Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
Research opportunities working with EBIO professors and graduate students:
One of the benefits of attending a tier-one research institution is that your professors and TAs are involved in cutting-edge research. Getting involved in research will allow you to pursue your interests while honing your problem-solving skills. The opportunity to work on a faculty-initiated research project gives you the chance to work closely with graduate students, research associates and faculty scientists.
Working in a lab is a valuable opportunity to stand apart from the crowd and participate in research, but you may not know how to get started. One great way is to get involved with the EBIO Club. Early in the Spring semester, the EBIO Club hosts a social mixer for undergraduates to get to know grad students and faculty with research opportunities - so keep an eye out for that. Also watch for advertisements on the Biology Advising website. Also, we have several programs for funding research experiences, such as UROP and BSI Scholars.
You can learn more about research in EBIO labs from faculty webpages.
The Google Sheet linked below has a current list of research opportunities in EBIO.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
Please visit <https://www.colorado.edu/urop/> to see funding opportunities to support undergraduate students in 1) pursuing research (Assistantships to assist graduate student or faculty mentors or Individual Grants to take a larger role in a project) and 2) presenting your work at professional conferences.
STEM Routes, Uplift Research Program
Uplift aims to empower students to pursue their path in STEM through structured research training and support in the negotiation of their professional identity in their field. Uplift is a cohort research program that:
- Teaches you how to conduct research through hands-on training and your own research project,
- Connects you with a CU research lab (including a research mentor),
- Funds your research training experience ($3,000 over 24 weeks),
- Offers workshops on technical research skills (like reading scientific papers and applying to graduate school),
- Cultivates an inclusive learning community,
- Provides a variety of mentors at different career stages to help you navigate your STEM path,
- Guides your personal negotiation of your scientific identity,
- Helps you secure funding to continue your research after Uplift.
https://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/stemroutes/uplift-research-program
EBIO Club
The EBIO Club is a student-run organization that aims to connect students with graduate students and faculty who share a passion for ecology & evolutionary biology. The student leaders of the Club work with EBIO faculty and graduate students to host several social events a year, and to facilitate other activities (e.g., field trips, panel discussions) with the goal of enriching the undergraduate experience in EBIO. Attending these events is a great way to meet fellow students in your major, learn about research and job opportunities, and generally build community around common interests in EBIO. Any undergraduates at CU can “join” the EBIO Club by signing up for its email list: Send an email (from your CU address) to: ebio-club+subscribe@colorado.edu. The subject and body of the email are unused and don’t have to be set. You will then receive an email to confirm your subscription. You can unsubscribe by sending an email to ebio-club+unsubscribe@colorado.edu.
Applying for a research opportunity
Whether you are looking for an educational or employment opportunity, always remember: Be Professional! Before you write or apply you should find out what kind of research is done at the lab. For example: what organisms or processes does the lab study? Where do they work (field, lab or a combination)? Here are a few tips that can help you make a good impression when you write:
1) Use a formal heading and closing. If you are addressing a professor, it's a good idea to use Dr.
2) Politely state what you would like to achieve from the experience. Whether you are looking for a specific experience or you simply want to know what opportunities are available, explicitly state your objective in your message.
3) Demonstrate how your interests align with those of your reader's. Using, 2 - 3 sentences, tell your reader why you are interested in working with them and any relevant experiences you may have had such as coursework, hobbies, etc.
4) Be succinct.
5) Some graduate students/professors ask for specific information; be sure you address what they ask for.
If you are interested, fill out the EBIO Independent Study/Research Form.