How to Participate

Interested in finding great undergraduate researchers and serving as a mentor to some of the brightest students at Rutgers? The Aresty Center can help.

The Aresty Center serves faculty by advertising research projects, helping to identify strong undergraduate researchers, and guiding students toward structured, professional engagement with research. Our success with supporting undergraduates depends on the strength of our faculty mentors.

Overview of Aresty Center Programs, by Student Academic Level

Programs and Key Dates for Faculty:

We invite you to become an undergraduate research mentor through any of our programs:

Research Assistant (RA) Program: For any student who is new to research, the Research Assistant Program pairs students with faculty mentors to conduct a year-long academic project. Students are required to work five hours per week on their research projects and earn 3 credits for the year. No previous research experience is necessary, and there is no minimum GPA. The most important criterion is an interest in and commitment to research. The Aresty Center provides research opportunities across all disciplines. 

How to Participate: Faculty project submissions for the 2025-2026 Research Assistant Program are due on February 24, 2025. You may create a new opportunity or duplicate one of your previous Aresty projects.

Summer Science Program: For faculty in the sciences, the Aresty Summer Science program pairs rising sophomores, with little or no experience, to research projects over the summer. Students are required to work full-time in the lab setting and receive structured mentoring from both faculty participants and the Aresty Center. Students are provided with a $3,000 stipend in addition to on-campus housing. 

How to Participate: Faculty project submissions for Summer 2025 are due November 18, 2024. You can create a new opportunity or duplicate one of your previous Aresty projects.

Funding Opportunities for Undergraduate Researchers: We invite students to submit proposals for funding to help defray the cost of independent research projects, including books, photocopying costs, supplies, travel, and presentations at conferences. Students who are awarded funding through the Aresty Research Center are required to present their research at our Symposium in the spring. Awards range depending on both the merit and the quality of the student's application. 

How to Participate: For your advisees, applications to support independent research are due October 15th of each year. Support for student travel to conferences is reviewed on a rolling basis on the first of each month.