Undergraduate Research

Why should students pursue undergraduate research?

• It's fun!
• It enhances understanding.
• It's exciting to be “on the cutting edge” where new discoveries are made and new ideas are conceived.
• It provides opportunities to apply classroom knowledge and to learn the methodology of research.
• It helps to develop critical thinking and communication skills.
• It provides an avenue to better identify career interests.
• It builds self-confidence and independence.
• It develops mentor relationships between faculty and students and promotes the concept of life-long learning.
• And, while overall performance in a student's college career is most important, it increases their chances of employment or acceptance into graduate school.

Why do faculty get involved in undergraduate research?

• It's exciting to be “on the cutting edge” where new discoveries are made and new ideas are conceived.
• It develops mentor relationships between faculty and students and fosters the concept of life-long learning.
• It forces faculty to remain current in geology as well as in their area of specialization.
• It encourages the transfer of research results to the classroom, either directly, or by the development of new teaching techniques or materials.

Why does the Department of Geology promote Undergraduate Research?

• It enhances the Department's reputation.
• It promotes the recruitment of high-quality students and faculty.
• It increases the Department's ability to obtain internal and external funding.

What opportunities exist for undergraduate research in geology at CMU?

Many GEL courses, from 100 to 500-level, require varying degrees of undergraduate research in the form of “discovery-based” student learning. Such experiences may range from simple in-class exercises in lower level classes to more involved laboratory exercises and even full-blown class research projects in upper level courses. The greatest involvment for a student in undergraduate research comes from participation in GEL 597-Independent Study and GEL 406-Senior Thesis courses. There are specific departmental requirements for admission into the Senior Thesis program which are described here.