• Engaging Undergraduate Students in Research and Discovery
  • In our UC Davis Faculty Handout, you will find the URC mission, Benefits to Faculty and the Role of the Undergraduate Researcher, URC Resources and Awards/Funding for Undergraduate Research, a summary of Sponsored Undergraduate Research Programs at UC Davis and 15 Reasons to Engage Undergraduate Students in Research and Discovery.
  • Don't Cancel Class!
  •  The Undergraduate Research Center would be pleased to present a seminar on "How to Get Involved in Research" to your classes. This lecture gives an overview of the importance of research experiences in career development and provides valuable tips on how to find and secure a research position. Please contact us at urc@ucdavis.edu to arrange for a URC representative to present to your class. Last minute requests can be considered if staff are available at the desired date/time.
  • Achieving Broader Impact
  • The Undergraduate Research Center (URC) is available to help you develop "broader impact" projects involving undergraduate research! We are availabel to provide support o projects that involve undergraduate research in a number of ways including providing feedback for your ideas, assisting in brainstorming new programs and serving as an administrative home for projects as appropriate. 
  • Resources
  •  

    As a faculty member interested in working with undergraduate researchers you may find these resources to be helpful.

    The Mentor-Scholar Agreement helps to establish expectations on both sides. We recommend that you meet with your undergraduate scholar on the first day to discuss the proposed project and to set initial expectations for progress.  We also recommend completing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with the student to guide the training program and also help you to understand the student’s strengths and weaknesses. Examples of IDP templates (which can be discipline specific) are available through many sources online.

    Requiring a regular, written Progress Report can help you to keep apprised of the student’s progress, and providing feedback for these reports will help the student to stay on track in meeting expectations.  Regular communication and feedback will help you to make the most of the advisor experience, and the student will be better able to provide tangible results that may benefit your research program.

  • Grant Assistance

  • The URC is pleased to offer support for faculty writing grants relating directly to undergraduate research, or for undergraduate research components of larger research grants.  If you are applying for a grant to support undergraduate research such as the Amgen Scholars and Beckman Scholars programs, or are including an undergraduate research component as part of your larger research proposal, the URC staff can provide administrative assistance such as formatting CVs, support of career development activities, etc. 

    We can also assist in developing projects for Broader Impacts statements. We are connected to a network of community colleges that would welcome additional opportunities to interact with UC Davis faculty and students, as well as connected to a number of programs on campus for underrepresented or disadvantaged students.  Please contact the Director to discuss your needs. 

  •  Work Study
  • Students eligible for work study can be employed as student assistants and are paid at a 75:25 split between work study and the laboratory.  This is an economical method to employ undergraduates to work in your lab.
Professor Neil Hunter excepting Chancellor's award and shaking hands with Chancellor May

Recognition for faculty, grad students and post-doc mentors

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research
Student wearing lab coat, safety goggles and gloves working with lab equipment

Funding for UG research

Opportunities for funding undergraduate research