Tips for Finding a Research Project

Finding a research project takes initiative. It's up to you to find research opportunities. Think about what areas of physics you're most interested in, and what research techniques. Are you most interested in working with lab equipment and electronics, or analyzing data from large experiments or astronomical surveys, or carrying out computer modeling and simulations of physical systems? Look through the research pages and faculty pages of our department web site and think about which research groups you'd be most interested in working with. Visit the Physics Undergraduate Research Project Marketplace and apply for the position which most interests you. If you do not see an ad from a particular research group, contact the faculty member(s) in the group  and introduce yourself- send an email to set up an appointment to talk, or just stop by their offices to introduce yourself if the door is open. Faculty will generally be happy to tell you about their research and possible opportunties for undergraduate participation.

Do not be discouraged if your first inquiry is not successful! Research programs continually evolve, and at any given time faculty might not have projects available that are a good match to your skills or interests, but students who want to find research projects are very likely to find opportunities.