Research...An Opportunity No Student Should Miss!

Congratulations to every UCSB undergrad (and parent) for a highly significant achievement—being admitted to a prestigious scientific and scholarly community! At UCSB, which is in the top 1.5 percent of all universities in the United States and Canada, undergraduate students are prepared for the very best jobs and graduate schools. The faculty have earned the highest honors: Since 1998, five professors have won Nobel Prizes and one professor, the 2006 Millennium Prize; another has received the National Medal of Technology; and many others hold coveted memberships in the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences and prestigious fellowships from National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

Undergraduate Research - The Other Half of a Great Education

"The advantage for undergraduate students of a great research university like UCSB is that they can work with faculty and graduate students to make the discoveries that will appear in future textbooks," says Michael Witherell. Formerly the director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), Dr. Witherell is vice chancellor for research and professor of physics at UCSB.

2000 Nobel laureate in physics Herbert Kroemer—one of five Nobelists at UCSB—believes that undergraduate research is invaluable. Says Professor Kroemer, who is professor of both electrical and computer engineering and of materials: "Careers today require continual, lifelong learning. Few experiences better prepare students for this process than active participation in research early in their education."

"Undergraduate research can be a life-changing event,” says Dennis Clegg, professor and chair of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. “Some students are hooked after their first successful experiment and are inspired to pursue careers in biomedical research. Others in my lab have gone on to become successful doctors, professors, and teachers. "

Shane Jimerson is a professor at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. Undergraduate research assistants are closely involved with his projects, and he has found that participation definitely improves their all-around academic performance. "Research experience is invaluable for figuring out what to do after graduation," says Professor Jimerson. "It often leads to graduate school or the perfect job."

Adds Bruce Tiffney, dean of the College of Creative Studies and professor of earth science: "Student research is very motivating and empowering. It is a time for growing. But it requires commitment."

Whether undergraduates work in laboratories, studios, or the University library, they do grow in ways that are only possible in a research and or creative environment. "Great research opportunities exist off-campus too," adds Dr. Witherell. "Undergraduates have conducted research in natural laboratories ranging from our nearby Channel Islands to Peru, the Himalayas, and Antarctica."

Wherever the setting, student investigators see the birth of ideas and the rigorous testing that follows. What they learn provides mental tools for a lifetime: the ability to persevere, think, and communicate clearly; ask the right questions; and develop ideas with confidence

How to Get Started?

Professors agree that motivation is key—and that no student should hesitate to stop after class or during office hours to learn how to become involved in research or independent study. Visit UCSB’s undergraduate research website at http://research.ucsb.edu/undergrad for a variety of helpful tips, a complete list of contacts, students’ research stories, and much more.

People Who Are Ready to Help

• California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), Samantha Freeman, INSET Coordinator, 805-893-8564, samantha@cnsi.ucsb.edu.
• College of Letters and Science, Nan Anderson, Coordinator, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA), (805) 893-2319, nanderson@ltsc.ucsb.edu.
• College of Creative Studies, Karen Poirier, Assistant Dean, Administration, (805) 893-3759, mailto:Karen.Poirier@ccs.ucsb.edu.
• College of Engineering: Yvonne Freeman, Academic Liaison, College of Engineering, (805) 893-8193, freeman@engineering.ucsb.edu.
• Donald Bren School of environmental Science and Management, Laura Haston, Assistant Dean, (805) 893-7980, laura@bren.ucsb.edu.
• Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, Heather Phillips, Research Office Coordinator, (805) 893-5922; heather@education.ucsb.edu
• Graduate Division—offering UC LEADS for juniors and seniors in science, engineering, and mathematics (www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/ucleads/) and ARC (www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/arc/) for undergraduates just completing their junior year—Monique Limon, Director, Recruitment and Retention, (805) 893-4656.
• Office of Research, Carla Whitacre, Director, Research Development, (805) 893-3925, whitacre@research.ucsb.edu ucleads/).
• Office of Research, Carla Whitacre, Director, Research Development, (805) 893-3925, whitacre@research.ucsb.edu