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Rutgers is a major public research university whose faculty are leading researchers in a variety of fields—from neuroscience to metaphysics to child development—that touch our daily lives and shape our future. As an undergraduate, you can—and should!—become a part of this exciting community of discovery, creativity, and innovation.
What is research, anyway?
Research begins with a question. Why? How? These kinds of
questions are at the very heart of the mission of Rutgers:
the process of creating new knowledge among a community of
learners that include undergraduates, graduate students, faculty,
and community members. Students doing research at Rutgers
pursue interests in fields as varied as domestic violence,
microbiology, health economics, and French literature; they
find themselves in museums, archives, galleries, laboratories,
and business in New Brunswick and around the world. They're
answering some of the most interesting questions being asked
in the world today!
Why do research?
Research allows you to gain appreciation for the practical applications of knowledge, and to step outside your classroom
and learn about the theories, tools, resources, and ethical
issues that scholars and professionals encounter on a daily basis.
You'll learn how to formulate questions, design plans to find
answers, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions from that
data, and share your findings with a community. It gives you
an opportunity to connect with the best faculty at Rutgers.
It's excellent preparation for graduate school and the workplace,
where they're looking for outstanding students who can identify
and solve problems in teams. Doing research will also make
you an informed consumer of the research that you encounter
on a daily basis: you'll be able to evaluate the information
presented to you as a citizen of our complex society, and
make informed decisions about all kinds of public policy issues
that affect your everyday life. And finally, research prepares
you for the world beyond Rutgers by honing your independent
thinking and creativity, time-management and budget skills,
and confidence in your academic and career goals.
Is research for undergraduates? Do I need any experience?
Yes, research is for undergraduates! By participating in
the research process, you will find that your education will
come alive. You will learn how the knowledge we currently
have was generated, and how answers may be found. And most
importantly, you'll learn that there are many questions still
to be asked and solutions to be discovered that will improve
our understanding of the world and the quality of life for
all of its citizens. Everyone from first year students through
seniors is qualified to ask these kinds of questions: research
is a process of discovery for all of us! The only prerequisite
is the desire to ask questions!
Sometimes you'll ask your first questions in the classroom,
sometimes you'll ask those questions in office hours, and
sometimes those questions will come to you in the middle of
the night. Answering those questions might entail working
with a professor (sometimes even with a faculty member and
a team of your peers) on a project that is already underway,
gaining an appreciation for active inquiry and analysis and
getting your feet wet in the research process; in many cases,
those first experiences compel students to go on to design
and conduct a creative project of their own devising in close
consultation with faculty mentors. If you have more questions, or would like to discuss an idea, feel free to contact the staff at the Aresty Research Center for Undergraduates!
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