Finding A Research Mentor

Faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are actively engaged in research. To discover research opportunities:

• Contact a professor from a class you’ve enjoyed taking. Professors often research in the same area as the courses they teach.
• Review department websites, faculty bios, and faculty lab websites. A quick review of a faculty bio or lab website will tell you more about their research areas and often let you know if they are seeking undergraduate researchers. Once you find a match, contact the professor and request an appointment. Here is an email template you can modify and use when contacting prospective faculty mentors.
• Ask for recommendations by making an appointment with Justina Clark in the Office of Undergraduate Research to discuss your research interests and goals.
• Check out the Office of Undergraduate Research list of current opportunities.

Don’t limit your research opportunities to your major! There are many interdisciplinary research projects taking place on campus, and you can engage in research with a faculty member outside your specific field. Students in the history department might research with a modern language professor, or a Biological Systems Engineering undergrad could research with a biochemistry professor.