Undergraduate Opportunities
Even as undergraduates, our students are encouraged to explore research. As they get valuable experience—in some cases paid—they gain insight into their potential to pursue serious independent research and/or advanced studies.
College Research Resources
1. Independent Research Courses
Learn side-by-side with the experts as you earn credit hours by identifying a professor whose research interests you or enrolling in an independent research course (291/491 listings). In addition to opportunities the departments offer, the Cyclotron Institute has research slots for students interested in nuclear science. To explore options in your major, click on the following links or contact a departmental advisor.
- Biology - The Department of Biology maintains a list of faculty available for undergraduate research and their research interests.
- Chemistry - The Department of Chemistry offers a primer on undergraduate chemistry research.
- Mathematics - The Department of Mathematics boasts a National Science Foundation-funded program that brings undergraduates together with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty for collaborative research.
- Physics - The Department of Physics offers many opportunities, during the school year and the summer, for undergraduate research. The department recommends students approach faculty about doing research in their labs. Advisors also e-mail students with leads about faculty seeking undergraduates in their labs.
2. Undergraduate Research Fellows
In this independent research program, seniors conduct two semesters of research culminating in a senior honors thesis and presentation.
3. Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
If you are a student with junior standing who is interested in carrying out independent research, you may be eligible to become an Undergraduate Research Scholar.
4. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Several of our units offer paid summer REU programs funded by the National Science Foundation.
5. Undergraduate Program in Biological and Mathematical Sciences
Thanks to a five-year, $1.25 million National Science Foundation grant, Texas A&M's Departments of Biology, Mathematics, and Statistics are teaming up to integrate curricula that will revolutionize undergraduate education and help shape the face of future research about the natural world. Each year the program recruits 10 biology and 10 mathematics students from diverse backgrounds to engage in a new common curriculum incorporating advanced biological and mathematical training, a common quantitative biology seminar, and research training in a biological research program such as biological clocks, mathematical ecology, and genomics. To learn more about the program or how to apply, go to http://www.bio.tamu.edu/UBM/index.htm.
6. USDA Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Are you interested in working with USDA Scientists here in College Station or in Houston this summer? Scientists are working with food safety, microbiology, nutrition and much more. Students can earn up to 8 hours of credit for work over the summer. Please read the following summaries to match your interests, then send an email indicating:
- Scientists you wish to work with
- Hours they desire to earn
Interested students will be reviewed by the scientists and placed in labs for the summer. Due to the limited number of slots, we will work on a first come first serve basis.