Find a Research Mentor
Terps can explore the faculty directories of the different academic departments on Maryland’s campus, and in doing so, can identify and reach out to potential mentors who are actively researching questions that match their intellectual interests.
Explore and connect with faculty from the following departments listed below.
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
School of Public Health
Clark School of Engineering
connecting with faculty
Ask around
Your current and past professors may be accepting students or know of any colleagues who are
Your academic advisor may also know of mentors who would be a good match for your interests
contact potential mentors
(email is usually best, but stopping by their labs or offices is also okay) to determine whether they are interested in having you join their research program. In your first contact with potential faculty mentors, you should tell them:
Your year (e.g., sophomore)
Your GPA
Any relevant research or laboratory experience you already have
Your general research interests or goals
Plan to meet with potential mentors
in person, tour their lab and speak to other students in the lab (both graduate and undergraduate) before making a final decision
After you have decided upon which research opportunity is best for you, it’s a good idea make an explicit agreement with your mentor that specifies
How much time you will spend in the lab
The days and hours you will work
Your responsibilities
If you wish to receive academic credit for your work, you should then contact the Coordinating Advisor or Undergraduate Program Director in the department to which your faculty mentor belongs. Each faculty member has a specific course and section number for undergraduate research, and each department has its own procedures for registering for credit.
Learn more on this webpage for Earned Research Credit.
