Two new programs — Stamps Scholars and First Year Research in Engineering — aim to boost the number of student research opportunities. Around 600 students conduct research in connection with the undergraduate advising and research office each year, director Margaret Funnell said, adding that she had no way of knowing how many students do research through other avenues like theses and independent studies.
At a Steering Committee of the General Faculty meeting earlier this month, participants cited improving undergraduate research infrastructure and supporting more initiatives as a major priority, noting a need to track how much research is done each year.
When it comes to research, Dartmouth occupies a unique niche, Funnell said, falling in between a large research university and a small liberal arts school. She said that although faculty members at the former likely conduct cutting-edge research, they have fewer interactions with students. Meanwhile, at very small institutions, there is likely more student-faculty collaboration, but not necessarily the same caliber of research activity.
Beyond independently seeking out one-on-one research opportunities with faculty, students can participate in programs like presidential scholars, sophomore science scholarships, senior fellowships and the Women in Science Project. Students also conduct research at the College’s graduate schools, Funnell said, noting that Tuck Business School in particular has recently emphasized undergraduate researchers.
Students working on faculty-mentored research can apply for grants through the College, or seek funding from sources like the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, Neukom Scholars, the Dickey Center or the new Stamps Scholars program, which provides students with up to $10,000 per year.
Anthropology professor Deborah Nichols, who works with Stamps Scholar Andres Mejia-Ramon ’16, said in a previous interview that her department supports student-professor research and that all of her colleagues have worked with student researchers.
WISP, which matches female students with faculty mentors in paid science internships, was founded in 1990 to address the underrepresentation of women in science, math and engineering.
WISP participant Paula Chen ’17 said that research seemed very accessible to her as both a freshman and sophomore.
“However, I’m talking about it in the more traditional sense of math- and science-related research,” she said, adding that WISP’s application process allowed her to explore topics and labs in a variety of fields.
Maya-Simone Moten ’18 said that upon coming to Dartmouth, she knew she wanted to be involved in research, as she had worked at a physics laboratory last summer.
Moten does research with physics professor Kristina Lynch, an opportunity she found through the E.E. Just Program — an initiative that supports minority students in STEM fields. Moten added that several of the around 15 freshmen in the program have also found research positions.
At the Steering Committee of the General Faculty meeting, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was mentioned as an example of a school with a good program for tracking undergraduate research involvement. MIT’s system requires that students register through a central website and have faculty confirm the position.
More than 50 percent of Duke University undergraduates do research, according to the school’s website.
“Anyone can find a research position as long as they are persistent in searching for a lab that has an open position. It’s not hard for freshmen or sophomores to find opportunities,” Duke sophomore Joy Li said. “If anything, I’ve heard it’s easier because many labs are looking for longevity, and students who can stay in their lab for a longer period.”
Funnell said even everyday tasks like using a search engine are micro-level applications of research skills. She said that unlike what some may believe, students do not have to be at the top of their class to do research, because research and classwork use different skill sets.
Weaver and Funnell both cited a desire to continue expanding undergraduate research opportunities, though Funnell added that the office might reallocate resources to support more interdisciplinary research initiatives.
