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.
Note: You may not receive academic credit and be paid for the same research experience in a given semester.
- “Variable” refers to situations where the position type is likely to change. For example, some mentors like to accept students on a volunteer basis and after a semester of working together will consider paying the student or offering course credit.
- “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.
Work Setting – Select the work setting(s) that works best with your schedule.
- “Variable” refers to situations where the work setting could change throughout the duration of the project or research. For example, some opportunities can start off in-person and be adapted to remote if circumstances were to require such a change.
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 | Posting Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brain-blood flow research opportunities |
We are interested in understanding how neurons control the supply of blood. Disruption of this control leads to neurodegeneration. We use microscopy, electrophysiology, and molecular biology techniques to understand this control in rodent models. More information on our research can be found here: Drew-lab |
Engineering, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences |
Credit |
On campus |
June 28, 2022 | June 28, 2022 | |
| Undergraduate research experience in Second Language Acquisition Lab |
In the Second Language Acquisition lab, we explore how second language (L2) speakers process words and sentences during language comprehension and production. We work to advance our understanding of the linguistic and cognitive mechanisms that drive L2 acquisition and use, with an eye towards how this research can inform foreign language instruction. For more information see our website: https://sites.psu.edu/cnj1/ |
Any |
Credit |
On campus |
June 28, 2022 | May 23, 2022 | |
| PlantVillage Undergraduate Research Opportunity |
In 2021, 235 million people were marching to starvation, according to the United Nations, made worse by climate change & COVID-19. In 2022, the situation is continuing to deteriorate due to climate change. PlantVillage utilizes technology to help smallholder farmers grow more food in the face of climate change. With the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, we are working across 70 countries and 30 languages. We train AI systems that help farmers adapt. We are looking for students to help make these systems even more powerful. |
Any |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus, Remote |
June 28, 2022 | June 13, 2022 | |
| Urban climate: ground and remote sensing |
We will use long-term ground observations and remote sensing to characterize urban heat and humidity stress in six Northeastern U.S. cities. The project is funded by IEE, and the research team consists of Meetpal Kukal, Suat Irmak, Kenneth Davis, Lauren McPhillips, Shirley Clark, and Hong Wu. |
Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Environmental and Geosciences |
Paid |
On campus |
June 28, 2022 | May 9, 2022 | |
| Field Assistants in Avian Ecology |
The Cornell Lab is looking for undergraduate students interested in gaining field research experience with a focus on ecology and behavior of wild songbirds. Duties include nest checks, collection of nest material, data entry, taking morphological measurements on chicks and adult birds, collection of fecal samples, assisting in collection of blood samples. Students will need to be able to follow written protocols, work independently (after training period), and take accurate and detailed data. Field season begins in April 2022 and continues through August 2022. Research takes place outdoors in all weather conditions, so students must be willing to work in cold, heat, and rain. Field work includes walking up and down hills, carrying gear, and at times working in dense/tall vegetation.... |
Life Sciences |
Paid, Variable, Volunteer |
On campus, Variable |
June 28, 2022 | October 8, 2021 | |
| Research Opportunities at the Aerospace multi-Physical and Unconventional System Lab |
The research activities in the APUS Lab (apus.psu.edu) are motivated by the desire to expand the last frontier of aerospace engineering, represented by hypersonic vehicles and high-speed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The development of these advanced aerospace systems has been constrained by their inherent complex multi-physics nature and the adverse uncertain working environment. While there are relatively mature solutions for each single disciplinary involved in multi-physics problems, these problems cannot be completely understood and solved without integrating the multi-disciplinary tools for the modeling, testing, and robust design of future unconventional aircraft. The following undergraduate research project opportunities are available:
|
Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Science, Mathematics |
Credit, Volunteer |
On campus, Remote, Variable |
June 28, 2022 | August 26, 2019 | |
| Undergraduate Student Research Assistant -- Mapping the Student Engagement Journey |
The Student Engagement Coordinator seeks two undergraduate students to assist with a large, multi-year research project around student engagement. Mapping the student engagement journey (https://mappingstudentengagement.com/) is a research project funded through the Student Engagement Network and will explore how Penn State undergraduate students discover, choose, and experience these opportunities. The student research assistants will help conduct in-depth interviews, code data, have the opportunity for presentation and publication at a local and national level, and will have the ability to design and lead their own research project around student... |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Paid |
Remote |
June 28, 2022 | September 10, 2020 | |
| Human-Computer Interaction |
My research group addresses a wide range of challenge areas in which people collectively and individually use information technology to solve problems, to learn, to be healthier and more active, and even to be better citizens. Our work involves investigating innovative activities and projects that are or can be transformed with information technology, developing new systems and applications to support human activity, and directly studying the appropriation and use of technology by people in lab and field studies. We are especially interested in how people use technology to share and collaborate, to stay aware of news and activity, and to make sense and make decisions in complex and dynamic circumstances. Current focus areas include designs to support community activity and projects,... |
Communications and Journalism, Education, Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Science, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
Community-based, On campus, Remote |
June 28, 2022 | September 20, 2021 | |
| Effects of non-natural morphology on ctenophore swimming |
Effects of non-natural morphology on ctenophore swimming Ctenophores are, evolutionary speaking, among the oldest animals on the planet; they have been swimming in the oceans for the last 350 million years. In this project, we are interested in exploring potential physical-mechanical constraints on the evolution and development of their ancient rowing system. Morphological data from ctenophores ranging from 7 to 40 mm in size will be used to inform a reduced-order analytical swimming model previously developed on our research group. The student will use the analytical model to explore the effects of non-natural... |
Engineering, Life Sciences |
Variable |
Variable |
June 28, 2022 | September 9, 2021 | |
| Cognitive Development Research Project |
At the Brandywine Child Development Lab at Penn State Brandywine, we have two main areas of research. First, we ask questions about how kids learn about the world around them by developing fun games to help us explore what kids know about objects, numbers, and language. Second, we ask about the impact of technology on infants, toddlers, and parent-child relationships. We have a number of behavioral studies that examine cognitive development in children from 6 months-5 years. Undergraduates in the lab work hands-on with children in the on-campus lab and at "Living Lab" locations in children's museums and local libraries. Through this lab experience, student researchers obtain a well-rounded understanding of cognitive development research. Note that there are also all virtual... |
Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
Credit, Volunteer |
Community-based, On campus, Remote, Variable |
June 28, 2022 | January 1, 2018 |