Research mentors are faculty members who collaborate with you supervising your research or creative project. Finding a research mentor is key for your project. Mentors offers guidance and experience in different aspects of research. Also, undergraduate research grants are only available to students conducting projects under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
Browse UVU departments’ websites and their faculty professional websites to check their research fields and publications. You may find a faculty member who is doing research in the topic you are interested. Also a professor with whom you took a class can become your research mentor. You may also want to visit the UVU Scholar's Open Archive to see what professors are interested in an who is open to mentoring.
UVU Scholar's Open Archive Mentors
Once you have identified a faculty member you are interested in doing research with, send them an email describing your research project and objectives. Visiting during office hours is a good way to meet faculty too. Prepare a resume and a copy of your research idea and bring them with you when visiting.
The Indispensable Guide on Undergraduate Research by Drs. Hudley, Dickter, and Franz will help you to find resources offered by the university to carry out successful research projects. Chapter 4 in particular will provide you with information on the role of faculty, as well as tips on how to find a faculty mentor for your undergraduate research.
Research confirms that academic performance increases considerably when faculty mentor undergraduate students. This relationship maximizes the student’s ability to engage in quality, independent, and rigorous research. Mentoring includes:
Once you have connected with a faculty member it is time to apply for grants that will help you carry out your research and publish and present your findings. Faculty mentors will help you to apply for these grants. Some of these are:
