Research Positions
You should definitely consider a research position during your time in college, especially if you are considering graduate school!
Conducting research as an undergraduate is an excellent way to gain experiences and skills that will benefit you both academically and professionally. In addition to exploring your areas of interest in-depth, undergraduate research develops skills in collaborative learning and critical thinking. For students interested in pursuing grad school, undergraduate research is a way of expanding your education outside of the classroom and better preparing yourself for the rigors of graduate study. Even if you are unsure about graduate studies, conducting undergraduate research is a way of exploring your research interests and testing the suitability of a research career to your interests.
- Be ready to send an error free, grammatically correct resume and cover letter to the university. Provide all references with a copy of your resume as well as any additional information on any special skills and accomplishments they might not know about.
- Most will require you to submit transcripts and recommendation letters, be sure to allow ample time to get these documents together.
Visit Resume/Cover Letter and Tips to learn how to create your own resume/cover letter and to also learn about some tips on getting your application noticed!
- The University of Michigan - Dearborn offers a day called College of Engineering and Computer Science Open Lab Day where participating faculty will open their labs to students to recruit research assistants and those working on their thesis, capstone design projects, or directed study. This is a great opportunity to meet professors who share your research interests.
- Another GREAT source to help you find research positions is the Pathways to Science site. Use this website to find programs such as undergraduate summer research opportunities, graduate fellowships, postdoctoral positions at several universities around the nation!
- Most research positions available at other universities require US citizen or Permanent residency, so international students are not eligible. However, there are a few research positions that are international student friendly. A list of those research positions can be found here.