FOR STUDENTS - YOU CAN DO THIS

For Students - You Can Do This

Patrick/Patricia Killion

Director: Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)

Director: The First-Year Innovation & Research Experience (FIRE)

Core Beliefs: Hard Work, Caring about the Success of Others, Keeping at It

Hey You,

Yes, you. You can do this. And, we're here to help.

As a kid, I had the opportunity to build big radio-controlled planes. The catch? I built many of them from scratch using plans I had purchased from magazines. And, ready? There was no internet. Like, none. I can only begin to tell you about the problems I ran into - vague instructions, materials that wouldn't comply, parts that didn't fit or install correctly, and me just deciding (because I was a teenager) to do things my way.

I did not know it then, but the endless hours I spent working in a hot garage opened a door for me that I have valued for my entire professional life. The door was labeled - I can do this. I learned to combine stubbornness, creative problem-solving, and the advice of mostly retired friends at a NASA club where I flew these things to overcome the many challenges I faced. More importantly, I learned that problems are solvable through hard work, the involvement of others, and keeping at it.

These lessons fueled everything I have done to this day. From my undergraduate degree in Computer Science to my PhD 10 years later in a completely different field of Cell & Molecular Biology, to coming to UMD in 2013 to design and launch FIRE, I have been continually supported by a core belief in my ability to do this (whatever this might be). Not smarts (trust me), simply a belief that I can.

You can, too.

If you don't have this core belief or don't have it about your ability to engage in authentic research here at UMD, we are here and ready to help. Let's get at it together. Use this website to learn more about research, why you should consider doing it even if you don't plan a career in that direction, and the many resources we have to get you going and support your success.

Sincerely,

Patrick/Patricia Killion

Working on a sustained research project will drive your personal and professional growth that will impact your career oppportunities no matter what your long-term interests might be.

Relevance: Shifting from being a consumer of knowledge produced by others to a producer of knowledge in your own right can deepen your understanding of the research methods and approaches commonly used in your fields of interest and the limitations of these methods and approaches. It can provide new perspectives on the scholarly work you encounter in your courses.

Professional Development: Research by its very nature involves grappling with uncertainty, coping with unexpected setbacks, and making multiple attempts to resolve or address problems. This experience can help to cultivate persistence and habits of mind that will be useful to you throughout your career (regardless of whether it ultimately involves research) and in life more generally.

Relationships & Mentorship: Undergraduates conducting longer-term research projects typically work under the supervision of one or more expert researchers who provide ongoing guidance and feedback. One of the significant benefits of participating in a sustained research project as an undergraduate is precisely this opportunity to work in dialogue with and learn from a more seasoned researcher. Frequently, more senior researchers become mentors to undergraduate researchers with whom they work, serving not only as an advisors regarding immediate questions related to research but also as a source of guidance regarding graduate school and career possibilities.

Research frequently provides opportunities to connect with fellow undergraduates excited by the process of exploration and discovery; for instance, you might work on a research team along with other undergraduates, or you might participate in an undergraduate research program that provides regular opportunities for participating students to meet and discuss their experiences.

Research might not be what you think it is.

Are you picturing yourself alone in a laboratory, library, or the field, struggling to accomplish your goals?

Are you thinking research might be boring, scary, and only for those interested in publication, conference presentations, or graduate school?

Modern research is exciting and provides opportunities for you to work with others in ways and on diverse projects you might not have previously imagined. Research involves creating new knowledge and understanding through scholarly or artistic discovery.

Depending on the discipline engaged, a research project may involve:

conducting surveys and interviews,
searching for information in libraries and archives,
painting portraits,
building computational or physical models,
studying and manipulating live organisms and cellular tissues,
probing the complexities of molecular interactions in living systems,
reading texts through particular interpretive lenses,
developing websites, podcasts, or other forms of modern media that drive understanding,
or analyzing datasets, among many other pursuits.

What fundamentally unites the researchers pursuing these disparate activities is a commitment to bringing new knowledge into the world.

Get Support

Visit OUR Office Hours

Talk with an OUR staff member in person about strategies for locating and applying for research opportunities, approaches to disseminating your research, or other topics related to undergraduate research.

When:

Mondays-2:00pm to 3:00pm
Wednesdays-3:30pm to 4:30pm

Where:
The Atlantic Building, Room 2338

Office hours will operate on a "first come, first served" basis, with no appointments necessary.

Please note that office hours will not be held during the examination period, Winter Break and Winter Term. Office hours for Spring 2025 will begin on Monday, January 27, 2025.

In Spring 2025, no office hours will be held on:

Wednesday, January 29
Monday, March 17 (Spring Break)
Wednesday, March 19 (Spring Break)
Wednesday, April 23 (Undergraduate Research Day)

The last day of regular office hours for the Spring 2025 semester will be Monday, May 12.