Undergraduate Research in Chemistry & Biochemistry

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Undergraduate :: Research

How do I get started doing research?

Follow these steps to getting started in undergraduate research at Arizona State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry:

• Evaluate your goals, interests, and existing commitments
• Decide which research option fits you best (volunteer, employment, course credit)
• Review faculty research profiles to find out what ASU research interests you
  • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Biodesign Institute
  • School of Life Sciences
  • Department of Kinesiology
• Alternatively, you may consider off-campus research at
  • Mayo Clinic of Scottsdale
  • Barrow Neurological Institute(BNI)
  • Translational Genomics (TGen)

When choosing a research area, think about what courses sparked your interests and what expectations you have for yourself. As a student performing research, you will need an eagerness to ask questions, persistence, and be willing to purse difficult paths that are not immediately rewarding. Be sure that you are willing to make a substantial commitment of time and effort to learn and master new skills. There are several options available for you to create your own pathway:

• Volunteer:
  Get to know a faculty member through the courses or seminars you attend. Talk to the faculty member about volunteer opportunities available in their laboratories.
• Work as a paid lab assistant:
  Lab assistant jobs can be found through the ASU Student Employment link (http://www.asu.edu/fa/studemp/). Although these jobs may primarily involve routine tasks, such as glassware cleaning and chemical stock preparation, there are also opportunities for motivated students to perform research projects under faculty guidance.
• Gain course credit:
  Obtain permission to work with a faculty member and submit your request online. The following courses are available for course credit for research: CHM/ BCH 392 Research; CHM/BCH 484 Internship; CHM/ BCH 492 Honors Individual Study; and CHM/ BCH 493 Honors Thesis.

You will have the most enjoyable research experience if you have a strong interest in the work being performed in the laboratory. Therefore, carefully consider what you enjoy most about chemistry and biochemistry and whose laboratories perform research that you find the most interesting.