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Getting Started in Student Research

FAQ

Please read our frequently asked questions section to discover how to enhance your university experience through research and innovation projects. Undergraduate research involves collaboration between a faculty mentor and an undergraduate student on an original research project with original data collection in any discipline. Undergraduate innovation involves collaboration with faculty mentors and students to discover new ideas in technology, business, art, poetry, or healthcare or examine the intersection of disciplines. We call these "high-impact practices" because students can often get the most out of their college experience by researching or engaging in the discovery process!

Find Faculty Mentors

The key to a good research or innovation experience is to make a genuine connection with a faculty mentor. Check out our list of faculty mentors actively involved in research and innovation. You will find people you know and some you don't know, but most of all you will find a variety of interests to make the most of your experience. Study the faculty's interest to find connections with your own interests, and make a genuine connection with them for the best mentoring experience.

Northwestern University's How to Talk to Faculty

Northwestern has an excellent resource for undergraduate students who want to talk to faculty about research. We highly recommend studying this page to learn valuable skills for approaching mentors for research or innovation projects.

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."

-Carl Sagan

Research is about asking questions.

Questions drive our development as individuals and a culture. Questions motivate our choices and stimulate growth. Questions bring about change in our world.

What is the cure for cancer?
How can we improve the battery life on your phone?
How many bats live in Dunbar Cave?
How do middle-school students feel about reading at home versus at school?

Funding

Check out all the funding opportunities we have for graduate and undergraduate students at Austin Peay State University. We have our primary Undergraduate Research Enhancement Fund, Graduate Student Research Support Grants, and Travel Awards.