Undergraduate Research Opportunities Database
Our database is a great resource in helping students find exciting undergraduate research opportunities at Penn State.
To get the best results, we recommend that you select all of the research areas that interest you. We also recommend that you conduct multiple searches.
Campus – Select the campus(es) where you would be interested in participating in research. Depending on the time of year when you are using the database, consider whether your location changes. For example, do you spend your summers closer to a different campus than where you regularly attend school?
Research Area – Select the area(s) of research that interest you most, keeping in mind that research is often interdisciplinary so it might be appropriate to select more than one area. For example, if you are interested in health you might want to search for opportunities in the physical sciences, life sciences, and nursing and health sciences, because these research areas could all be relevant to your interest in health.
Position Type – Select the position type(s) that are most appealing to you. If you prefer whether you earn credit versus being paid, be sure to narrow down the search results using this field.
- “Work Study” is only available to students who have received a federal work-study (FWS) award. You can verify if you have an FWS award by visiting LionPATH and reviewing your "Financial Aid Summary.” If you do not have a federal work-study award, your mentor can also inquire with the Office of Student Aid - 814-865-6301 - to determine if you are eligible to be awarded one.
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive database of all the research opportunities available at Penn State. Please visit our Finding an Opportunity at Penn State section for other ideas for finding a research opportunity!
Mentors interested in creating an account or posting an opportunity should visit the Posting Undergraduate Research Opportunities section.
| Title | Description | Research Area(s) | Position Type(s) | Work Setting(s) | Updated Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development, Risk, and Resilience Lab Research Assistants |
In the Development, Risk, and Resilience Lab, our goal is to understand when and under what circumstances developmental trajectories of children begin to diverge from normative trajectories among families who are struggling with substance abuse and related issues (e.g., mental health symptoms; caregiving unpredictability). The Development, Risk, and Resilience Lab is interested in how prenatal and early adversities shape the development of children’s self-regulation; how these associations may be mediated or moderated by parenting quality; and applying this understanding to prevention. We are also working to understand protective factors that promote resilience in children in the face of early adversities. Our research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National... |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit |
On campus |
May 26, 2026 |
| Child Health Study |
Study Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to learn more about the different ways in which the environment and biology can affect a person’s health over their lifetime. Children beginning at the age of 8 along with one of their caregivers spends a day visiting The Center for Healthy Children at Penn State to help us learn about their different life experiences and environments and how these will shape human development into adulthood. The information we gather during these visits will help us achieve our long-range goal of understanding more about children, adolescents, and their families to improve overall health outcomes. Research Assistant Benefits:
|
Life Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer |
On campus |
May 11, 2026 |
| Fanship Leisure, Loneliness & Social Wellbeing |
Lab: Tourism & Leisure Lab (ACURA)
Description:
Remote Opportunity: |
Any |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
April 14, 2026 |
| Game of Thrones Fanship and Virtual Tourism to UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Lab: Tourism & Leisure Lab
Description: Benefits:
|
Any |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
April 14, 2026 |
| Interventionist for Our Rural Mental Health Study |
We are conducting a research study focused on providing mental health treatment to high school students. The goal is to see whether a school-based cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, program led by trained Penn State University undergraduate students can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression among adolescents in rural areas. We're inviting students at Penn State University campuses to apply to be volunteer interventionists for this study for the fall 2026-spring 2027 academic year. |
Humanities, Nursing and Health Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus, Remote |
April 13, 2026 |
| Essayli Lab Undergraduate Research Assistant Position |
Dr. Jamal Essayli at the Penn State Health Eating Disorders clinic is looking to recruit remote volunteer research assistants for summer 2026 and fall 2026. Dr. Essayli's interests include finding effective and feasible treatments for eating disorders. He uses components from evidence-based therapeutic modalities, like cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy, to design and test innovative treatment interventions. His current studies include:
|
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
Remote |
April 2, 2026 |
| Healthy Family Foundations - Spring/Fall 2027 |
OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN VALUABLE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE – BEGINNING SPRING SEMESTER 2027 The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether an adaptation of a couple-based preventive intervention at the transition to parenthood reduces obesity risk among infants and parents in military families via improved interparental support and coordination around health lifestyle behaviors and parenting. The Healthy Family Foundations project is seeking perceptive undergraduates to code video interactions with parents and their 6-12 month old babies. Coders will
|
Nursing and Health Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Paid, Volunteer |
On campus |
March 30, 2026 |
| PRO Health Research Lab Seeking Students for Fall 2026 to assist with Grant-Funded Research |
The PRO Health Lab is seeking motivated and detail-oriented students who are interested in assisting with grant-funded research projects in the areas of public health and prevention science. The lab works primarily with college students and/or their families to reduce high-risk drinking behaviors and related consequences. The Research Assistant will receive paid hours with the option of BBH research credit. Hours are flexible (up to 10 hours/week, depending on current lab needs). This is a great opportunity for someone looking to pursue graduate school or a career in research or public health. Ideal candidates should be able to commit to the position for at least four semesters. |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Paid |
On campus |
April 13, 2026 |
| Ecology of Plant-Insect or Plant-Slug Interactions |
We are interested in interactions between plants and plant-feeding insects and slugs. Plants may be rooted to the ground, but they are far from helpless victims and use a remarkable array of tactics to defend themselves from insects and other attackers. We study different aspects of plant-herbivore interactions, using a combination of laboratory and field work with both agriculturally important crop plants and native plant species. We are interested in the biology and life cycles of these animals as well as the responses of plants to their feeding. Our research tools tend to include behavioral bioassays, feeding trials, and analyses of plant chemistry. The ultimate goal of our lab is to better understand how populations of plant-feeding insects and slugs are regulated so that we... |
Life Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus |
February 19, 2026 |
| Modeling emotion and artistic style with A.I. |
The James Wang Research Group invites applications from highly motivated undergraduate honors students to participate in its multidisciplinary research programs. Led by Dr. James Z. Wang, Distinguished Professor, the group conducts cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and computer vision, with applications spanning art, medicine, biology, and related fields. Undergraduate honors students will have the opportunity to engage in rigorous, research-driven projects, contribute to scholarly publications, and collaborate within a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment. We particularly encourage applications from women and individuals from groups that have been historically underrepresented in computing,... |
Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology and Computer Science, Life Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Statistics, Visual and Performing Arts |
Credit, Variable |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
February 11, 2026 |