Learning an Assortment of Facts

by Scott McDonald and Michael Bergin

Learning an assortment of facts, figures, and formulas in lecture is all well and good, but some of the most interesting academic experiences you can have here at UCSB are linked to the creation of new knowledge. Yes, we're talking about undergraduate research and creative activity. Now, when we say undergraduate research, we don’t mean that eight-page term paper you wrote for your lower-division Pol Sci 12 class, we're referring to the many opportunities UCSB offers for students to complete substantial projects that require a little bit more than those five sources found in your class reader. The university has five primary ways in which students from all majors can become involved in research, and each method has its own specific appeal.

99/199 Courses: These research courses, available at the upper- and lower-division levels, allow students to undertake a wide variety of research projects under faculty supervision. Whether you are editing professors’ articles before they submit them or working on a study of your own, 99/199 courses offer a great chance for students to be involved in original or unique work and develop a closer relationship with faculty. These classes will also provide honors units.

FRAP: The Faculty Research Assistance Program is a directory listing faculty who are currently looking for undergraduate research assistants. The directory has listings across numerous fields, and even though participants aren’t necessarily completing original research, the program still provides a great way to get your feet wet. http://www.ltsc.ucsb.edu/urca/FRAP.php

Honors Contracts: Honors contracts are a great way not only for students to earn upper-division honors units, and they also often provide a chance for students to undertake original research in connection with class material. If you are looking for a way to start some research work, but don’t want to venture out into completely unfamiliar territory, honors contracts are a great place to start.

Labs: Michael says of his experience in Professor Karen Szumlinski’s lab: “While working in the lab, I have been able to use the skills I learned in my science courses and have developed new ones. It has been a great way to get to know a professor and expand on the subjects I enjoyed in the classroom. I’m able to run my own project, earn honors units toward my major, and get noticed by graduate schools. UCSB offers world-class opportunities for undergraduate research in the sciences.”

Scott points out that labs aren’t just available to students studying the sciences. The Anthropology Department has several archeology labs that utilize undergraduate research assistants, as does the Classics Department. Other social science departments, such as geography and departments in the humanities, including linguistics, also offer lab opportunities to students.

Departmental Honors Programs: Most departments on campus have honors programs that are open to high achieving students, usually seniors, in the major. While the details of these programs vary from department to department, they usually involve students coming up with an original research idea and then finding a professor whose own interests most clearly match with those of the project to serve as a mentor. The departmental honors programs are an excellent option for many upper-division students hoping to undertake their own research, since extensive mentor and departmental support are part of the package.

No matter which one of these methods works best for you, getting involved in undergraduate research is a fantastic opportunity. Not only are you able to bolster your credentials for grad schools and employers, the experience itself is very rewarding. Being a part of the creation of new knowledge is what being at a research university is all about, and we are very fortunate that UCSB offers so many excellent chances for students to embark on these kinds of projects.

Scott McDonald is a fourth-year student with majors in anthropology and history. Michael Bergin is a fourth-year student majoring in biopsychology.

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