Undergraduate Research Opportunities Available
UWSP GIS and Geodesign for Sustainability and Resiliency class field trip to Lake Lac Courte Oreilles. Photo courtesy of Julia Petreshin.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Available

Whether you’re majoring in physics, biology, English or history, if you are looking for a way to stand out after graduation, look no further: undergraduate research opportunities abound.

A 2012 publication by the U.S. Census Bureau states that just over one fifth of people holding Bachelor’s degrees were unemployed and only about 57 percent were working full time.

So how do graduating student stand out when applying for jobs?

Undergraduate research opportunities can take many shapes, including lab experience, field research and writing. Some research opportunities are unpaid, but they can also be paid, with funds from grants, such as Undergraduate Education Initiative grants given in the College of Letters and Science.

Dr. Christopher Hartleb is a professor in the biology department who specializes in fisheries ecology and aquaculture. He is also the co-director of the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, which offers summer internships to students in related majors.

Hartleb said, “usually we have 2-3 positions available and some years we don’t even get 2-3 applications from campus.”

When asked about the best way to get involved with student research, Hartleb said, “pretty much all of us operate in the same way, and that is the student just has to email or stop by and knock and just ask to talk to them. You just try to match up the student’s interest with the faculty’s interest.”

Some majors, like physics, require research to graduate.

Dr. Mick Veum, chair of the physics department, said this requirement is to help students with job prospects after college, as well as to provide a fuller education.

There are plenty of research opportunities for majors that are not in the sciences. Dr. Neil Prendergast who teaches U.S. Environmental History and Dr. Mark Balhorn who teaches linguistics both agreed that opportunities are available for students that seek them out by talking with professors.

The largest factor in getting involved with research is networking with faculty.

If a student approached a professor that did not have an opportunity to offer, Prendergast said, “I would probably be aware of the projects other professors are conducting and I would say ‘Dr. So-And-So is actually doing something, why don’t you go ask her?’”

Travis Lane, soil and waste management major thinks research is a very useful part of education, especially with careers in mind.

He said, “it allows you to get hands on experience and gives you a chance to meet professionals in your field.”

 

Connor Schoelzel

Reporter

cscho802@uwsp.edu

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