First Steps and General Advice

First Steps and General Advice

The following points are based on feedback provided by Vanderbilt students on how to become involved undergraduate research:

• Go to office hours, especially with your TA. Both undergraduate and graduate TAs can help connect you with a project that fits your interests and learning style.

• Search for scholarly articles written by professors at Vanderbilt and seek out professors who have written on topics that interest you. Read professors’ online biographies to find out more about their backgrounds and current research.

• Talk to your VUceptor, your faculty VUceptor, your Commons Head of House, or your academic adviser. Even if they are not in a similar department to the one you are interested in, they probably know someone who is.

• Schedule a meeting with CASPAR, Career Center, or the Office of Immersion Resources to learn about the many research opportunities available to Vanderbilt students.
• The College of Arts and Science, Peabody College, and the School of Engineering all have published resources for students who wish to pursue undergraduate research.

• Take courses that are designed to prepare you for research.

• Send out personal emails to professors you would like to meet with, even if you have not taken a class with them before. If you can, reference a former student who recommended them.

• Even if you do not have previous experience, show professors that you are prepared by citing relevant classwork and demonstrating enthusiasm and responsibility.

• Be honest about your availability. Research can be a substantial time commitment, so be sure to take your academic and extracurricular activities into consideration.