Undergraduate Research

Program Mission

To promote and facilitate student engagement in research, scholarship, and creative activity to provide experiential learning and develop well-prepared and confident students ready to embark on a career of their choice.

To coordinate and sponsor activities that foster learning communities built around common themes aimed at eliminating student isolation and passivity. A goal achieved by assembling students and faculty with synergistic academic interests and aspirations.

Participating in Undergraduate Research

Based on the definition provided by the Council on Undergraduate Research, undergraduate research is “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline”. Students from all backgrounds and disciplines are eligible to participate in undergraduate research; the only thing required is an expressed interest to inquire, explore, and discover new ideas under the guidance of a faculty facilitator. You can start by registering with the Office of Undergraduate Research. See also the Resources for the Undergraduate Researcher.

Benefits of Undergraduate Research

• An opportunity to inquire, explore and discover ideas under the mentorship of York’s esteemed faculty.
• Expand problem-solving skills, creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking abilities.
• Gain “hands-on” experiences that are translatable to real-world skills.

Experiential learning provides students with the skills to be inquisitive, critically evaluate information, and use their ingenuity to explore, discover, and create.

Program Sponsored Activities

The Office of Undergraduate Research provides undergraduate researchers guidance to become well-rounded scholars destined to be movers and leaders of their communities. The following are examples of activities the Office works to facilitate:

• Linking undergraduates and faculty members with similar research, scholarship, and creative endeavors.
• Providing access to workshops, career talks, field trips, and other academic enrichment activities.
• Helping students apply for scholarships and/or paid internships, when available.
• Developing the undergraduate’s written, oral, and poster presentation skills.
• Seeking financial support for the undergraduate researcher’s participation in on-campus, regional, and national conferences. This includes sponsoring York’s Annual Undergraduate Research Day held in spring.
• Advising students on how to put together job applications or how to go about submitting applications to pursue graduate degrees.
• Sponsoring faculty mentor recognition events and, when possible, providing grant writing aid in collaboration with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
• Showcasing a repository of student results, findings, and/or creative works that is accessible to the York College population.