Undergraduate
Research
CMPS
Undergraduate Research Experiences
Internships are valuable. Research is fascinating.
Experience the thrill of scientific discovery
first hand. Use and apply knowledge you have
learned in class. Learn the scientific method
in a real experimental setting, and see how
new scientific knowledge is created. Be part
of Maryland faculty's contribution to new
knowledge in science and mathematics.
CMPS is one of the
nation's leading centers for the discovery
of new knowledge in our disciplines, and
with its undergraduate research program
provides students with a unique opportunity
to participate in that knowledge discovery.
With a research experience you can be part
of facing the challenge of designing an experiment
or new type of calculation from scratch.
There are no textbooks or manuals with "cookbook" procedures
for doing original research: research is
the genuine exploration of the unknown.
A research experience will give you a first
hand route into professional problem-solving
and may lead to publication. It will give
you personal contact with faculty postdoctoral
fellows and graduate students, and a real
picture of graduate school. Employers and
graduate schools look for research experience
in applicants.
Tips for student research.
- Faculty are
motivated to take interns based on your
enthusiasm: ask questions; ask for simple
examples in everyday settings; ask about
the basic science being studied.
- Check out
the science background information on
the web or in the encyclopedia.
- Understand
that different projects require different
academic preparation levels. Some projects
are suitable for high school students,
while other projects are suitable for
undergraduates close to graduation.
- The
College receives an oversupply of requests
for projects directly on computer science;
branch out and consider other fields.
- Explore
the websites of our labs, beginning with
the links below.
- Show up on time,
be courteous, and ask for help if you
are not sure what to do.
How do students seek out
research opportunities?
Interested students should carefully review
the research descriptions appearing on the
following webpages. Interested students should
then contact the faculty/researchers identified
on the webpages and arrange to meet to discuss
the following:
- Are there student
research positions available?
- Are there
any prerequisites (classes, experience
etc.) to joining the research group?
- What
are the tasks and responsibilities associated
with a student role in the project?
- What
are the expectations for working times,
quantity of hours per week, and length
of commitment to the team?
- Can research
be done for credit? Is a stipend available?
Student research information
Astronomy
www.astro.umd.edu/rareas/index.html
Computer Science
www.cs.umd.edu/department/undergrad-research.shtml
Geology
www.geol.umd.edu/pages/undergraduates/ug-research.htm
Mathematics
www.math.umd.edu/undergraduate/opportunities/reu.shtml
Meteorology
www.atmos.umd.edu/research/
Physics
www.physics.umd.edu/academics/ugrad/UGR/index.html
Institute for Advanced Computer Science
(UMIACS)
www.umiacs.umd.edu/about/ugradr.htm
Institute for Physical Sciences and Technology
(IPST)
www.ipst.umd.edu/Undergrad/index.html
Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical
Modeling
http://www.cscamm.umd.edu/education/undergraduate/#undergrad_projects
Institute for Research in Electronics and
Applied Physics (IREAP)
www.ireap.umd.edu/ireap/StudentInfo.htm
Find out about the CMPS research Institutes
and Centers from the links on
www.cmps.umd.edu
Find out about the J. R. Dorfman Prize for
Undergraduate Research at
www.cmps.umd.edu/undergraduate/dorfman_prize.html
Campus information and resources for undergraduate
research
www.ugresearch.umd.edu/
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