The Department of Chemistry strongly encourages undergraduate student participation in research. Research facilitates experiential learning, involves students in the scientific process applied to real-world problems, and helps prepare you for independent thinking in your future career. No prior research experience or course pre-requisites are required.
Get started by finding a research group to join. Students interested in beginning undergraduate research should reach out by email to individual faculty mentors to inquire about open positions in their respective laboratories (see How do I find a research lab). UVA faculty enjoy having undergraduate researchers as part of their research group. However, finding an opening in a lab can take time and persistence – start early, and don’t give up!
Most students should register for course credit during the school year. During the semester, most students who join research labs choose to register to earn course credit.
- Students just getting started should register for CHEM 3951 for their first semester. Later, register for CHEM 3961 for the second semester, CHEM 4951 for the third semester, and CHEM 4961 for the fourth and subsequent semesters. Students should register for 3 credits and commit to working at least 10 hours/week in the laboratory.Expectations and assignments for these pass/fail courses are designed to facilitate your growth as an independent researcher.
- Successful completion of two semesters (6 credits) of undergraduate research can be used to satisfy the research requirement needed for ACS Certification of the Chemistry major. Note that Chemistry research credit can be earned for research done outside the Chemistry department (including the Medical School), as long as the research laboratory is affiliated with UVA.
- Fewer credit/hours may be an option and should be discussed with your faculty research mentor; the commitment is 5-7 hours/week for 2 credits, and 3-5 hours/week for 1 credit. If a student is registering for less than 3 credits then they should enroll in CHEM 3951 regardless of how many semesters of research they have conducted.
Can I be paid for doing research at UVA? In some cases, yes! Note that if you earn wages for research, you cannot also use it to earn course credits.
- Students eligible for work-study can apply to the UVA Undergraduate Student Opportunities in Academic Research (USOAR) Program, to earn work-study wages for research during the academic year. USOAR targets rising first-year, second-year, and transfer undergraduate students who qualify for Federal Work Study and do not have previous significant experience in research outside of the classroom. You must apply to join this program; applications are usually due the summer before the year in which you would like to start research.
- During the summer months, many paid opportunities are available. Some are competitive and require an application. These include prestigious fellowships and scholarships, internal and external to UVA. If you have already found a research advisor, let them know that you would like to apply, and plan to write your application early. The Office of Undergraduate Research and UVA Career Center maintain lists of funding opportunities available to undergraduate research assistants. See also Chemistry-relevant Fellowships & Scholarships.
Some faculty advisors may also have funds to pay undergraduate researchers in the summer from research grants.
What is it like to do undergraduate research in Chemistry or other STEM fields?
While every research experience is unique, in general, you can expect that you will learn many new concepts and techniques, far beyond what you have learned in your coursework so far. In most cases, the professor or their current lab members will train you on required techniques. Once you demonstrate mastery, you can expect to take on an independent research project that helps advance the mission of that research group. These projects may be well-defined at first, and grow in scope as you demonstrate more abilities to plan experiments, analyze the results, and draw conclusions. A hallmark of research is that you are often trying to answer a question or do something that no one has answered or done before. Therefore, unexpected results and failures are expected, and your creativity and persistence will be highly valued! This process is very different from what you will encounter in laboratory courses where the experiments are often designed to work well in just a few hours.
Are there workshops or other resources about getting started in research?
Yes!The Office of Citizen Scholar Development: Undergraduate Research page has many resources to get you started, including introductory workshops, information about prestigious external fellowships, and even drop-in office hour times.
I transferred recently to UVA; can I join a research lab?
Yes! Please follow the guidance above to reach out to faculty whose research you are interested in.Consider mentioning that you are a transfer student so that they can better understand your educational history.Also, you should reach out to your Majors Advisor as soon as you can, to learn more about research opportunities.
What year should I try to join a research lab?
There is no right answer to this question.Some students join a research group in their first or second year to get started early, while others join in their 3rd or 4th year when they have a clearer understanding of their interests and career goals.Some examples are below:
- Some research labs specifically look for students early in their time at UVA, with the hope that after training, the student will remain in the laboratory for multiple years. A long-term commitment can be beneficial to the student as it can sometimes lead to co-authorship on papers, eligibility for awards, and travel to external conferences.
- Other research labs specifically look for students who have already taken certain coursework and thus are later in their time at UVA. Starting at this stage can be beneficial because the student has a strong conceptual foundation on which to begin their research.
- Many labs have no preference for the stage of student, and just look for students who are interested in the lab’s research and who are excited to learn.
Can I earn Chemistry research credit (such as CHEM 3951/3961/4951/4961) if I join a lab at UVA that is not in the Chemistry department?
Yes! As long as you are conducting scientific research, you may register for one of our CHEM research-for-credit courses.For example, many of our Chemistry majors join research teams in the School of Medicine or School of Engineering. You must complete all assignments for the course regardless of whose laboratory you are in.
Can I earn credit on my transcript for research performed outside of UVA?
No, we cannot award credit for research performed outside of UVA.Nevertheless, such experiences are valuable and we encourage you to seek such opportunities, for instance through an Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. See also Chemistry-relevant Fellowships & Scholarships.