What is the Undergraduate Research Collective?
The Undergraduate Research Collective is an initiative aimed at increasing access to research opportunities for first and second year undergraduates. At its core, the Undergraduate Research Collective is a two-year, paid undergraduate research program for undergraduates with the goals of creating intentional, supportive, and paid opportunities for early career students to engage in undergraduate research; fostering a sense of belonging and community; and promoting research preparation, career readiness, and career clarification. However, the Collective also includes the incredible faculty mentors, community partners, donors, and staff that understand the mission and value of high-impact research experiences, and who are vital to supporting UW’s amazing early career undergraduate students.
Why should I participate in research?
There are countless benefits to participating in research as an undergraduate that span beyond the scope of research:
- Explore your interests and passions to help inform your career path
- Learn foundational research skills transferable to various professions
- Join a community of mentors and peers to support you beyond your research journey
- Improve your critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills
- Build your self-confidence and independence as a researcher
Research has been the most meaningful part of my UW experience. It turned what I was learning in class into something real – something I could touch, question, and contribute to. It gave me a sense of purpose and community and helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect both as a scientist and as a person.
Program Mission
We strive to leverage undergraduate research as a tool for educational and career exploration by providing access to faculty-mentored research opportunities for first and second year undergraduates, and first year transfer students, while offering funding, research preparation and promoting belonging in a two-year cohort-based program model.
Vision
We envision a future where capacity and infrastructure for early career undergraduate research programming at UW continues to grow. We hope to partner with departments, research centers, individual donors and other research organizations who understand the value of this work and want to help grow this interdisciplinary effort to engage early career students in research through supportive and accessible pathways.
Who is the Undergraduate Research Collective for?
This program is designed for first year, second year, and first year transfer students with no prior faculty-mentored research experience.
- Students will build community with one another, learn about what research can look like for them across all disciplines, and work with incredible faculty mentors who will guide them through a year-long research project.
- If you are unsure about research, curious about getting involved, and looking for a community, this program is exactly for you! Refer to the Program Details to learn more about applying.
Faculty across all disciplines are a vital part of the mission to support early career undergraduates in research.
- Faculty can join the Collective as a research mentor! Mentors are matched with a mentee and guide their student through a faculty-led research project for a full academic year. If you are interested in mentoring a student during the next cycle, please contact us at undergradresearch@uw.edu.
- We strive to create a community of like-minded faculty members who are committed to student success. These faculty mentors create welcoming spaces for undergraduates to explore, thrive, and grow. We hope mentors can learn from one another by sharing mentorship practices, resources, and ideas.
Advancing undergraduate research efforts across campus and disciplines requires support from our entire community. The Undergraduate Research Collective is:
- An opportunity for alumni to stay connected and share stories of where their research has taken them
- A place to innovate and connect with community-based organizations or campus partners doing student-facing work
- A place for donors, research centers, departments, and other partners to contribute to this mission and build infrastructure for additional students to access these opportunities
- An opportunity for peers with research experience to connect with program students and share lessons learned