Finding a Research Mentor : Undergraduate Program : Department of Biology : University of Rochester

Finding a Research Mentor

The key to finding a mentor is networking with faculty who work in your area of interest and who will agree to take you on as a student researcher in their lab. Research mentors can be found in departments on the River Campus and at the Medical Center.

If you intend to use the research for the biological sciences independent research course or apply for the de Kiewiet Research Fellowship, the research must be within the biological sciences and non-clinical in nature. In addition, the research mentor must be a member of the University’s teaching faculty.

Undergraduates should build in plenty of time to find a research mentor before planning an independent research course or applying for the de Kiewiet Fellowship.

Tips on getting started:

Connect with faculty in the courses you most enjoyed
Consult with your major advisor
Network with peers who are already doing research
Reach out to the faculty who conduct research within your area of interest

Teaching Faculty

The person who consents to supervise the project must be a full-time member of the teaching faculty, or a visiting or adjunct faculty member designated by the department chair as qualified to do so. See the academic advising independent study page for more information.

Identifying Full-Time Teaching Faculty

This is usually indicated by the faculty’s title:

Professor
Associate professor
Assistant professor
Visiting faculty

Can Research Faculty Instruct 395 Course?

Yes, and research faculty have done an excellent job instructing 395 courses in the past. However, students would need to have their instructor make arrangements with their department chair to supervise the course and provide some oversight. The department chair will need to sign off as the instructor of the course.