SCIENCE RESEARCH WORKSHOP

Every Winter Quarter, we run our Science Research Workshop (SRW)! SRW is a course focused on helping lab-based students develop a research project and craft a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant (SURG), which is a grant that serves all years and disciplines. Prior SRW students conducted research in lab for psychology, biology, chemistry, and medical research – just to name a few! In the workshop, we work together to learn and strengthen the skills that are key to not only being an effective lab mentee but also ensuring an impactful research experience. Students who enroll in this course are often fairly new to their lab – yet they succeed at getting SURGs at a rate better than the average student.

SRW aims to provide community, accountability, and guidance for pursuing a funded summer research experience. Throughout the duration of the course, you will:

  • Develop skills and trust necessary to get an independent research project
  • Communicate effectively with lab personnel to develop stronger relationships with your mentors
  • Understand how to dissect and synthesize scientific literature for effective engagement with research project and within lab meetings
  • Explore feasibility constraints/considerations to develop a research idea that is achievable with your skill set
  • Write and submit a 2-pg grant proposal of your research project to the Summer Undergraduate Research Grant deadline (March 8th @ 11:59pm)

WQ ’24 SRW will meet weekly Tuesdays @ 4:30pm-6:00pm CST.

We will have 9 full sessions starting January 9th – March 5th.

Eligibility:

First-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduate students who are interested in research lab-based science fields. It will only operate in person at a North Campus location.

Pre-Requisite: You must be in a lab to participate in this course. This means you must be accepted into a lab or research group by the add/drop deadline (January 9th).

Registration:

SRW is a course thus you must register on CAESAR with the Registrar’s Office. You can enroll starting in November when registration opens! The course number is GEN_LA 190-0 and follows the Registrar’s rules about adding and dropping a course. SRW’s GEN_LA 190-0 is a zero-credit course, meaning it does not count towards your 4 or 5 course limit. However, it will appear on your transcript as “Satisfactory” upon successful completion of the course.

FAQs
Is SRW an official course/class?

Yes – it is! Its course number is GEN_LA 190-0 and it is a zero-credit bearing course. While this means SRW has no affect on your 4 or 5 course limit, it would be in your best interest to treat this like a formal class. Successful research projects are ones where students are able to commit the time to refine their project ideas, however, developing a project often happens alongside students’ full-time coursework and other obligations. SRW has been the most beneficial for students who understood the commitment needed to create a research project and endeavored to engage within and outside each session.

Additionally, SRW’s GEN_LA will appear on your transcript if you do not withdraw by the drop deadline. You can either receive “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory” depending on how complete the course.

I enrolled in SRW - what happens next?

Thank you for enrolling! Please keep an eye out for future correspondence confirming your enrollment as well as being added to the formal Canvas page.

If you enroll but are no longer able to participate, please contact our Education Program Manager immediately so we can prioritize students on the waitlist.

I wasn't able to enroll in SRW. Does this mean I can't submit a SURG?

If you are eligible but not able be to enroll, you will be added to the waitlist. In the event that some students drops the workshop prior to Session 1, we will work through the waitlist in an attempt to fill the spot. SRW ultimately does not work out for you, you absolutely can still receive support for creating an SURG proposal! You can attend any of our info sessions and/or schedule an Advising Appointment with our Advisors.

If you are not eligible for SRW – that is, you are still searching for a lab – you can get assistance through the other resources offered by our office. You can register for our Finding a Lab Support Group, attend our weekly Finding a Research Mentor Workshops, or make an individual advising appointment with our advisors!

What if the research I want to conduct doesn't take place in a lab?

If the research you want to conduct will take place in a Arts, Humanities, and/or Social Sciences, then you may be a fantastic fit for our Arts, Humanities, and Social Science Workshop (AHSS)! AHSS is similar to SRW in that it’s focused on helping students create a 2pg proposal for the SURG, but it’s for students specifically in non-lab disciplines. Many students don’t really have an idea of what project they would want when they begin. You can learn more on the AHSS page here.