Benefits and challenges Posts

Connections Through Research

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Research opens the door to experiences and opportunities you never thought you would be able to accomplish as an undergraduate.

Overcoming Loneliness while Conducting Independent Research

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

I was ready to jump into my research. However, I was immediately met with a challenge I did not plan for: loneliness.

Finding Research as A Transfer Student

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

If you’re a transfer student trying to find your place at 91��Ƭ��, research could be the perfect way to connect and develop professional skills.

Doing Research Remotely: How I Felt Seen for the First Time

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Having the opportunity to do research remotely felt like a silver lining during a time of adversity.

An Economics Student’s Approach to Theoretical Research

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Research for business and philosophy students looks very different than in the sciences.

Class of 2025 HCUR Alum: Jordan Christian (Environmental Sciences: Geosystems)

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In this series, we hear from three recent alums about their undergraduate research and what’s next.

Class of 2025 HCUR Alum: Torin Scalora (Environmental Sciences: Ecosystems)

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In this series, we hear from three recent alums about their undergraduate research and what’s next.

Class of 2025 HCUR Alum: Caylin Grove (Genomics)

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In this series, we hear from three recent alums about their undergraduate research and what’s next.

One Small Step, One Giant Leap: How to Approach Your First Research Experience

Wed, 28 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

As a second-year student at the 91��Ƭ��, undergraduate research has been the most transformative experience of my academic career.

Hamel Center Researchers at the URC, Part 3: Jenna Loporcaro

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Jenna Loporcaro ’25 is a biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology major performing research in Dr. Konstantinos Sousounis’s lab at the 91��Ƭ��, focused on lens regeneration in newts.

Hamel Center Researchers at the URC, Part 2: Tyler Brock

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Tyler Brock ’26 is a chemistry major who has completed multiple INCO courses through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research as well as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) in 2024.

Hamel Center Researchers at the URC, Part 1: Emilie Carroll

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Emilie Carroll ’27 is a music liberal studies major who received a Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) grant from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research in 2024.

Of Mice and Women: How a Genomic Experiment Unveiled Surprising Gaps in Our Understanding of the Female Reproductive System

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In summer 2024, I received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) from the Hamel Undergraduate Research Center to pursue a project in Dr. MacManes’s genomics and physiology lab, which focuses on the cactus mouse.

A (Personal) Crash Course on How to Survive Academic Burnout through Research

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Everyone has a different response to the inevitable academic burnout that plagues so many undergraduate and graduate students.

From Questions to Answers: The Personal Impact of Research

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The extent of what I do day-to-day is something the younger version of me never would have expected.

The Three Most Important Skills I Learned by Participating in Research

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

While participating in undergraduate research is often encouraged for a resumé boost or acceptance into graduate school, there is so much more to this experience than what meets the eye.

How Leprosy Changed My Mind

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

I never thought my research on leprosy would make me a skeptic. Nonetheless, my investigation led me to question foundational beliefs about my perception of history.

The Gap Between the Field and the Classroom

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

There is no doubt when it comes to research careers that an education is required. But what does that education look like?

Why the Fear of Statistics Didn’t Hold Me Back

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

As a senior, I am close to graduating and am figuring out the next steps in my life. My goals have significantly changed, especially since starting my senior year. Undertaking different projects, in both the applied and research aspects of the field of psychology has broadened my views and changed my path. One thing that has changed along the way is my relationship with statistics.

Obstacles Are the Building Blocks of Science

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Before I began my summer research, I would have told you that by ten weeks in, I would be writing about my promising results and maybe even groundbreaking findings! Instead, I have no results yet…but it isn’t for lack of effort.