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Creating Opportunities

During the academic year, we will work to connect you with undergraduate students with educational backgrounds and interests that align with your research interests and needs. If you would like us to share a "Researcher Needed" advertisement to the WVU undergraduate population on our What's New page, let us know!

Submit a Request for an Undergraduate Researcher

Scaffolds for Mentoring

Academic Year Programming

In addition to offering 297/497 level courses, faculty can serve as research mentors to undergraduate students formally or informally. One formal mechanism for mentoring students is the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP), which serves over 200 students. Faculty can request an apprentice below and learn more about the program by emailing RAP@mail.wvu.edu. 

Summer Programming

During the summer months, we coordinate a series of workshops, career mentoring speakers, and an end-of-summer culminating poster symposium for all undergraduates taking part in research at WVU. 

We work with faculty and administrators of on-campus summer research programs (e.g., NSF-funded REU Sites, Center for Neuroscience SURI) to coordinate, organize, and advertise these activities to all interested parties. 

We also work with the Honors College to administer the  Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) program involving 8-weeks of summer research mentored by WVU faculty members. We encourage you, as a faculty research adviser, and your undergraduate researchers to apply to the SURE program.

WVU Shared Research Facilities

WVU Shared Research Facilities (SRF) provide students (undergraduate and graduate) and researchers with training, guidance, assistance, and access to cutting-edge materials, science and engineering equipment. The five SRF facilities are bio-nano, cleanroom, electron microscopy, high performance computing, and materials characterization. Instrumentation housed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) located in Gaithersburg, MD (within a 3 hour drive from WVU) may be available for collaborative research between WVU faculty members and NIST researchers. 

Advice for Funding

Candice brown

Pre-funding

For faculty who are working to secure funding for research involving undergraduates, we've compiled useful resources to make your proposal writing easier.

Research organic

Post-funding

We offer advice on how to administer an undergraduate research site or support just a few undergraduates in research.

Awards for Distinction in Mentoring Undergraduates in Research

The Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research have developed a procedure to better recognize, reward and encourage faculty members who mentor undergraduate students in research and creative endeavors. 

2022 ugr mentor awardees

2022 Award Winners (left to right, up to bottom):  Angel Smothers, Brian Popp, Joel Beeson, Nicholas Turiano, William Walker, and Erin Hudnall.

Additional Information...



Volunteer Agreement:

Have a researcher who would like to volunteer in your lab? Be sure to complete a Volunteer Agreement Form, retain a copy and give a copy to your Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer. A volunteer is defined as someone who is not paid or who is not receiving credit hours and who could be a high school or WVU student, or a visiting scholar or visiting scientist.

High School Students in Research: 


Have an exceptional high school student you would like to mentor in your lab? If they are under 18, you will need to complete two Title IX trainings and a background check. You can find more information on equity assurance the Children on Campus webpage under the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

297/497 Courses:

The Office of Undergraduate Research uses the institution-wide course offerings of 297 and 497 (tagged as Research. 1-6 Hr. Independent Research Project) to track undergraduate research in different majors/departments across the institution. 

If your department currently does not have the 297/497 course numbers offered as part of the undergraduate curriculum, it is easy to activate them. The 297/497 course numbers are "common course numbers that can be created/activated at any time. The requesting department should notify the Office of the University Registrar that they would like these created" (per Sean McGowan, Office of University Registrar).

In addition, you may check the WVU Schedule of Courses to see if an undergraduate research course is offered for your students' specific majors.

Safety

Please note that safety is a priority in all academic and research laboratories at West Virginia University. Thus, faculty, staff and students must be properly training in safe work practices specific to their environment. For more information specific to your College, contact the relevant personnel below:

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