Opportunities with the University System of Maryland Partners
The database below lists undergraduate research opportunities offered by partners within the University System of Maryland.
Opportunities in the United States
The database below lists undergraduate research opportunities within the United States.
Opportunities Around the World
The database below lists undergraduate research opportunities outside the United States.
Outside UMD Events
If you wish to contact a faculty member you don’t know well about a research opportunity in our database or possible openings within a research group, we recommend emailing them.
As you write your message, the overall goal is to craft a polished, succinct communication that clearly explains why you're interested in the faculty member's specific research project(s) and highlights the skills and academic background that you would bring to the work of a research assistant.
Can I Email Someone I Don't Know?
Yes!
Students often report finding the process stressful, especially when they wish to contact faculty members they have not previously met. It may be helpful to remember that all faculty members were in a position similar to yours at some point in their careers–they were interested in research. Still, they had relatively little or no actual research experience.
Remember another attribute you share with prospective faculty mentors: you’re both excited about developing knowledge and understanding in a field!
Important note: If the draft message could only be sent to the specific faculty member to whom it is addressed and could only have been authored by you, then you’re on the right path!
Here are a few additional suggestions:
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We recommend sending the message from your official UMD e-mail account; it helps the faculty member know you are who you say you are and may also increase the odds of your message being read.
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The message should include a clear subject line indicating your interest in research opportunities.
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In your salutation, you should use the faculty member’s title and last name (e.g., “Dear Professor Jones”), rather than their first name.
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The body of your e-mail should identify your major, class year, and the semester(s) in which you would be available to participate in research.
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The faculty member may find it helpful if you attach a resume. The Career Center has helpful resources available if you need assistance preparing a resume.
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As you develop your understanding of a faculty member’s research interests and projects, it will be useful to review a few of their academic publications as well as any information about their current projects available on UMD websites.
Faculty members sometimes make copies of academic journal articles and book chapters available directly on their personal websites or in the UMD library’s research repository. As a UMD student, you also have access to numerous databases that index scholarly publications and provide full-text access to these publications via the library website; if you encounter difficulties on the library website, they offer a convenient chat feature.
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Think broadly about your experiences. Even if you have never been a research assistant before, you may have had other opportunities to demonstrate traits that are desirable in a research assistant (e.g., organization and detail orientation).
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We recommend keeping your message relatively short. If you do not hear back after sending a message, we suggest waiting 10-14 days and then sending a polite follow-up.
If an opportunity doesn’t work out, we encourage you to continue exploring your options.
Sharing your work with your scholarly research community is one of the most important steps in your undergraduate research journey. Most often, undergraduate students' first experiences with research dissemination is through a research poster.
OUR has developed a guide to help provide an overview of the essential steps to creating an effective research poster.
UMD Journals
Outside UMD Journals
UMD Programs & Services
Our campus partners offer a wide range of research-centered programs, internships, and other similar experiences. Some of these programs serve undergraduates from all disciplines, while others are more specialized.
All Disciplines
Living-learning community that offers students the opportunity to do a capstone during their sophomore year; participants may choose to do a research project for their capstone.
Program organized into eight living-learning communities focused on particular areas of academic interest; the college encourages and facilitates student research, and one program, Gemstone, offers students the opportunity to participate in a multidisciplinary research team for several years.
Program that provides support for students interested in research and doctoral study who are low-income, first generation, and from groups traditionally underrepresented in doctoral education.
Specialized Programs
Not offered 2025-2026.
Program that offers UMD undergraduates the opportunity to intern at US Food and Drug Administration laboratories and offices.
Program that serves psychology students who are low-income, first-generation, or from groups traditionally underrepresented in psychology graduate programs; program participants engage in psychology research.
Summer internship program in which undergraduate and graduate students work on research projects related to intelligence and security issues.
Summer research program that enables students to participate in research in fields including geology and earth science.
Summer research program that supports undergraduates conducting research in a range of social science disciplines.
Program that offers students opportunities to serve as research assistants for faculty in the Department of Government and Politics while simultaneously pursuing political science research projects of their own design.
Not offered Fall 2025.
Program that enables interns to contribute to research projects focused on terrorism and violent extremism.
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in computer science; previous participants have pursued projects related to quantum computing and machine learning, among other topics.
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Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) focused on quantum simulation.
Summer research program that enables students to work on research projects in a range of fields relevant to agriculture and natural resources.
Program that supports student research related to public leadership and racial and social equity.
Program that provides students with an opportunity to work on research projects at the intersection of physical science and engineering.
Program that provides neuroscience research opportunities and mentoring to students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the field.
Program that seeks to broaden participation in the communication sciences and disorders field; UMD REACH provides students with opportunities to engage in research relevant to the field in a range of UMD departments.
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Program that enables engineering students to undertake research projects relevant to industry.
Summer research program that seeks to broaden participation in social science fields; the program supports students working on social science research projects.
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program that enables students to work on research projects related to nonlinear dynamics.
Program focused on broadening participation in STEM fields that supports students conducting research in those fields.
Programs & Services
Continually Available
OUR ecosystem of campus-based research opportunities for undergraduates.
Fall 2026
OUR three-semester research program for incoming first-year students of all disciplines.
630+ new students per year, 1300+ active in fall semesters.
Summer 2026
OUR summer research program that provides immersive faculty mentorship and a broad research community.
130+ students per summer.
Fall 2026
VIP provides UMD students of all backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of experience with the opportunity to engage in scaffolded, multidisciplinary team-based projects.
300+ students per semester.
Summer 2026
OUR summer research program that supports a direct collaboration between a single student and a faculty mentor.
30+ students per summer.
Open Learning & Courses
Continually Available
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities & Competencies (UROC) open educational resource was designed to provide undergraduate students with the essential skills and tools to take on an undergraduate research opportunity.
Fall 2026
OURS309: Peer Mentorship - Supporting Students In Course-Based Research is a one-credit peer mentorship experience that gives experienced undergraduate students a unique opportunity to further develop their leadership capacities while serving as Peer Learning Mentors to students in a UMD course.
Fall 2026
OURS100: Entering Research is a one-credit, half-term, asynchronous course designed to prepare and guide undergraduate students from any major through the process of finding their first research experience at UMD.
Fall 2026
OURS308: Peer Mentorship - Supporting Students Entering Research is a one-credit, half-term peer mentorship experience that will give undergraduate researchers a unique opportunity to further develop their leadership capacities while serving as peer mentors to students in the introductory course OURS100: Entering Research.
Research Events
Spring 2027
OUR undergraduate research event held each spring semester (April).
500+ student participants.
Summer 2026
OUR undergraduate research event that unites all students engaged in campus-based research over the summer (July).
150+ estimated student participants.
Workshops & Document Archive
OUR Documents Archive
The Office of Undergraduate Research will provide documents, slides, and other related materials in the OUR Documents Archive.
Profile Pic | Candidate | Applied | # of Positions | Email |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Robert Zanny | 12/16 | 2 | robert@gmail.com | |
Dana Marks | 09/16 | 1 | dana@gmail.com | |
Robert Zanny | 10/15 | 3 | betty@gmail.com |
Our campus partners host events that provide opportunities to share your research.
College/School/Office | Event Name | Description | When |
|---|---|---|---|
A. James Clark School of Engineering | Capstone Design Expo | This event showcases innovative capstone projects developed by senior engineering majors at UMD. | Spring |
College of Agricultural & Natural Resources | Agriculture and Natural Resources Discovery and Innovation Night | During this event's "Student Experience Showcase," students share their experiences conducting research and other projects. | Spring |
College of Arts & Humanities | Maryland Hispanic Applied Linguistics Conference | This conference provides opportunities to share research in all subfields of Hispanic applied linguistics. | Spring |
College of Arts & Humanities | Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Undergraduate Research Day | At this event, WGSS students present completed and in-progress research projects. | Spring |
College of Behavioral & Social Sciences | Department of Psychology Undergraduate Research Fair | At this event, undergraduates conducting research in psychology present posters about their work. | Spring |
College of Behavioral & Social Sciences | Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) Research Day | This event celebrates research undertaken within the NACS Program. | Spring |
Office of Undergraduate Studies | University of Maryland National McNair Scholars and Undergraduate Research Conference | This event provides McNair Scholars from UMD and other universities with opportunities to share their work. | Spring |
School of Public Health | Public Health Research Day | Undergraduate and graduate public health students share research at this event. | Spring |
General Education Courses
UMD's General Education requirements ensure that students get some level of initial research experience in the pursuit of their degrees.
Courses designated as Scholarship in Practice embrace some of the fundamentals of research at their core. Scholarship in Practice courses allow students to engage in authentic work in a particular field of study. Students learn and practice skills of critical evaluation and participate in the process of applying knowledge in the pursuit of a tangible goal.
You can search TESTUDO for all Scholarship in Practice courses in any term.
Independent Studies & Honors Theses
UMD's colleges and departments offer rich opportunities to conduct faculty-mentored research within the curriculum through independent study courses and honors theses. You can generally apply for a departmental or college-wide honors program even if you did not join the Honors College at the time of your matriculation to UMD.
This list highlights research-related UMD student organizations. We understand “research” to encompass a broad range of activities, including the creation of novel works of art and technology, and we consider an organization to be “research-related” if it does at least one of the following:
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Provides research opportunities in which UMD undergraduates can participate.
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Facilitates the successful participation of UMD undergraduates in research (e.g., by providing guidance on applying to research opportunities).
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Offers opportunities for UMD undergraduates to learn or educate others about the research process or research findings in a specific field.
This list does not include student research publications unless they provide ongoing guidance throughout the research process for students working toward publication of their results. A full list of UMD student research publications can be found under the “Research Journals” tab above.
OUR developed this list based on information available on Terplink. If you would like to suggest a recognized student organization to add to the list, please email us!
Organization | Terplink Description (Excerpt) |
|---|---|
Academia Decoded | "Academia Decoded is a student-led club that aims to simplify the graduate school application process for underrepresented groups in academia, specifically in the life sciences... To fulfill our mission, we focus on building confidence in research through journal clubs that enhance critical reading skills, training on how to present research effectively, and workshops on writing research papers. We also share resources for getting involved in research..." |
Accessible Prosthetics Initiative at the University of Maryland | "API strives to increase access to prosthetics through an interdisciplinary approach combining community outreach and education, connecting amputees with available resources, and producing our own 3D printed prosthetics." |
Advancing Care & Technology | "Advancing Care and Technology (ACT) is dedicated to connecting pre-health students with research and technology opportunities in healthcare. Our mission is to develop critical research skills, build access to resources, and foster outreach experiences that help advance the future of healthcare." |
American Ecological Engineering Society | "As a student chapter of the larger professional AEES society, our mission is to promote the development of sustainable ecosystems that combine human society with the natural environment for the benefit of both through student driven projects, research, and activities." |
American Physician Scientist Association | "APSA hopes to build a community of students that aims to explore the intersection of medical research and medical practice. As aspiring physician scientists, we will develop a community to introduce research opportunities to pre-health students and host information sessions regarding the various academic and career paths associated with physician scientists." |
American Society of Civil Engineers | "The American Society of Civil Engineers at the University of Maryland (UMDASCE) connects more than 300 civil and environmental engineering students with other students, employers, and opportunities for real-world engineering applications. UMD ASCE sponsors the Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge, and Sustainable Solutions teams." |
App Dev Club | "App Dev Club aims to provide students an immersive experience in app development through project development for our partners, which include corporate sponsors as well as professors doing research here on campus." |
Artificial Intelligence Alignment Group at the University of Maryland | "The AI Alignment Group at UMD is an organization that seeks to promote and contribute to the alignment of AI systems and the usage thereof with the best interests of humanity: one of the most important, urgent, and interesting challenges of our time. Join us as we learn about and conduct research in topics as varied as catastrophic risks from AI, AI deception, and AI governance." |
Asian American Policy Union | "The Asian American Policy Union is dedicated to empowering Asian American students in public policy... We focus on educational and advocacy initiatives, professional development, community engagement, and research to cultivate a new generation of leaders." |
Association for Computing Machinery | "As UMD’s largest computing organization, we bring together students, educators, researchers, and industry professionals to explore programming, systems, AI, cybersecurity, and more. Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your skills, ACM is your gateway to workshops, hackathons, mentorship, career opportunities, and a vibrant peer network." |
Ballooon Payload Program at the University of Maryland | "BPP is established for the purpose of conducting scientific experiments from high altitude balloons and participating in outreach to provide primary and secondary school students interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)." |
BigTh!nk AI | "The purpose of this student organization is to bring awareness and appreciation towards the growing interdisciplinary field of artificial intelligence. We intend to advance our members’ knowledge and experience with fields within and related to AI through meetings, discussions, seminars, and projects." |
Biocomputational Engineering Club | "From biology/chemistry centered coding workshops to seminars from people deep into the biotech field to networking events with inspired students, researchers, and faculty, the Biocomputational organization is a platform for people from all academic backgrounds to thrive in... In addition, the club will ensure to help students interested in Biocomputational programming, through sharing recent opportunities in research and conferences, as well as helping students during programming workshops." |
Biomedical Engineering Society - University of Maryland Chapter | "The Biomedical Engineering Society of the University of Maryland (BMES-UMD) is the primary professional student organization to represent and serve the undergraduate bioengineering community... We aim to host interdisciplinary activities to build a stronger community, increase the number of students served by our peer-to-peer advising program, provide interaction between students and industry professionals, and promote undergraduate research in the department." |
Bitcamp | "Bitcamp is the University of Maryland’s annual spring hackathon and has been one of the largest collegiate hackathons on the east coast over the past ten years... Bitcamp is a place for influencing a diverse group of the nation’s brightest makers, all working on different projects and possessing different skill sets, and educating the next generation of technologists." |
Blockchain at Maryland | "Blockchain at Maryland is a student-led initiative to advance research, development, and application of Blockchain technology at UMD. We want to position UMD as a leader in blockchain research and innovation, empowering the next generation of thinkers and creators in this transformative industry." |
Busily | "Busily is a student organization focused on data science, data visualization, and data analytics, open to students of all majors and experience levels... Busily's mission is to provide students with practical experience in data science, visualization, and analytics by learning through projects, workshops, and mentorship." |
ChemE Car@UMD | "The purpose of the ChemE Car @ UMD team is to apply chemical engineering principles to design and construct a miniature, autonomous car that contains a handmade stopping mechanism (kinetics), battery, structural support, and electrical system... The overall goal in building this car is to compete and represent UMD at the annual regional and national American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) ChemE Car competitions." |
Computer Society | "The Computer Society (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - Computer Society Student Branch Chapter)... aims to provide a well-knit community of diverse individuals who are pursuing the fields of computational science... The Computer Society will also establish professional connections by providing its members with information regarding research opportunities and internships to grow their professional experience." |
DesignHub | "Design Hub is a student-driven organization dedicated to UI/UX design and front-end development. We provide an open, collaborative environment where students can enhance their skills, share ideas, and gain hands-on experience in the design and tech industry... Our club focuses on career growth through networking events, guest speaker panels, workshops, and hackathons." |
Diamondback Innovators | "Diamondback Innovators is a student-run, engineering design and consulting organization, dedicated to teaching members of the organization how to design and create cost-efficient, high-quality mechanical solutions for its clients." |
Education in Conflict and Emergencies Organization at the University of Maryland, College Park | "The organization aims to provide a local forum that allows members to exchange ideas, discuss the range of issues and collaborate on research areas of interest in the international field of education during and after man-made and natural disasters and conflicts; to promote involvement in professional activities beyond the classroom in the field of Education in Emergencies; [and] to promote information and knowledge to the larger university community by organizing activities and events individually or in collaboration with other university programs." |
Formula EV at UMD | "The UMD Formula EV team is a passionate group of students committed to engineering excellence and hands-on learning. As part of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) collegiate design series, the team designs, builds, and races an electric formula-style vehicle at the Formula Hybrid + Electric (April) and Formula SAE EV (June) competitions annually." |
Foundational Learning and Mentorship Experience | "The mission of the FLAME is to empower the next generation of STEM leaders by supporting the academic, social, and emotional development of students from underrepresented groups through experiment-based after-school mentorship programs. The program includes weekly after-school science lessons with hands-on experiments and in-depth discussion in small mentorship groups." |
Google Developer Student Club | "The Google Developer Student Club at UMD is a community that provides an educational and creative environment for undergraduate students interested in various technologies and programming languages... Our mission is to help students grow their knowledge in a peer-to-peer learning environment and put theory to practice by building solutions for their local community." |
Green Roots | "Green Roots exists to advance sustainable and urban agriculture through innovative techniques. We grow food through hydroponics, which is the production of plants without soil, by integrating a number of diverse disciplines... Green Roots is devoted to research, education, and community service." |
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (EEE) Electronics Packaging Society | "The IEEE Electronics Packaging Society is the leading international forum for scientists and engineers engaged in the research, design and development of revolutionary advances in microsystems packaging and manufacturing... The organization is founded for the purpose of participating in educational activities related to the packaging of electronic products and systems, including attending guest lectures, having poster contests, participating in sponsored competitions, and disseminating information related to microelectronics, assembly, and electronic packaging." |
iGEM at the University of Maryland | "The purpose of the University of Maryland iGEM team is to provide undergraduate students interested in the sciences a means to compete in the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine competition... Students will closely work with graduate students, faculty advisers, and professors to develop a research plan, to fundraise to support costs of team registration, participation, and research, to conduct research over the summer in on campus labs, and to work towards a human practices component of the project and competition." |
Linguistics Club | "We are a student group interested in learning the scientific study of language. We highlight the different branches of linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse analysis. Furthermore, students are encouraged to showcase their research and discuss their interests and areas of expertise." |
Maryland Quantitative Finance Club | "The Maryland Quantitative Finance Club at the University of Maryland, College Park, is a student-led group focused on the integration of finance, mathematics, and technology. The club aims to enhance members' academic and professional growth by providing insights into quantitative finance through workshops, seminars, and hands-on projects... The club also promotes research, encouraging members to undertake projects that contribute to the field and are shared through presentations and publications." |
Math Club | "The Math Club is established for the purpose of fostering a greater understanding of mathematics, encouraging undergraduate activity in math research and related mathematical experiences, and providing a social and intellectual forum to all students interested in experiencing math." |
Rising Researchers | "Our mission is to teach high schoolers and undergraduate students at the University of Maryland how to read research papers, while offering additional services such as career advice... Our goal is to introduce high school and college students to scholarly research and to equip them with tools for success in a variety of STEM careers." |
Robotics @ Maryland | "We work on autonomous robots competing in different competitions. We want our members to have fun learning about robotics, science, engineering through hands on experience." |
Society of Physics Students | "The Society of Physics Students (SPS) is a diverse group of students hailing from all parts of campus, who share an interest in physics... SPS sponsors academic, professional development, and social events. We sponsor talks... The many research facilities nearby welcome us for visits." |
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) at the University of Maryland | "We offer students the opportunity to participate in engineering space-based projects such as building cubesats, satellite components, and building a liquid bipropellant rocket engine from the ground up." |
Terps Racing Formula IC | "Terps Racing Formula IC is a student organization in which students fully design, build, and race a formula-style race car powered by an internal combustion engine each year." |
Terrapin Rocket Team | "Terrapin Rocket Team is established for the purpose of pursuing rocket-related projects and developing the engineering and leadership skills of its members." |
Undergraduate Law Review at the University of Maryland | "We, the members of the Undergraduate Law Review at University of Maryland established this organization to publish a scholarly journal with original articles pertaining to legal topics. These will be published once a semester, with students developing rigorous legal research alongside the advisement of a student editor and faculty adviser." |
Undergraduate Psychology Association | "The Undergraduate Psychology Association is an educational organization created to facilitate engagement within the department, build a sense of community, promote professional/career development, and provide accessible resources and networking opportunities... The organization is also committed to giving students a way to connect with PSYC-related activities (e.g. research labs) and resources (e.g. RStudio Workshops, LinkedIn Workshops, research lab application guidance) as well as provide more support systems for underrepresented students." |
Undergraduate Quantum Association | "UQA connects students with UMD’s quantum-related resources and organizations. We host events focusing on quantum science including quantum hackathons, lab tours, speaker series etc. UQA is research and career focused." |
Undergraduate Student National Dental Association | "As an organization, we hope to provide academic and professional support to pre-dental minority students and increase diversity within the field of dentistry... Additionally, the USNDA will provide students with the opportunity to visit dental schools, shadow dentists, and will also inform students of summer programs and dental research experiences." |
UXTerps | "UXTerps is an interdisciplinary organization that aims to foster a creative, diverse design community of University of Maryland students of all backgrounds who are passionate about user experience (UX) research and design... The mission of UXTerps is to support out-of-class learning of user experience design and research for any students interested in UX-related fields..." |
Wind TERPines | "The Wind TERPines compete in the Department of Energy's Collegiate Wind Competition. We design, build, and test wind turbines and analyze environmental/atmospheric conditions and potential markets to develop skills to make an actionable plan for the deployment of those turbines." |