Getting Involved in Research - Undergraduate Biology

The best way to learn about biology is to do biology, and independent research can provide you with unique and tremendously valuable new learning experiences. Whether you're interested in joining a formal research program such as the KU Biology Honors Program, or simply want to experience the joys (and frustrations) of carrying out scientific experiments, you will have to find a research laboratory.

1. Think about biology topics that interest you.
2. Visit biology faculty members' web pages to find research programs that interest you:
   
    Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
   
    Dept. of Molecular Biosciences
3. When you find research that interests you, we recommend that you learn even more about the program by looking up some of the relevant publications to get a better idea of what the research entails and also to see what scientific publications are like.
4. Make contact with a faculty member, explaining that you've read about their research and that you're interested in learning about opportunities for carrying out research with them. Keep in mind that not every faculty member will have the availability to take on a new student when you contact her/him, so if you don't meet with success at first, you should keep trying with other faculty members and potentially at other points in time, too. If you e-mail faculty members, please practice good e-mail etiquette (see the Dept. of Psychology's etiquette tips).

Interested in finding a summer research program? Check out REU's, research opportunities funded by The National Science Foundation (NSF).

Molecular Biosciences REU Program: The Stressed Life of Cells

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology REU Program: New Root for Restoration Summer 2024

REU Applications are due February 15.

Do you have questions about REU programs? Read our helpful REU guide!