty in each department. This can
help you to find professors who have research interests similar to your
own. This information is also located on the Web under the Social
Ecology Web page. Go to the department the faculty teaches under and
click on their name. You can learn a little more about where a
faculty's research interests lie.
Students may also come to the Social Ecology lobby located on the 1st
floor in the Social Ecology I Building to view the research
opportunities posted on the bulletin boards. Students will find
listings which include professors' research opportunities and the
required qualifications. Keep in mind that there are other research
opportunities available that are not listed on the bulletin board--you
just have to seek them out. Don't be afraid to approach faculty
members. Those of you who are interested in BIO SCI 199 research can
find a listing of research abstracts on the School of Biological
Sciences' Student Affairs Web site or click on the link below to go
there directly. Remember that if you wish to enroll in BIO SCI 199 (1-5
units), you must also enroll in the corresponding BIO SCI 194 seminar
(1 unit) if the instructor is a faculty within the School of Biological
Sciences (not a faculty from the School of Medicine or the UC Irvine
Medical Center). See the comments section above BIO SCI 199 in the
online Searchable Schedule of Classes for more details. Also, you must
concurrently or previously have enrolled in the "one-time" BIO SCI 194S
"Safety and Ethics" course (1 unit).
Click here to go to the BIO SCI 199 Research Listing Web page.
Click here to be directed to the Web page for research opportunities for Psychology and Social Behavior majors.
Also, UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program) is a great
resource for all students on campus. Students can utilize UROP to find
more information on locating research opportunities, funding for
project-related expenses or stipends through the Summer Undergraduate
Research Program (SURP), and information on the UCI Undergraduate
Research Symposium and Journal. Click here to be directed to the UROP Web site. Click here to be directed to on- and off-campus opportunities specifically geared towards Social Ecology students.
