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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neurobiology and behavior of pillbugs |
Did you ever play with pillbugs (a.k.a. rolly pollies or potato bugs) as a kid? Did you ever try to figure out exactly what made them roll up? The Drew (drew-lab.org) and Crowley (crowley-lab.org) labs are looking for 2-3 undergraduates to work on a project on the neurobiology and behavior of pillbugs (Armadillidium vulgare). These land-dwelling crustaceans roll up into a ball in response to threats, in response to low humidity, and other causes. We would like to better understand the drivers of this defensive behavior and the neural circuits responsible for controlling it. We are looking for undergraduates interested in animal behavior/neuroscience to work on these projects. Previous research experience is not required. However, previous work experience... |
Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Environmental and Geosciences, Life Sciences, Statistics |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus |
December 12, 2025 |
| Genetic basis of plant traits |
For many important biological questions, an important step is often to determine the gene(s) involved in a particular trait. My research focuses on determining the genetic basis of herbicide resistance in weeds. By understanding which genes are involved we can better understand the evolutionary past and future of this trait, which impacts our food supply. The same methods I use in my research can be applied to many other traits that you may be interested in. Given that genetic data is often publically available, identifying genes of interest for a particular trait can be done in the comfort of your own home! The goal of this project is to give you hands on practice at bioinformatic techniques and interpretation. |
Agricultural Sciences, Information Technology and Computer Science, Life Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus |
December 4, 2025 |
| 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 |
December 1, 2025 |
| BaSICS Project Child Assessor |
The Coping and Regulation of Environmental Stress (CaRES) Lab, headed by Dr. Martha Wadsworth, is looking for several volunteer child assessors to help with our Building a Strong Identity and Coping Skills (BaSICS) research study. BaSICS is a new intervention developed by the CaRES Lab for children and adolescents facing chronic stress. For children and adolescents, certain types of stress – such as stress due to discrimination or family money problems – are especially harmful because children have little control over these problems. Fortunately, children can learn tools to help them manage stress. The BaSICS Program seeks to help children develop positive personal and cultural identities and to learn healthy ways of dealing with the stress in their lives. The BaSICS study will... |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Volunteer |
On campus |
October 20, 2025 |
| Research Assistant in Advancement of Open Science |
As part of Penn State's new Data Stewardship Program, there are several research projects dedicated to helping make Penn State research more accessible and impactful by supporting data sharing. You will gain hands-on experience in open science principles, research data management, and research methods. In particular, we are looking for a research assistant to help with one of the following projects:
|
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Variable |
On campus |
October 6, 2025 |
| Child Eating Behaviors, Home Food Environment, and Neurocognitive Function |
MEAL-TIME Study: An ‘obesogenic’ style of eating (e.g., larger bites and faster eating and bite rates) has been identified in the lab and proposed as a modifiable behavioral target, however, it is unclear if this eating style will generalize to the home environment, where children consume two thirds of their total energy. We will assess laboratory and home eating styles (e.g., bite rate) in 100 prepubertal 6-9-year-old children to constrain variability in energy requirements. Children will be video-recorded while consuming identical study-provided meals at home and in the laboratory (counter-balanced order) in addition to a ‘typical’ meal at home. Parents will use smart-phone devices and the Wear-IT app to video-record children at home. We will also be completing... |
Nursing and Health Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
October 6, 2025 |
| Child Yogurt Intervention for Cognitive and Brain Health |
Smoothie Program for Achieving and Resilient Kids (SPARK Study): Prior literature suggests that yogurt may be beneficial for brain health, including cognitive processes involved with self-regulation (i.e., executive functions-EF). Therefore, we are conducing a randomized clinical trial to compare 4 weeks exposure of daily yogurt at 2 doses (1 vs 2 drinks per day) to daily fruit juice on neurocognitive function and microbiome composition in 60 rural children from Central Pennsylvania (20 children per exposure condition). Children are randomized to receive either the control (fruit juice) or one of the experimental doses of yogurt smoothies (1x daily vs. 2x daily) for 4 weeks. Main outcomes will be EF assessed by validated tasks and surveys, hippocampal-dependent memory assessed by... |
Any, Nursing and Health Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer |
Hybrid, On campus |
October 6, 2025 |
| Dark Ritual in Fanship and Leisure Experiences |
Lab: Tourism & Leisure Lab
Description: Students will partner with scholars at the... |
Any |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer, Work Study |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
October 3, 2025 |
| 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 |
October 3, 2025 |
| Fanship Leisure, Loneliness & Social Wellbeing |
Lab: Tourism & Leisure Lab (ACURA)
Description:
Remote Opportunity: |
Any |
Credit, Variable, Volunteer |
Hybrid, On campus, Remote |
October 3, 2025 |