northwestern university summer undergraduate research program

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

• Summer Research Opportunity Program
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SROP 2024 Application

Applications for SROP 2024 are currently closed . 

Applications for Northwestern's SROP will not be considered complete without the Supplemental Application. 2024 Supplemental Applications are due March 1st at 11:59 PM. Please see our FAQ page for more details

Applications for Northwestern's SROP will not be considered complete without the Supplemental Application. Please see our FAQ page for more details. 

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION

Other Undergraduate Opportunities

• Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
• Lurie Cancer Center: Summer Research Programs
• Materials Research Science & Engineering Center: Summer Research Experience
• Northwestern University Nanotechnology REU
• Synthetic Biology Research Experience for Undergraduates (SynBREU)

J une 17-August 2, 2024

The Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) is a seven-week competitive research experience hosted by Northwestern University for sophomores and juniors from colleges and universities across the United States. All fields of research at Northwestern are open to SROP participants including the social sciences and humanities, physical sciences, chemical and biological sciences, technology, math, and engineering fields. 

To be considered for acceptance into SROP, you must:

• Be a current sophomore or junior.
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Have an interest in pursuing a doctoral degree (PhD) at Northwestern University. Those interested in pursuing an MBA, JD, or MD are not eligible. 

All SROP participants will receive:

• $4,500 stipend (before tax)
• Round-trip transportation to Northwestern’s campus
• On campus housing in Evanston, IL
• Partial meal stipend

Those belonging to groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in graduate education (e.g., certain racial and ethnic minorities, women in STEM, first-generation college students, etc.) are encouraged to apply.

More information on the application process can be found here . 

Early Admission Decision Program

Rising seniors who demonstrate that they have the potential to succeed in a Northwestern PhD program may be invited to participate in the Early Admission Decision Program. This program enables prospective students to apply by October 1, participate in interviews without submitting GRE scores, and renders an admission decision by November 1.

Apply for SROP SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION

Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Department of molecular biosciences.

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Summer Research and Outreach Programs

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• Undergraduate Research

Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)

SROP  provides opportunities for direct involvement in research to college sophomores or juniors at the time of application. The program runs for eight weeks each summer. Participants are assigned to a faculty mentor based on interests listed in their personal statement. In addition to lab work, students meet weekly for a variety of workshops, including those on writing skills, GRE exams, and the graduate school process. For more information, contact Dr. Penelope D. Warren at 847.491.8507 or send email to  [email protected] .

Continuing Umbrella Of Research Experience (CURE)

The  Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program , funded by the National Cancer Institute at NIH, allows graduating high school seniors and college freshman from underserved minority populations to receive state-of-the-art training in basic, clinical, and population based cancer research. Participants have the opportunity to investigate the mechanisms by which hormones, growth factors, receptors, and viruses control cell fate, oncogenesis, metastasis, and cell growth. Participants receive a stipend (around $3,200) for the 8 week program. For more information, email to  [email protected] .

NSF - Research Experience For Undergraduates (REU) In The Materials Research Science And Engineering Center (MRSEC)

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program provides opportunities for undergraduates majoring in science, engineering or mathematics to engage in hands-on materials-related research at the NU-MRSEC for 9 weeks over the summer. Students receive free housing and a stipend. For further information, visit the  program website  or contact us at [email protected] , 847-467-0470.

NSF Undergraduate Research Program

Experience a transformative ten-week summer undergraduate research program in synthetic biology funded by the NSF, combining laboratory skills training and hands-on research in Northwestern University’s cutting-edge laboratories.

Synthetic Biology Research Experience for Undergraduates

SynBREU is an NSF-funded program that supports ten students for a ten-week summer program of mentored, research-intensive activities in the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology. In this program, students carry out independent laboratory and/or computational synthetic biology projects such as the development of new biosensors for contaminants in water, self-healing materials, new gene therapy delivery mechanisms, and more. This research is done under the guidance of one or more of the program’s faculty mentors from departments including Molecular Biosciences, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.

During the program, students will participate in a carefully designed curriculum to expose them to a variety of laboratory techniques as well as the skills necessary for success in their future STEM careers, including ethics, responsible conduct of research, communication, and networking.

Specific curricular activities include:

• Laboratory skills training and introduction to synthetic biology techniques
• Workshops, seminars, and activities to strengthen related skillsets including communication, design, ethics, teamwork, and entrepreneurship
• Tea time with faculty
• Field trips to local synthetic biology companies.

At the end of the program, students will present their projects and results at a research symposium. A stipend will be provided, along with housing, funds to cover some meals, and a travel allowance. Applications will be accepted at the REU website each year, and reviewed by participating faculty and an admissions committee.

Program Duration

This year the program will take place from June 17th – August 23rd, 2024.

• Participants must be available for 9 of the 10 weeks of the program starting June 17th.

Application Deadlines

The deadline for the receipt of applications: January 19th, 2024

Decisions expected: Thank you for your interest! We have formed our cohort for summer 2024. We encourage you to check the NSF ETAP site for information on other REUs that are still recruiting.

This program is supported by the National Science Foundation. Participants will receive partial or full room and board, paid travel expenses for those not in the Chicagoland area, meal plan, and a $6,500 stipend.

Eligibility

In order to participate in the program, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen , permanent resident and/or U.S. national
• Be an undergraduate . If you have not graduated by the program end date, you are eligible All majors are eligible given your your academic and career interests in related subject matter. We prioritize diversity of majors and interests
• Be available for at least 9 weeks during the summer of 2024

No prior research experience is required.

• We look for students with and without experience

Students from universities without a PhD program in a synthetic biology-related area (such as biology, bioengineering, or chemistry) are especially encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Complete and submit the required online application. In the application, you will be asked to upload the following documents as PDFs :

• Transcripts (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
• One reference
• Questionnaire and Supplemental Essays

Have Questions?

Q: When will applications open?

A: The application site becomes available November 6th, 2023.

Q: My major is ____, will I be considered for this if I apply?

A: Yes! We ask about your field of study only to ensure that each cohort includes a diverse set of backgrounds, and no application will be declined simply because of major.

Q: I don’t have previous research experience. Should I wait to apply until my resume is stronger?

A: No! Apply every year that you are eligible, if it is in line with your interests. We consider candidates with and without research experience, and at least half of our cohort will not have research opportunities at their home institution. This does not count against you, and conversely, those with experience are not favored or biased against either. We are looking for diverse backgrounds and training for each summer cohort.

Q: If I am only able to participate for 8 weeks, could I still attend?

A: Unfortunately, no. You must be available to work on projects full-time for at least 9 weeks of Summer 2024, starting June 17 th .

Q: Will this be a remote, hybrid, or on-campus opportunity?

A: This is an on-campus opportunity but recognize that with the changing circumstances this may become either hybrid (on-campus for some and remote for others) or fully remote. We will update the website with the latest information as we have it. If you have extenuating circumstances that would permit only your remote participation, please still apply but note this in your application.

Q: Who should write my letter of recommendation?

A: We encourage you to seek a letter from someone who can speak to your academic and/or professional work ethic and engagement. This can be a professor or supervisor. Please do not solicit recommendations from friends and relatives.

Q: What are some projects previous students have worked on?

A: Some titles of previous SynBREU student projects include, “ Investigating PduM’s role in Pdu Microcompartment Assembly “, “ Utilizing Synthetic Biology for Infectious Disease Applications ”, and “ Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy screening for genetic determinants of secondary gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake in Bacillus subtilis biofilms ”.

Please contact us with any question about the program at [email protected].

SynBREU Leadership Team

Danielle Tullman-Ercek

SynBREU Director

Gabe Rocklin

SynBREU Co-Director

Christine Akdeniz

SynBREU Coordinator

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MATERIALS RESEARCH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER

Undergraduate opportunities, summer research experience for undergraduates (reu).

June 10 - August 9, 2024 Applications for 2024 are no longer being accepted Application link for 2025 will appear here in Oct., 2024

The Northwestern University Materials Research Science & Engineering Center offers a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program over a 9-week period each summer.

The NU-Materials Research Science and Engineering Center is an interdisciplinary program focused on multi-functional nanoscale material structures.  Over 30 faculty from 7 different departments are involved.  REU students will have the opportunity to contribute to a research project led by a center faculty member and will participate in interdisciplinary research group meetings, expanding their science and engineering experience into a range of fields.  Students with an interest in nanomaterials and majoring in a science or engineering field are encouraged to apply.  Each student will be assigned to a graduate student or post-doctoral associate mentor who will work closely with them.

For an overview of Center research, please visit our  research  section. A list of some  previous projects  is also available. Each summer, a range of projects is available in both experimental and theoretical/simulation fields.

At the end of the REU program, the participants will write a technical paper and give a 15-minute oral presentation on their research at a symposium open to the public. Other program activities include a field trip to a national or industrial lab, a beach party or lunch on the lake for social networking, a panel discussion on graduate school admissions, and seminars by Northwestern faculty and graduate students.

Chicago  is only a half an hour away with easily accessible public transportation, and city events such as the  Taste of Chicago  take place throughout each summer.

REU participants receive a stipend of $6,000, plus on-campus housing and a travel allowance. Since our start date is later than most other REU programs, this is the perfect summer program for students whose schools are on the quarter-system!

While there is no strict GPA requirement, the average GPA of admitted students is typically above 3.5.  However, we do look favorably upon students who can work through adversity.  Most accepted students are rising junior and seniors, though we encourage exceptional younger students who have some independent research experience to apply. You must  not have completed your degree before the program begins.  Due to NSF funding requirements, our program is open only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

For further information, contact  [email protected] , 847-467-0470.

Academic-Year Undergraduate Research Internship (URI)

Application deadline: October 31, 2023

The Northwestern University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (NU-MRSEC) offers an  Academic-Year Undergraduate Research Internship  program. Students have the opportunity to conduct experimental, theoretical or computational research in various areas of materials science within the laboratories of MRSEC-affiliated faculty. For an overview of Center research, please view the MRSEC research  website.

Participants will receive a stipend of $15/hour for the academic year and are expected to work for 10-20 hours a week. To be eligible for this program, you must be a Northwestern undergraduate student majoring in a science or engineering field and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Participants wishing to receive academic credit for the project they do during the URI program must consult with their departments (most departments will not give academic credit for the same work for which a student receives pay). The internship is compatible with the Federal Work-Study program, but students do not need to be Work-Study eligible to participate.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Click here to download application

2023-2024 URI participants: Malachi Cohen, PI: Cécile Chazot Camille Layden, PI: Sossina Haile Linda Li, PI: Mark Hersam Emma Sellin, PI: Cécile Chazot

NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology logo

Beginning June 19, 2023

Quantitative Biology Undergraduate Summer Research Program

Participants attended activities such as, weekly workshops covering communication, design, ethics, teamwork, and entrepreneurship; a day trip to a local museum or Argonne National Laboratory; a presentation on applying to graduate school; and other cohort outings.

This program was supported by the NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology and the Northwestern Research Training Grant in Quantitative Biological Modeling. 

Application 

Please follow the link here to the full application instructions.  https://northwestern.edu/quantitativebiologyreu/application/

Eligibility

To be considered for this program, applicants had to be currently be enrolled as a freshman, sophomore, or junior with demonstrated interests in the life sciences, engineering, mathematics, statistics, or physics. Open to US citizens or permanent residents.

Expectations

• Participants were expected to spend 37.5 hours a week researching with a participating faculty member’s research group for 8-weeks between June 19 – August 12, 2023. (Dates can be flexible to accommodate your university/college’s spring term/quarter end date and fall term/quarter start date.)
• Participants agreed not to take on any other research grants for any part of the eight-week period, and must not be enrolled in courses for any part of that period.
• Participants presented at the end of summer symposium. Presentation options are a 15-minute slide presentation, a 3-minute recorded video, or a poster presentation. Symposium will include program directors, investigators, scholars, and members.

See an e xample summer program schedule here.

The 2020 Virtual Summer Program Schedule: 2020_Virtual_SURP_Schedule

Student Experience

Read about alumna Annamarie Leske’s experience in blog post, “How to apply to and thrive in quantitative biology REUs”, https://blogs.ams.org/mathmentoringnetwork/

Example Undergraduate Summer Projects from the 2020 Virtual Program

Recommendations.

Here are a few recommendations to further support your application and your exploration into quantitative biology.

• During the academic year participate in an independent research project with a faculty member at your home institution.
• Take online tutorials (e.g. Data Camp , Coursera) and/or basic computer science courses in programming. The most used programming languages are Matlab, R, Python, C++, and Java.
• For Math majors, take a fundamental course in general, cell, or developmental biology.
• For Biology majors, take a fundamental course in statistics.

Participating Faculty Mentors

2021 cohort.

Chloe Chen, Carnegie Mellon University Matthew Cummings, University of Dayton Sophie Furlow, Northwestern University Annamarie Leske, North Carolina State University May Nguyen, Northwestern University Matthew Sak, University of Kentucky Mete Yuksel, University of Idaho Isabel Zhong, Northwestern University

2020 Cohort

Nathan Burg, University of Illinois, Chicago Olivia Dunne, University of Chicago Karan Gowda, Northwestern University William He, Northwestern University Brian Hsu, Northwestern University Sean Jordan, University of Maryland Saurav Kiri, New College of Florida Christopher Lee, Northwestern University Rohan Mehra, Rutgers University Kelly Paquin, The Ohio State University Gabriel Petersen, Northwestern University

2019 Cohort

Zachary Crispino, Cornell University Robby Gray, Northwestern University Christina Goss, Northwestern University Iurii Gurkov, Hunter College CUNY Alain Kangabire, Northwestern University Zayn Kayali, University of Wisconsin – Madison Sanheet Kodimala, Northwestern University Wenjie Li, Washington University St Louis Angelica Lopez, University of Wisconsin – Madison Sophia Nehs, University of Wisconsin – Madison Nathan White, Northwestern University Zihan Wu, Northwestern University

Summer Research Programs

Training the next generation of clinicians and scientists is at the foundation of the Lurie Cancer Center's mission. Our summer research programs give students the opportunity to learn and become active participants in cancer research. The hope is that these new experiences will inspire students to consider health- and science-related careers.

• NU-CURE (Cancer-Focused Undergraduate Research Experience) & ACS-DICR (ACS Diversity in Cancer Research Internship_ Both programs aim to support diverse, committed, innovative future leaders in cancer research whose efforts will improve the lives of cancer patients, their families, and the larger community .
• ChicagoCHEC Research Fellows A comprehensive learning experience for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students from Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University, the City Colleges of Chicago and other Community/Junior Colleges in the Chicago metropolitan area.

COGNITIVE SCIENCE PROGRAM

• Undergraduate
• Summer Research Fellowships

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Deadline for Summer 2024 Applications is April 2, 2024.

Questions? Contact  the Director of Undergraduate Studies

The Cognitive Science  Summer   Undergraduate  Research Fellowships  are aimed at providing an important and meaningful  research  experience to  undergraduates  in Cognitive Science and its allied disciplines. The allied disciplines within Cognitive Science at Northwestern are Anthropology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Computer Science, Learning Sciences, Learning and Organizational Change, Linguistics, Music Cognition, Philosophy, and Psychology.

These  summer   fellowships  provide an opportunity for sustained full-time involvement with faculty-sponsored  research . Students will propose a specific research project to be supervised by a Northwestern faculty member.  Fellows typically work as part of a research team, and will have an opportunity to see how Cognitive Science  research  is done in specific contexts. Please visit our  Research Opportunities  page for a list of Cognitive Science labs that have welcomed undergraduate researchers in the past, and our Affiliated Faculty page for a list of all Northwestern faculty affiliated with the Cognitive Science program.

Who May Apply:   Northwestern Cognitive Science majors and minors. The fellowship program may also consider applications from students majoring in related disciplines who wish to pursue  research  in Cognitive Science.

How to Apply:  

Students should compile an application that contains a research proposal and a personal statement.  They should also secure a letter of recommendation from their faculty sponsor. 

Research Proposal . The applicant should propose a specific project together with an individual faculty advisor. The research proposal should be no more than two pages.  It should include a research question, a short discussion briefly connecting this question to previous research, a proposed method, and discussion of the potential implications of this study.

Personal Statement . The application should also include a brief one page personal statement about the student's Cognitive Science interests and current career plan beyond  undergraduate  study.

Letter of Recommendation . The student’s faculty advisor should write a brief (one page or less) letter endorsing the student’s proposed project and confirming their willingness to serve as the student’s faculty supervisor during the summer research period.

Applications and letters of recommendation should be emailed to the Director of Undergraduate Studies at [email protected] .  Please include “Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship” in the subject line.

Fellowships  will be awarded on a competitive basis. Each fellow will receive a $4,000 stipend to cover living expenses* for eight weeks of full-time research on an independent research project, under faculty supervision. Students and faculty can arrange their research schedules to fit their project. Students awarded the Cognitive Science Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship may not also receive a NU Summer Undergraduate Research Grant for the same project. Students will have an opportunity to present their research to the Cognitive Science Community. 

*Note that the Office of Undergraduate Research does not provide summer housing. If staying in Evanston, many students leverage resources from  Off-Campus Living to identify summer sublets.

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Summer Research: Worth the Rewards

Engineering undergraduate researchers spend summer break making new discoveries in science and about themselves..

For many Northwestern Engineering undergraduate students, giving up summer break to engage in research is no sacrifice. The experience and knowledge they gain top even the best vacation.

Each year, about half of engineering students pursue undergraduate research projects, with many choosing to stay on campus over the summer, when they can focus exclusively on research. By doing this, students find they accomplish more in a few months than they typically could during a full academic school year.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni, Northwestern Engineering provides undergraduate research fellowships to students during the summer. Students have also received funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research to the tune of more than $600,000 over the past five years across the academic year and summer.

Being able to conduct research without the distractions of course work and other activities is one reason students pursue summer projects. More opportunity for one-on-one interaction with faculty is another. Northwestern Engineering spoke with three undergraduates about how their summer experiences advanced their development, which in turn can advance Northwestern’s strong research reputation. 

Clean Energy. Converting Daily Activity into Electrical Power.

Akash borde, computer engineering (also pursuing ms in chemical engineering).

I’ve always been interested in science and math, so engineering seemed like a cool way to pursue both while applying my knowledge right away. With traditional science, it can take longer to see the application of research, but engineering is generally more direct in solving problems.

Some of the biggest challenges scientists and engineers face today are in the clean energy field. Fossil fuels are cheap and readily available, but they’re neither sustainable nor good for the environment. I’m interested in helping develop something that’s good for the planet.

“I wanted to spend my summer diving into research and getting a good understanding of what it’s like. I decided to give it a full commitment to see if it’s something I want to do in the future.”

I was drawn to Professor Harold Kung’s research on generating and storing electricity in a clean way. He and his graduate students Thomas Yu and Aditya Mandalam are investigating using graphene materials for energy capture and storage. The work I did is part of the lab’s larger research goal to develop a foam that will reliably produce significant amounts of current when compressed.

The idea is to capture the energy generated from day-to-day activities, such as walking and driving, that is otherwise lost as heat. My summer project was to help develop a material that captures the mechanical energy that goes into compressing the ground and converts it into electricity. I examined how different methods of preparing a chemically reduced graphene oxide hydrogel in a polyurethane matrix can improve how efficiently the foam converts compressive energy into electricity. 

Graphene is conductive and flexible, and by compressing these graphene foams when submerged in an electrolyte, we can change how much charge the foams hold. Compression of the foam displaces the electrolyte that previously would have filled the foam’s uncompressed pores, which creates a charge imbalance that drives a current or voltage. What we would like to achieve is to use this charge imbalance to do electrical work. There are a lot of potential applications down the line.

I enjoy mixing the chemicals—just the raw chemistry of it is fun. It reminds me of when I first studied chemistry in high school, which eventually led me to chemical engineering. We’re essentially making something from scratch by taking raw, pencil-lead graphite and turning it into something new. We can’t power anything meaningful yet, but if this works, it will be really striking.

Urban Flooding. Seeking Solutions in Green Spaces.

Loren ayala, bs civil engineering '17, ms environmental engineering.

I wouldn’t say I gave up my summer to work on the Multifunctional Urban Green Spaces research project. I really wanted to stay in Chicago last summer and thought this project was a great idea with a lot of potential . I also knew Liliana Hernandez Gonzalez, a PhD student already involved in the research.

It’s a multidimensional environmental project focused on using instrumentation for longterm data collection on stormwater retention and climate adaptation from green spaces. The data will be used to inform the implementation of new techniques in other green spaces and how humans interact with their built green environment, which largely affects human health.

The long-term objective is to document how urban green spaces can help in reducing urban flooding. We’re monitoring many different factors, such as groundwater, water flow, road salt deposition, ambient air temperature, and sunlight.

We’ve had a couple setbacks, but it’s progressed really well, and the initial installations are revealing a lot of interesting patterns. For example, from the groundwater wells, we can definitively see the different soil types acting on the land’s rainwater drainage patterns. The changes that happen when it rains are sometimes dramatic.

Professor Aaron Packman , who oversees the project, is my academic adviser. He has a big imagination and always has a bigger plan than we do. This project started smaller, but over time he added components here and there that enhanced it in unexpected ways.

“I decided I wanted to be an engineer when I was in fourth grade. I like the human impact of engineering. Science is very truth oriented , but engineering is more people oriented.”  

I enjoy how the project brings many different pieces together. I started out doing fieldwork and installations. I went on to chemical analysis, and right now I’m doing microbial analysis, which is really cool. The microbial analysis is my baby; I’m spearheading that part of the project. I like that you can look at all the information from many perspectives— chemical, microbial, physical, and so on.

I decided I wanted to be an engineer when I was in fourth grade. I like the human impact of engineering. Science is very truth oriented , but engineering is more people oriented. After Northwestern, I plan to work at a consulting firm so I can broaden my skill set, and then I hope to join an environmental firm that focuses on water resources.

Alzheimer's Disease. Mimicking Nature to Combat the Effects.

Joseph draut, chemical engineering .

I wanted do research from the day I stepped onto campus. Professor Josh Leonard ’s Laboratory for Cellular Devices and Biomolecular Engineering was my number one choice. Last fall, he said that MD/ PhD candidate Patrick Donahue had a synthetic biology project that would be a great fit for me.

We’re attempting to design a synthetic gene circuit that can drive cells to a particular neuronal cell type. Current methods are pretty much like throwing proteins at the cell and hoping they do what you want. If we can fine-tune the gene circuit in the lab to mimic the differentiation pathways found in nature, we’ll get a higher purity yield of the target cells. 

The decline in the population of this type of neuron has been closely associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and restoration of this neuron population in mice was sufficient to relieve the effects of the disease. The data thus far indicates that if we’re able to restore this population of neurons with high purity and efficiency, we’ll be able to combat the effects of Alzheimer’s.

“One of the main things I’ve taken away from this experience is a sense of independence in solving problems and testing the solutions on my own.”

I enjoy the sense of being on the front line of these new discoveries and applications. I often find myself thinking that if this works, or even if it doesn’t, the discoveries we make here will push forward the frontier of research and our ability to help people. Biology has always interested me, and the idea of taking what we see in nature and recreating it for our own therapeutic purposes really appeals to me. To do that in a way that can help people is incredible.

During the summer, you have so much more time to actually work on research projects because you don’t have classes or other obligations. The progress I made during those three months is probably equivalent to, if not greater than, everything I did during the school year.

One of the main things I’ve taken away from this experience is a sense of independence in solving problems and testing the solutions on my own. Working with Professor Leonard has helped me to see where I want to go after Northwestern. I hope to do graduate work in synthetic biology, and laying the groundwork now will be very useful.

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• Opportunities

Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) logo

Research experiences for undergraduates: summer 2023.

Posted January 10, 2023

Deadline: 12:00am, February 1, 2023

Our Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides students with the opportunity to pursue an astrophysics-based interdisciplinary research project in collaboration with Northwestern University faculty in:

• Applied Math
• Earth and Planetary Science (EPS)
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (CS)
• and/or Physics.

The program includes computer programming and science communication workshops, research talks, educational excursions, and a $5400 stipend (over nine weeks).

Categories: Uncategorized

Tags: Education

• Research Opportunities

Start your undergraduate research

Undergraduate research is open to every undergraduate in any discipline.

But you can do so much more than conduct research. That's just the starting point for experiences that can connect you to students and faculty around the University, country and world. 

• Attend or present at the Undergraduate Research and Arts Expo
• Apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant
• Publish findings in the Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal
• Submit your work to the Undergraduate Awards , an international pan-discipline awards program
• Contact the Office of Fellowships to see if you qualify for a fellowship

OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

What direction will your research take you?

As an undergraduate at Northwestern, not only do you have the option to engage in scholarly research, regardless of your school, but your options for undergraduate research are almost endless. Here’s where it’s taken six of our undergraduates.

I’m working on a research project to develop the chemical vapor deposition of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides for applications in nanoscale photonics and solid-state devices.”

Spencer Park McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science Dual-Degree Program: Trumpet Performance & Materials Science and Engineering; Business Institutions Program minor

I recently had an Undergraduate Research Grant to research indigenous language maintenance within the Lepcha community of India. My research advisor is helping me put my research into the bigger picture of language revitalization work.”

Steffi Brock-Wilson Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Economics major; Certificate in Civic Engagement

I’m working in a lab with Dr. Beverly Wright. I am being considered a peer among faculty members. It's an amazing opportunity to get started on research very early in my undergraduate experience.”

Simran Chadha School of Communication Communication Sciences and Disorders major; Global Health and/or Political Science minor

I worked with a professor to research and edit a textbook on social media. Also, I spent several quarters working with the professor who founded “The Youth Project,” a Medill-run publication centered on issues of social justice.”

Carter Sherman Medill School of Journalism Journalism and International Studies double major

• IPR Intranet

INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH

• Students & Postdocs
• Summer Undergraduate Research Assistant Program

Summer Undergraduate Research Assistants Program

Amelia Vasquez (right)  worked with IPR developmental psychologist  Terri Sabol  on the Chicago Universal Pre-Kindergarten Study at IPR, which aims to  evaluate  the effects of the citywide pre-K expansion that occurred in the 2018–19 school year.

IPR is committed to involving Northwestern undergraduates in its research enterprise. To this end, IPR has run its Summer Undergraduate Research Assistants (SURA) Program since 1998. The program gives students first-hand experience in the conceptualization and conduct of policy-relevant social science research.

The SURA program starts off with a one-day training session, and students spend the rest of the time working on real-time research projects with IPR faculty.

We hope that some RAs will continue to work for faculty during the following academic year and/or write honors theses that incorporate policy-relevant topics and research. 

2024 Program Details

• Eligibility: Current Northwestern first-years, sophomores, and juniors. International student applicants must have an eligible F-1 visa.
• Program dates:  Runs for 10 weeks, typically starting the third week in June (after the official end of spring quarter). Although the starting dates, time off, and ending dates are flexible at the discretion of the faculty sponsor, a start date earlier than the official end of spring quarter is not allowed. 
• Compensation: $18.00 per hour, for up to 35 hours per week, typically for 10 weeks (a total of 350 hours). All students must submit electronic timesheets and are paid for the number of hours actually worked.
• Training: A one-day session on best practices for RAs, program expectations, and university resources is provided.

Frequently asked questions

Application Process

Applications are closed for Summer 2024. 

Find about more about the actual experiences of IPR summer undergraduate RAs, including how their experiences have shaped how they think about social science research, in addition to their education and career plans.

• Meet the 2023 Summer Undergraduate RAs.
• Learn more about the 2023 program.
• Read the 2023 student blog. 

Information for Faculty

IPR faculty fellows and associates can email [email protected] for information.

Global and Research Opportunities at Northwestern University

Login / logout, error message, search form, cure summer undergraduate cancer research internship.

CURE (Cancer Undergraduate Research and Education) is an undergraduate summer research program for underserved college students who are interested in pursuing careers in the biomedical sciences. For eight weeks, students will work full-time (35-40 hours/week) alongside top cancer researchers in state-of-the-art laboratories. Senior scientists act as mentors and work with CURE students on nationally funded laboratory research projects. Students are introduced to the basics of cancer biology and receive career guidance through weekly seminars presented by faculty members.

Program dates are June 22 - August 14, 2020.

Qualifications

To qualify, applicants should have standing as college freshmen, sophomore, junior or senior students in September 2020. Applicants should have demonstrated interest in the biological sciences and have a strong record of academic achievement. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States (with green card) who are members of an underserved population (African-American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander or Native American).

Stipend & Housing

Participants in the CURE program receive a taxable stipend of approximately $4,000. In addition, housing is provided on the Evanston Campus of Northwestern University for students living outside the Chicago area along with air travel to Chicago. Trainees may work on either the Chicago or Evanston campuses, which are connected by a free shuttle bus.

How to Apply

To apply, complete the  CURE online application . Your application and letter of recommendation must be received by  February 15, 2020.   Mentors are assigned based on the personal statement portion of the application. Specific lab requests will be accommodated if possible.

Basic Information

Opportunity type: .

• Internship, Lab Experience, Work Study/Paid Employment

Opportunity Type (Other): 

Opportunity start year: , opportunity location: .

• Chicago Campus, Evanston Campus

Location: 

Location map: , requirements & prerequisites, language requirement: , academic information, course credit availability: , language of instruction: , subject area(s): .

• Natural Sciences

Keyword Descriptors: 

• Cancer, undergraduate, Summer, Research, biomedical sciences, underrepresented minorities

Financial Information

Funding availability: , compensation: , type of payment available: , contact information, contact name: , contact email: , sponsors & partners, schools: .

• Feinberg School of Medicine

NU Sponsor: 

Wildcard group, northwestern run opportunity: , global opportunity: , elective topic: .

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM (URAP)

The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program funds inexperienced students to work with faculty who are in need of assistance on their own research projects. In doing so, students who do not have sufficient research experience to design and carry out their own independent project gain first-hand mentored knowledge of research practices in their discipline, while faculty who would not otherwise be able to hire Research Assistants (RAs) get help with their own projects. Unlike our other grant programs, a URAP application has to be initiated by a faculty member. Faculty can apply with a particular student(s) in mind, or the Office of Undergraduate Research can assist in finding a student for them by running a search. If you are interested, keep reading to learn how you can get hired by this program! Students in the program are paid $16.00/hour.

If you are a potential faculty mentor interested in applying to URAP, please visit our URAP for Faculty page! The below information is geared toward students.  

PROPOSAL APPLICATIONS ARE EVALUATED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA :

• The extent to which the mentee will have opportunities to frequently engage with the faculty mentor and receive feedback on their work.
• The extent to which it is clear what the student will be doing on a day-to-day basis and how they will be trained to do these tasks.
• The clarity on the skills the mentee will develop through this opportunity and how these skills will prepare the student for more independent work in the field.
• Whether the application is consistent with URAP’s goals of providing opportunities for novice students – not students who already have related professional or academic research experiences.
• The alignment between the student’s interests/goals and the mentor’s work, and how this opportunity will create mutual benefit.

If the review committee needs to make decisions within a limited budget, secondary budget priorities will be strong applications from traditionally underfunded fields (or those who made an argument towards the necessity of funding) or residential college faculty pairings.

Since faculty can either apply with a pre-selected student OR run a job search, this means there are two different deadlines, pending which pathway you take.

PRE-SELECTED STUDENTS:

2023-24 Academic Year URAP Faculty Deadline: Monday,  October 9, 2023

Students applying as the pre-selected student must submit PDFs of their resume and cover letter within 24 hours of the faculty deadline listed above.

OPEN JOB SEARCHES:

2023-24 Academic Year URAP Student Search application period: Monday, October 30 – Sunday, November 12, 2023.

Eligibility

Student mentee eligibility.

Overall, this program is meant for student mentees with no prior research experience, or no prior experience in the proposed methodologies. If you are not sure of your eligibility on the basis of prior research, please consult this  Student Eligibility Guide .  Typically, the faculty review committee is looking for students to make major shifts across fields (ie moving from humanities to natural sciences etc); otherwise the argument needs to be very clearly framed about how the student is still considered new to research and why they are not yet ready to pursue something more independent.

Eligible Applicants:

• Undergraduate Northwestern students who are new to research.
• Undergraduate Northwestern students who are interested in conducting research in a new field that is significantly different than their previous research.
• Under applicable policy, the University cannot hire someone who is outside of the United States. The hired student must reside on US soil at time of hire and throughout the duration of the grant period.
• For international students: all URAP students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) before they are able to begin working/earning money. If the student does not already have a SSN, the Office of Undergraduate Research can write a job offer letter for the student. SSN-related delays may impact the student’s ability to complete work during the grant period. Please talk with us prior to applying so you have a sense of timeline and process required and can make informed financial decisions!
• Faculty may choose to hire two students, and each student has the potential to earn the full award. The award decision is made based on the whole application, so BOTH students must be eligible for the grant to be considered.

Ineligible Applicants:

• Students who are not residing on US soil during the grant period.
• Seniors graduating early cannot be selected for Academic Year URAP positions (given that most students do not begin working until Winter, and the student needs to be an active undergraduate student to be eligible).
• Undergraduate Northwestern students who have already held a URAP position.
• Undergraduate Northwestern students who are prepared to conduct independent research (you should apply for our independent research grants instead!).
• URAP awardees may NOT simultaneously hold an independent grant during their award tenure.

Faculty Mentor Eligibility

• Full-time Northwestern University teaching faculty
• Non-tenure track faculty and lecturers who are teaching this year  are  eligible, and strongly encouraged to apply as long as they will be at Northwestern the following year.
• Teaching postdocs  are  eligible, and strongly encouraged to apply. Post-docs on two year fellowships can only apply for a Summer or AY URAP in their first year.

Ineligible Applicants: URAP fosters long-term mentoring relationships between faculty and students; therefore, faculty are only eligible to apply if they will still be on their campus the academic year after they hold a URAP.

• Emeritus faculty, faculty retiring or leaving Northwestern the following academic year, single year visiting faculty, and other teaching faculty who will not be at Northwestern next academic year  are not eligible to apply.
• Graduate students and non-teaching post-docs  are not  eligible to apply.

Application Process

Finding a faculty mentor.

Faculty mentors initiate the main application. They will describe the student role and tasks, how you will be trained, and their mentorship plan. We encourage students to identify faculty to apply on their behalf (it’s your best chance of success!). A great way to begin this process is to work through Getting Started , and attend a Finding a Faculty/Lab Workshop .

If you are able to find a faculty mentor to apply on your behalf, it often works well to meet and discuss the project and your role before the faculty mentor applies. You can take notes during your meeting in this application  Word Template,  and send it to the faculty mentor afterwards as a way of jump starting their application. The information from meeting will also help you be specific in your cover letter about the aspects of the job that you are excited about and what you hope to gain from this experience. 

If you are not able to identify a faculty member to apply on your behalf in advance of the deadline, that’s okay! Sign up for our e-Newsletter to be the first to know when the open job searches go live! You are welcome to apply to more than one open job, but you must apply separately to EACH position, and we expect you to tailor your cover letter each time. The potential drawbacks to the open job search are that 1) there is no guarantee there will be a faculty mentor in your field running a job search, and 2) you will be competing against other students applying to the same position, so it is more competitive. That being said, it’s always worth a shot to apply! If you are not selected, there are still many other ways to get involved in research. Meeting with an advisor is the best way to come up with a game plan that works for you and your goals!

Drafting Your Cover Letter

You will need a cover letter to apply, regardless of whether you apply as a pre-selected student, or you apply to an open job search position.

EXPECTATIONS ON COVER LETTER SUBMISSION:

You are applying for a position that is competitive – take the time to write a strong application. If you have not written a job application before we recommend you review the resources provided by Career Advancement before starting. The following tips should serve as a baseline; students can receive additional advising on this process from Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA), and they can schedule an appointment through  Handshake . There are lots of helpful examples and resources on the NCA website, including their Career Guide   with sample cover letters and their page specific to  Cover Letter Writing .

FORMATTING:

• Cover letter is maximum of 1 page.
• Save document as a PDFs prior to submission.
• Minimum 11 point font.

COVER LETTER CONTENT:

• FOR PRE-SELECTED STUDENTS: Address the cover letter to the faculty mentor, but your target audience is the faculty review committee. Your goal is to demonstrate alignment with the faculty mentor’s application. You want the review committee to know how you and the faculty mentor came to work together, what skills you are excited about developing, and how you hope to benefit from the URAP experience, if selected. An easy way to begin this cover letter is to use content from the first e-mail you likely sent the faculty mentor (back when you were looking to start a conversation about their research), and then add in content from conversations you have since had with the faculty mentor about the particulars of the URAP position.
• FOR OPEN JOB SEARCH STUDENTS: Address the cover letter to the faculty mentor, being careful to assure that you submit the right cover letter if you apply to more than one open position. Your cover letter is your chance to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Try to express your passion and interests for the position, and explain why their position in particular stood out to you.
• Introduce yourself so they know who is applying . In the first paragraph, it is a good idea to let the faculty mentor a) who you are, your year, and potential major or field of interest, and b) share how you found out about the job opening (ie did their colleague recommend it to you? Listserv? Course you are talking? Office of Undergraduate Research staff member?) Additionally, if you have a residential college affiliation (ie Willard, Shepard, etc) please mention this as well.
• Tailor your application to the job you are applying for . A potential employer wants to know why you are interested in this specific position, and to get an idea of the skills, qualities, and experiences you would bring to it. They are less interested in generic discussion of your personal history, or experiences that have no bearing on the job they want done. So refer to specific reasons why you are interested in  this  position, and give reasons (supported with evidence – see below) for why you are the best candidate for  this job. You will not likely be a competitive candidate if you cannot articulate why a specific job is a good match for you, and what you hope to get out of it. That is, you cover letter should clearly articulate how your interests align with the faculty mentor’s and how this opportunity would benefit you academically and professionally.
• Provide evidence for your statements . It’s not enough to say “I am passionate about history/genetics/psychology/etc.” Why should the person reviewing your application take your word for it? And how does your claim to be passionate distinguish you from all the other applicants claiming exactly the same thing?  Demonstrate  your interest through concrete examples of things you have already done. E.g., what coursework have you taken? Do you have relevant life experiences through clubs, activism, or personal circumstance? What prior experiences show that you had some interest in this topic before you read the job ad?
• Your application must be professional.  A potential employer is interested in your professional experiences and academic goals, not your hobbies and childhood memories. When you describe your background and interest in the field, remember that this is a job application and not a dating profile.
• Give your potential employer enough information to make a decision .   If you only provide generic information and do not give much detail on yourself, how can a potential employer evaluate your interest in, and suitability for, the job?
• Copy edit your application before you send it . This should be obvious…you WILL be judged if there are typos or spelling errors. Don’t let silly mistakes hold back your application. If you are applying to more than one position, log back into the system after you apply and confirm that you uploaded the right resume and the right cover letter for each position. If a faculty member receives an application addressed to a different mentor, they likely won’t take your application seriously.

Click here to download an Example Cover Letter.

Drafting Your Resume

 You will need a resume to apply, regardless of whether you apply as a pre-selected student, or you apply to an open job search position.

EXPECTATIONS ON RESUME SUBMISSION:

You are applying for a position that is competitive – take the time to write a strong application. If you have not written a resume before we recommend you review the resources provided by Career Advancement before starting. The following tips should serve as a baseline; students can receive additional advising on this process from Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA), and they can schedule an appointment through  Handshake . There are lots of helpful examples and resources on the NCA website, including their Career Guide   with sample cover letters and their page specific to Resume Writing .

• Resume is maximum of 1 page.
• Save document as a PDF prior to submission.

RESUME CONTENT:

• Contact information
• Relevant Experience (does not have to be formal job experience)
• Start bullet points with action verbs. NCA has a list of action verbs to help you get started. Where possible, try to quantify your experience, or frame it in a way that shows how it is relevant to the position to which you are applying. 
• Place the most important information first and group related experiences together.  Use section categories to highlight your experiences most relevant to the job first. Within each category, items will be listed chronologically. 
• Include relevant non-work experiences.  Think broadly about what you might include; any activity you do consistently that has an output you can point to can work! For this particular resume, you might include relevant coursework to demonstrate interest in a topic area.

Click here to download an Example Resume.

Submitting Student Application Materials

FOR PRE-SELECTED STUDENTS: your faculty mentor will include your netID when they submit the application. This will trigger an email to you, asking you to upload a PDF of your resume and cover letter to complete the application in the portal ( https://soap.northwestern.edu ). You will see the pending application when you login. You must upload your materials within 24 hours of the faculty application deadline for the application to be considered.

FOR OPEN JOB SEARCH STUDENTS: After log-in, you’ll see a grid with any applications you have previously submitted.  If you have never used this system, it will be empty. On the top menu, click the button that says “Discover Opportunities and Apply.” Navigate to the section that says “Undergraduate Research Office.” Click the “View All” button to find all of the open grants and URAP positions. Scroll through the opportunity listings until you find the name of the faculty mentor and title of the opportunity for which you’d like to apply.

Apply through this Application Portal.

• Log in with your NetID and password.
• Enter the required information, and upload PDFs of your resume and cover letter. 

Final Submission When you submit the application, you will get one of two system responses:

• Option 1: Error message that there were some problems with your application. The errors will be highlighted in red; please review and correct them before you resubmit.
• Option 2: If there are no errors, you will be sent to a survey site. Doing the survey is a requirement to complete the application . It is a short survey that helps us continue advocating for funding and make improvements to the process.

You will receive an automatically generated confirmation email within 15 minutes of your successful submission.

Application Evaluation

• There is a clear benefit to both the faculty and the student. The student is actively engaged in the research rather than doing mundane tasks like data entry or transcribing.
• The student does not have prior research experience, or the student will clearly be transitioning into a new field with significantly different methodologies than their prior experience.
• The application outlines a clear and detailed mentoring plan, discussing how the faculty mentor will help the student develop their research skills.
• The faculty mentor would not otherwise be able to hire an RA because the field is traditionally underfunded and/or undergraduates are not normally included in the research process: arts, humanities, and non-lab/field-based social sciences.
• For faculty in the natural sciences, engineering, medical school, or lab/field-based social sciences, the application makes a detailed and compelling case for why no other funding is available to support RAs. If the faculty has hired undergraduate RAs before, the application explains why this particular student cannot be hired from the same funding source.
• The experience for the student goes beyond the regular curriculum in the discipline.

URAP and Work-Study

You do not need to be work-study eligible in order to receive URAP funding.

If a URAP student is work-study eligible (as denoted in their financial aid award letter accessible through CAESAR), then their URAP position will be converted to work-study. 

Here is an overview of how that will work: work-study is a federal need-based financial aid program. At Northwestern, it is set up such that the government pays for 75% of the student’s hourly wage, and the department that hires the student pays the other 25%. Since the Office of Undergraduate Research is the hiring department for URAP jobs, we will cover the 25%, and there is no additional cost to the faculty mentor.

Of note, work-study allotments are typically more than the URAP award allotment, which means the student may: 1) hold more than one work-study job (and it is the mentee’s job to communicate this to the mentor if this is true), and/or 2) be eligible to earn additional URAP hours given their work-study allotment. The average work-study allotment is $3,600 which is 225 possible URAP hours. Students are often eager to maximize their work-study income. Consequently, prior to the grant beginning, the student mentee and faculty mentor should have an honest conversation about the student’s goals and commitments regarding work-study position(s), and if the URAP job is a viable way for the student to earn additional hours. For example, if the faculty mentor only has about 100 hours of work (ie the initial URAP amount of $1,600 divided by $16.00/hr), the student can only earn a fraction of the $3,600 allotment, the student may pursue a second work-study job since many students financially depend on being able to earn the full allotment. Conversely, if the faculty mentor hopes to hire the student for 225 hours, but the student already has another work-study job with which they plan on splitting their time, it is important for the faculty member to know about realistic time expectations for their URAP research tasks. The federal work-study program caps the number of hours worked per week at 20 hours.

Can I get help writing my resume and cover letter?

Certainly! Since the required student application components are a resume and cover letter, your best resource is Northwestern Career Advancement . You can schedule an appointment with an advisor via Handshake . If you’re looking to speak to someone quickly, look into NCA LiveChat or NCA Express Advising options.

We are also happy to provide advising support through the Office of Undergraduate Research. Schedule an advising appointment with an advisor.

What if I do not currently have a faculty mentor in mind?

Can i apply to more than one open position, i am in a lab-based field. can i still ask a faculty mentor to apply.

• New junior faculty who have not yet applied for major grants and who need RA help while they are setting up their first lab.
• Faculty who are initiating small, unfunded pilot projects that will later form the basis of a new NSF/NIH application.
• Faculty who are funded by grants that explicitly prohibit hiring of undergraduates (please be specific about funding source).

If the faculty mentor does have potential funding to hire you, we expect them to do so such that our office can focus on creating as many opportunities for students as possible.   There are often a number of resources in these disciplines wherein faculty can fund  or subsidize undergraduates.

When can I begin working? How many hours can I complete?

First and foremost, you have to complete all the hiring paperwork before you can begin working. We have a separate page with instructions for award winners .

Academic Year URAP

• Students can begin working any time after November 1st IF they have submitted the appropriate payroll paperwork AND the position is visible in Workforce.
• Students can work more heavily in one quarter than another, pending their course load and agreement with the faculty sponsor.
• Students can work over breaks, if agreed upon with faculty sponsor.  Work cannot be conducted during exam periods.
• Students are paid $16.00/hour and can earn up to $1,600 (or 100 hours) over the grant period. Students who are eligible and choose to convert their RA position to work-study can earn more depending on their individual work-study allotment.
• If they choose to space out the 100 hours, students often work 5-8 hours a week (see funding information above).
• Students CANNOT work more than 40 hrs/week; whether working for this job alone or in combination with another part-time campus job.
• Students must complete & log all hours by the last payroll deadline before Spring Exams begin. Please check your award email for specific dates. Hours must be logged AND annotated in Workforce.

How do I get paid?

First and foremost, you must complete all steps in the hiring payroll process before you can begin working. We have a separate page with information to Award Winners .

The Office of Undergraduate Research hires students as Temp Employees, and students are paid an hourly wage of $16.00/hr. Students enter their hours in Workforce to get paid, and the faculty supervisor (or someone the faculty mentor designates) approves hours in Workforce as primary supervisor. Students cannot begin working until their timecard is visible in Workforce; typically the job is visible about a week after all payroll paperwork is submitted. Additional processes to complete payroll paperwork (like applying and receiving a social security number) may delay the potential start date. Full details on your award paperwork, payroll paperwork, and using Workforce to log/approve hours will be provided in your award emails; we also require all student awardees to participate in a mandatory on-boarding workshop.

I was selected as a URAP mentee! What do I do next?

When you are formally selected, you should receive an award email with instructions on what to do next. You will also fill out a form to generate custom payroll instructions within the application system. You can refer to this webpage for links to payroll forms and detailed instructions on how to complete them. In general you will need to:

• Log back into the application system and formally accept the award.
• Submit a personal data form.
• Complete tax paperwork and I9 verification if you are not already in the Payroll system.
• Attend a mandatory URAP onboarding workshop.
• Begin working ONLY after the position is formally created through HR and you can see a place to enter hours in Workforce.

I need help with the Workforce timekeeping system.

We will take care of hiring you, and we provide an on-boarding workshop to guide you through how to use the Workforce system. Your faculty mentor or someone they designate will approve your hours every two weeks. If your faculty mentor knows in advance that they will be unable to approve your hours for an upcoming deadline, they may contact the URAP administrator to request backup approval on their behalf.

All other questions are best asked of the Workforce help desk, as we are not experts in how this system works.

• Information and Links for the Workforce Timekeeping System
• Phone: 847-491-4700
• Email: [email protected]

Can I use this position to earn work-study money? What about academic credit?

If you are awarded work-study as part of your financial aid package, your URAP position will come from your work-study allotment. This option is only possible during the academic year.

HOWEVER, the average work-study allotment is between $3,000 and $4,000, which comes to about 200-260 hours of work (instead of the original AYURAP 100 hours). Not all faculty mentors may be able to provide that much work. Therefore, the faculty must have additional hours for you to complete or you may wish to find a different job to earn your full allotment.

You cannot simultaneously be paid for your work while earning academic credit, so if you prefer to receive academic credit, you should apply for a 398/399 independent study. Enrollment in an independent student makes you eligible to apply for an  Academic Year Undergraduate Research Grant , which provides $1,000 towards research related expenses.

I'm a research assistant, but I'm falling behind in my work and I'm freaking out. What do I do?

Quick links.

• Advising Request
• E-Newsletter Sign-up
• Workshops & Info Sessions

BAKER PROGRAM IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Student research.

UNIVERSITY RESOURCES FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

The Undergraduate Research website  provides extensive information on undergraduate research at Northwestern, including guidance on developing research plans, finding faculty mentors, and securing funding.

The Study Abroad Office  and your College Adviser can provide guidance on doing research abroad.

The Office of Fellowships   offers information and guidance on turning undergraduate research into a stepping stone to fellowships and awards to fund for graduate school or for further research, abroad or in the US, after graduation.

Weinberg College is committed to promoting undergraduate immersion in challenging, well-focused research projects. Through developing a research topic, deciding how to tackle it, interpreting what you learn, and reporting your findings, you can gain skills and experiences that lend depth and focus to your studies.

Research is conducted in a variety of different environments, such as labs, libraries, museums, health clinics, and archeological digs.

Doing research provides an opportunity to apply and expand on the knowledge gained in your classes as well as to interact with faculty members in new ways. It lets you experience the complexities, frustrations, and joys of generating new ideas and knowledge. Doing research can also help you decide if you’d like to do more, an important question for many students as they plan for the future; if the answer is yes, then your undergraduate research experience becomes a valuable credential.

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR STUDENT RESEARCH

Research takes many forms and varies greatly from discipline to discipline. Activities can range from preparing materials and collecting data in science labs to conducting and summarizing library research to managing databases, conducting data analyses, organizing project records, and much more.

• Some students work with faculty members to develop independent study projects based on personal interests. Conduct research through independent study.
• Other students become involved in ongoing faculty research as a research assistant.  Work as a research assistant.
• Some seniors with strong academic records graduate with department honors. One requirement for honors in every Weinberg College department and program is the completion of a substantial research project or other integrative type of work. Learn more about earning honors in your major .

Funding student research

The University, Weinberg College, and some departments and programs all provide funds to support student research on a competitive basis. 

The Baker Program in Undergraduate Research at Weinberg College offers grants to support undergraduate students in independent research, creative work, and presentations at academic conferences.    Learn about grants to support undergraduate student research .

Recognition for student research

Student research is recognized in numerous ways at Northwestern. Each year selected students showcase their work at the Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition sponsored by the Provost’s Office. Initial research experiences are sometimes gateways to expanding a project into a senior thesis submitted for departmental honors in a major.

Student research can also be a path to earning fellowships and awards from outside the University. For more information, see the Office of Fellowships .

Academic Catalog

2023-2024 Edition

Undergraduate Research

Fellowships.

northwestern.edu/fellowships

Northwestern undergraduates win an array of national and international fellowships. Such awards fund study, research, and service opportunities in the United States and around the globe. The Office of Fellowships works with students in group and individual advising sessions to identify fellowships that fit their educational, professional, and personal goals. The office offers guidance on the preparation of written applications and conducts practice interviews.

Independent Study (399)

Many departments offer seminars and independent studies for qualified undergraduates. An independent study, typically numbered 399, in any department enables a student to engage in individual special study and research, which may involve work in a laboratory or library, fieldwork outside the University, or the creation of a work of art. The maximum credit a student may receive for 399 (or equivalent independent study) during any quarter is 2 units.

Support for Undergraduate Research Endeavors

undergradresearch.northwestern.edu

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) awards more than $1.5 million annually to students pursuing research and creative projects across all fields of study.  OUR uses an advising-centric model that focuses on helping students learn how to get started and how to write successful grant proposals; OUR advisors meet one-on-one with more than 500 students a year, totaling over 1,200 advising appointments.

OUR has three core programs. The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) allows faculty to apply for funding to hire students to help with their own projects in a formal mentoring environment designed to foster rapid development. The program focuses on assisting students just getting started in research and prefers disciplines where funding for undergraduates is hard to get, such as in the humanities or creative arts.  The Undergraduate Research Grant (URG) program funds independent research and creative projects across all disciplines.  The 35+ member faculty review committee is currently charged with offering a strictly merit-based review of grant proposals.  This process means that the committee can fund any and all projects that they feel are worthy.  If a student has a solid idea, works with faculty mentors, and uses the Office’s advising to learn how to write a successful grant proposal, then the competition is not between students, but rather challenges the individual student to discover what is needed in a field and create a project to potentially address this need to gain funding.  These grants regularly transform a student's experience of college and beyond.  Finally, OUR runs the Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition, an annual showcase of student work through oral presentations, posters, and a Creative Arts Festival.  For all participants, OUR runs workshops designed to help students develop strong and effective communication skills, specifically for an audience that isn’t already familiar with their field of interest. 

Other OUR grants provide support for intensive language study or for conference travel. An annual $9,500 award—the Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant, jointly funded by Northwestern University and the Circumnavigators Club ­Foundation—enables one undergraduate researcher to undertake around-the-world travel during the summer before their senior year.  OUR recently launched the Emerging Scholars Program, a 15-month funded program specifically for students who identify as first generation, lower income, people of color, and/or marginalized.  This grant focuses on providing opportunities for students to get started in research and/or creative activities in the arts, humanities, journalism, and social sciences, and this program is focused on supporting research and creative art that speaks to issues of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, OUR maintains a comprehensive website full of resources for students looking to get started in research.

The Office of Undergraduate Research also collaborates with a variety of student organizations committed to supporting research, including the Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal (NURJ) , the Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium (CAURS) , and TEDx Northwestern . 

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News & Events Department Events & Announcements

Upcoming events, events filtered by, dtr alumni panel: 10 years of dtr.

Department of Computer Science (CS)

EVENT DETAILS

We cordially invite you to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Design, Technology, and Research (DTR) program! Come learn how students in DTR grow to self-direct complex work, learn about themselves as people, and take their learnings out into the world to thrive in the tech industry.

TIME Friday, May 31, 2024 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

LOCATION The Garage, North Campus Parking Garage/Academic Building    map it

ADD TO CALENDAR SHARE -->

CONTACT Haoqi Zhang    [email protected] EMAIL

CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

DTR Exhibition

The exhibit is held in the Lobby of the Ford Design Center, and runs till June 4th.

TIME Monday, June 3, 2024

LOCATION Lobby, Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center    map it

TIME Tuesday, June 4, 2024

TGI Bagel Thursday

TIME Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

CONTACT Wynante R Charles    [email protected] EMAIL

Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony

McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

EVENT DETAILS more info

McCormick School of Engineering PhD Hooding and Master’s Degree Recognition Ceremony

TIME Monday, June 10, 2024 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

LOCATION Welsh-Ryan Arena   

CONTACT Amy Pokrass    [email protected] EMAIL

CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

McCormick School of Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

TIME Monday, June 10, 2024 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Undergraduate Quantum Summer School

Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC), funded by the Department of Defense — National Defense Education Program, is extending an invitation to underrepresented students nationwide (including military-connected students) to participate in a summer school focused on quantum technologies, to be held at Northwestern University. Join us for presentations by faculty and industry partners introducing quantum technologies, cutting-edge research areas, and related job opportunities particularly in the areas of national security.

This effort aims to foster an inclusive environment that encourages participation from all corners of the academic community. Successful applicants will receive up to $1,000 USD to cover travel and lodging expenses in Evanston, IL.

Priority application deadline: May 15, 2024.

Decisions will be sent by June 15, 2024.

Register Now

TIME Wednesday, August 14, 2024

LOCATION Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center    map it

CONTACT Dongyang Li    [email protected] EMAIL

TIME Thursday, August 15, 2024

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Undergraduate opportunities

Undergraduate research assistants  .

The Global Poverty Research Lab (GPRL) is hiring several undergraduate Research Assistants to help conduct a series of literature reviews at the intersection of entrepreneurship, gender, and/or economic development. Tasks will include one or more of the following: searching for literature, coding articles and extracting statistics, and data management and analysis. Participating students will have the opportunity to gain familiarity with the literature, development economics research methods, systematic review/meta-analysis research methods, and policy analysis. Candidates should be proficient at reading quantitative economic articles, identifying research designs and main findings, and interpreting statistical analyses.

If you are interested in the position, please email Andre Nickow ( [email protected] ) a resume/CV, unofficial transcript, and a brief statement of a few sentences or short paragraph about your interest in development.

The Global Poverty Research Lab hires a select number of undergraduate research assistants during the academic year. These are part-time paid positions. Undergrad RAs help with basic data clean-up, analysis, and other data-related tasks. To be eligible students should be enrolled at Northwestern, possess technical skills in statistics, econometrics, and Stata, and have some knowledge and interest in development economics or applied economics.  Openings are usually posted in Econ Lab .  If you are interested in being an undergrad RA email [email protected]

Recent Undergrad RAs on their experience working for GPRL:

John Ma works on the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey Mapping Project which works to integrate socioeconomic and geographical data from the Ghana Panel Survey and analyze spatial patterns of households and communities in Ghana. He mainly works on cleaning and analyzing the household and community level data from the survey.

“I really enjoy working to analyze and understand the Ghana Panel Survey in the Lab. I have learned a great deal about statistical programming and development economics by working with Professor Udry, Andre, and my teammates. My RA experience has definitely made me more capable of conducting data analysis and more determined to pursue economics research in the future.”

Adrian Lafont-Mueller (Class of 2020) assisted with the launch of a new panel survey in the Philippines. While working on this project he compiled information from surveys that the Philippine government operates, statistics that they publish, and data about the regions of focus for this survey (Panay and Negros Occidental) in order to understand what the conditions are like there.

“Working at the GPRL has been a very formative experience of my undergraduate career. Besides greatly improving my technical skills and exploring how the economics I’ve learned in the classroom is applied in the real world, the work environment has been supportive and flexible in giving me projects that I’m genuinely interested in. This was super helpful in leading me to a career path I’m genuinely passionate about and excited to continue working in.”

Study abroad in Ghana : The Department of Economics and the Global Poverty Research Lab offer a study abroad opportunity for Northwestern undergraduates at the University of Ghana – Legon each fall quarter. What makes this opportunity unique is that students will be matched with a University of Ghana faculty member in order to conduct independent research on a project involving economic development.

• Research: Students will be matched with a faculty member to perform data analysis in Stata on one of the faculty member’s current projects. Potential topics include health, environment, labor markets, small enterprises, agriculture, and poverty and migration.
• Internship Opportunity: Students will have the opportunity to extend their time in Ghana by continuing their independent research with a related internship.

2023 Application deadline: February 10th, 2023

Application Information: NU Global Learning Website- Ghana Study Abroad

Zachary, Class of 2020, Economics, recently completed the internship opportunity in Ghana and says this about his time there :   "It was an amazing experience to learn more about Ghana through researching with a distinguished professor at one of the best universities in Africa. The things I learned regarding the research process have helped me in interviews more than I ever would have imagined. Try to be as involved with the data collection/cleaning process as much as possible." 

If you are interested in learning more, please email [email protected] Click here for information about  COVID-19 Study Abroad FAQs.

Contact us about the Global Poverty Research Lab

[email protected]

847.467.3714

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)

Experiential learning with surp.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) helps aspiring biomedical scientists gain significant experience and guide them in deciding if a life in research aligns with their professional goals. It serves as a stepping stone from undergraduate studies to advanced PhD training in the biological and biomedical sciences. Participants engage in an intensive 10-week program designed to provide hands-on experience in biomedical research, together with guidance on how to plan for a research-related career. 

Six graduate programs in the Pitt School of Medicine sponsor SURP and mentors are amongst more than 200 training faculty in these PhD training programs:

• Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology
• Cellular and Molecular Pathology
• Molecular Genetics and Developmental Biology
• Molecular Pharmacology
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology

Goals and Structure

SURP is administered through the Office of Graduate Studies in the Pitt School of Medicine.  Our campus is situated in a friendly, safe urban environment located in the historic Oakland section of Pittsburgh.  SURP mentors are amongst >200 training faculty in six PhD training programs.

• To train participants in valuable technical skills relevant to research in a multiplicity of biomedical disciplines from fundamental biological discovery to mechanisms of disease.
• To provide trainees with insight into the structure of graduate education and the steps leading to a successful career related to biomedical research.
• Mentors and projects will be assigned by the SURP committee.
• SURP includes field trips that explore Pittsburgh, a most livable city , while also facilitating peer-to-peer collegial interactions.
• At the conclusion of SURP, all trainees write abstracts of their work and give short presentations on their projects at a final symposium.  

Click Here to start your ApplICATION to SURP 2024

• Application opens November 1, 2023.
• Applications will be accepted through March 1, 2024. Late submissions/materials will not be accepted.
• Applicants generally receive an email message notifying them of a decision between February 1, 2024 and April 1, 2024
• Arrive on Saturday, May 18, 2024
• Program dates Monday, May 20, 2024 - Friday, July 26, 2024
• Move out/departure Saturday, July 27, 2024
• Applicants must have completed their sophomore or junior year of undergraduate training before the start of the program.
• Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 ("B") or higher.  Strong performance in science, math, and related coursework is especially important.
• Students from all groups that are under-represented in science are encouraged to apply. 
• Applicants must be undergraduate students currently enrolled full-time at a U.S. college or university.
• International applicants, who are enrolled full-time at a U.S. college or university, will be required to provide official authorization for Optional Practical Training (OPT) from their home institution, prior to their arrival in Pittsburgh. 

Participation Policy

SURP began with orientation on May 20 and ended with final presentations on July 26, 2024. All fellows must be available to begin and end their participation on these dates.

Fellows will have mentors and projects assigned to them by the program committee and  are expected to work in the laboratory full-time throughout the 10-week program. Vacation days will not be permitted unless pre-approved by the faculty mentor. 

• A stipend of at least $4,000 will typically be paid in 2 installments. 
• Travel expenses will be reimbursed (see FAQs for additional information).
• Students will be responsible for their own meals and other expenses .

When does SURP start?

Please plan to arrive on Saturday, May 18, 2024.  Ms. Katie Rossi will be your contact for information about housing and related details. I f you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call her at (412) 648-9000 or email Katie Rossi . If you cannot get in touch with Ms. Rossi, then address your concerns to Dr. Penny Morel .

Is there a packet of Welcome Information that I should expect to receive as part of this program?

Welcome information will be emailed to you.

Is travel to and from Pittsburgh provided?

Yes, with limitations.  Receipts are required for all ground transportation travel expenses.

If you are coming by air, when you arrive at the Pittsburgh airport your options to get to Pitt are:

Pittsburgh Regional Transit public bus service, 28X Airport Flyer , about $3 one-way (The bus stops at Forbes Avenue and Bouquet Street. You must handle your own luggage on and off the bus.), taxi, or ride share.

I want to bring a car, what can you tell me about parking on campus?

Students who attend summer programs can purchase a special summer student parking permit at the University of Pittsburgh Parking Office. These permits are sold by the week and require a minimum of 4 weeks. Summer 2023 rates is $25 per week. SURP will not reimburse you for parking expenses during your stay in Pittsburgh.

What dorm will I be in and will I have a roommate?

If you accept the housing we provide, you will most likely be housed in Pitt’s Bouquet Gardens facility. In the past, our students have been assigned a shared bedroom - each shared bedroom has bathroom facilities with a sink, shower and toilet. Bedding, blankets, and towels will be provided. Janitorial services are not provided, so you will be responsible for keeping your suite clean.  Each apartment comes with a living room and full kitchen.

Info about University Housing in General

When will I receive my stipend checks?

SURP participants who are living in Pitt housing will receive $500 during the first week of the program as start-up money.  If you choose not to accept University housing, you will receive an additional $500 to help you offset your housing and commuting expenses.

The remaining $3,500 stipend will be paid in two equal allotments, the last working day of June and July ( timing of payment subject to change) .  Depending on the source of funding, taxes could be withheld from your stipend.  The June and July checks will be direct deposited to your checking account.

** 10-weeks of housing is provided.

*** Every SURP participant receives a stipend of $1750 on June 30th and $1750 on July 31st. T iming of payment subject to change.

Are there certain hours that I will be working each day or is it more "come in when you need to"?

The minimum expectation is that every student will work a full 40-hour week, on a regular schedule. For example, you might start at 8:00 am, work till 12:00, take a 30-minute lunch break, and then work 12:30-4:30.  Students who want their project to progress more rapidly are welcome to put in additional hours as they see fit and in agreement with their advisors.  As you will discover, our research groups are extremely active with most graduate students and post-doctoral fellows putting in additional hours in the evening and on Saturday.  At all times, safety is of paramount concern and so the policy of never working alone in a laboratory is rigorously enforced. The Program Director encourages you to explicitly discuss your exact working hours with your research advisor at your first meeting.

Are meals provided?

Although there is no meal plan provided, your stipend will be ample enough to purchase food throughout the summer.  Also, meals are served for students at many of the seminars, workshops and formal talks.

Are there social activities planned that are not work based?

In the past, we have offered organized trips to a Pirates baseball game, amusement park, and a welcome event of a city tour. We leave the organizing of other social events up to the group. Pittsburgh has lots of nearby attractions, including water parks, museums, rafting, and so on. We encourage each member of the summer program to "organize" a group activity during their stay. The activities will depend on what the group is interested in doing.

I have a computer and I am hoping that I will be able to bring it with me. Will I have internet access in my room?

Guests have three options for guest Wi-Fi access when visiting the University of Pittsburgh: Eduroam, Pitt Guest Wi-Fi (Anyroam), and MyResNet.

Anything special I need to know about Checkout?

Nothing specific about moving out, but updates will appear here so plan to check back.

What paperwork will I need to complete or bring with me?

Your payroll administrator for our summer program will have been in contact with you requesting specific information that is required to be able to issue your stipend check. You can contact Katie Rossi or by phone 412-648-9000 if necessary. Your payroll information must be set up before you arrive in May. Accepted students will receive further information regarding required training.

Can you provide me with travel directions and how do I check in?

Check in details will be provided when housing assignments are posted. Use this link to navigate the University of Pittsburgh campus.

What are the COVID-19 requirements? 

All SURP participants will be required to adhere to University-mandated COVID-19 precautions.