Mentoring Undergraduate Student Researchers

Recruit and Advertise Research Opportunities

Faculty interested in mentoring undergraduate student researchers can use a variety of methods to get the word out about research opportunities, both within the College of Health and Human Sciences and University-wide. While advertising to students in your courses and via relevant student organizations is a great place to start, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has many programs available to facilitate connections between students and faculty. To make your research opportunities visible to undergraduate students across campus, you can submit them to OURConnect, a University-wide research and mentoring application system, or you may choose to develop a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to incorporate research into new or existing courses. To network with students in person, the OUR Research Roundtable invites all departments and schools on the West Lafayette campus to set up booths — similar to a career fair — to share available research opportunities. Within the college, you may also advertise research opportunities in the Career Newsletter, a bimonthly publication for HHS undergraduate students; contact HHSCareers@purdue.edu for more information.

Participate in Research Programs

In addition to individual recruitment opportunities, you may also choose to participate in one of the many established undergraduate research programs on campus to increase undergraduate involvement in your research lab.

• OUR Scholars is a scholarship program that recognizes undergraduate students for their engagement in original research under the guidance of a faculty member.
• The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is designed to help undergraduate students from underrepresented groups graduate with STEM degrees and enter graduate programs in STEM disciplines.
• Coordinated by the Office of Undergraduate Research, the First-Year Undergraduate Research Program supports first-year undergraduate students in discovering the benefits of research participation and how to prepare for a mentored research experience.
• The Purdue Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship is an 11-week summer program that allows undergraduates to participate in research activities and get paid for their work.
• The Discovery Park Undergraduate Research Internship supports faculty-led research projects that engage undergraduate students with challenges related to global security, health and sustainability.
• The Summer Research Opportunities Program is designed to provide equal access and opportunities to underrepresented and diverse students as a pathway to graduate school.
• The Summer Stay Scholars program is an on-campus summer scholarship program that combines coursework with a research or internship experience.

Incentivize Students

Whether you pay an hourly rate; provide course credit; or offer a stipend, scholarship or acknowledgement through an established undergraduate research program, there are many ways you can compensate undergraduate researchers for their time.

Guide Students Toward Important Resources

As a faculty mentor, you should be aware of the following resources to help your undergraduate researchers throughout the research process:

• The Office of Undergraduate Research provides centralized undergraduate research support across Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. A variety of funding opportunities are also available to undergraduate students through the OUR.
• Purdue offers many opportunities for students to present their work. This includes the Undergraduate Research Conferences, the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research, and the Undergraduate Research Seminar Series. Opportunities are also available through the College of Health and Human Sciences. Contact hhsadresearch@purdue.edu or 765-496-1362 for more information.