Academics

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors now offer one-on-one appointments

Students can schedule peer advising sessions in Starfish; Applications also being taken for new ambassadors

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Undergraduate students can now schedule one-on-one appointments with experienced student researchers to learn more about how to get involved in research at Penn State.

The Undergraduate Research Ambassadors program, from Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring (URFM), began in fall 2020 as the first cohort of student ambassadors was trained to promote undergraduate research at Penn State. Among their responsibilities, ambassadors present to classes and organizations at Penn State, serve as panelists at events and lead information sessions.

A new feature of the program is one-on-one peer advising, where undergraduates from across the commonwealth can schedule appointments through Starfish to talk directly with a peer about how to identify a research interest or topic, how to identify a potential mentor or existing research opportunities and to hear a peer's experience with undergraduate research. No prior research experience is necessary to start a dialogue with an ambassador. Most meetings are currently being held over Zoom but some in-person appointments are available.

Two of the first ambassadors, Autumn Deitrick and Cassidy Prince, are both experienced undergraduate researchers and Penn State seniors. Deitrick, a senior from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is a civil engineering major, and Prince, of Millersburg, Pennsylvania, is a microbiology major.

Prince said most students she has talked to so far in her role as ambassador want to know how to get started in research and what kinds of research grants and fellowships are available. Ambassadors are trained to share their experience with getting started with research, as well as to Introduce the URFM database and relevant department websites and faculty directories.

Similarly, ambassadors are trained to share their experience with applying for funds, as well as to introduce the Erickson Discovery Grant and other Penn State funding avenues. 

Prince stressed that research was not just for students in scientific fields, but also those in the visual and performing arts, business and humanities and social sciences.

“I would encourage students of any year that are interested in any field to meet with one of us,” Prince said. “We have a host of diverse, unique experiences in many fields and majors. Every ambassador has a different specialty, so I encourage students to check out our descriptions on Starfish to see who fits best with their interests.”

URFM has already recruited 33 undergraduate ambassadors in its first year. Each had to begin somewhere, with no prior experience. Taking the first steps into research can seem daunting, Deitrick said, and many students are unfamiliar with how the processes work when they begin as undergraduates.

“Talking to my peers who were already involved in research helped me to see myself as a researcher, and the ambassadors are here to do just that,” Deitrick said. “As ambassadors, we hope to provide reassurance, motivation and guidance for students as they being to explore and understand how research can fit into their undergraduate experience.”

Some students interested in research, or who are already involved in research, may want to use their experiences to build an application for competitive awards, such as national scholarships. Last year, Deitrick was one of two Penn State students to earn a Goldwater Scholarship, a competitive national award for undergraduate researchers or undergraduates pursuing a research career in science, technology, engineering and math.

“Applying for fellowships and other opportunities can be intimidating for students who are further along in their research career,” she said. “Many ambassadors have experience applying for various fellowships and are excited to provide guidance on navigating these processes as well.”

Apply to be an Undergraduate Research Ambassador

Students interested in volunteering to become an Undergraduate Research Ambassador can find guidelines and an application here. Students must be enrolled full-time at Penn State and in good academic standing. Applicants must also have a GPA of 3.0 or greater, be able to commit to a full academic year, have participated in undergraduate research for at least two semesters or one full summer. The full list of requirements can be found on the website.

Caitlin Ting, URFM director, said the new program has already seen a strong response through requests for presentations to student organizations and classes, and that peer appointments were an exciting new avenue to connect to future researchers.

“We are thrilled to have brought together undergraduate researchers from across different disciplines and campuses,” Ting said. “The value of hearing about undergraduate research from a peer cannot be understated and we look forward to seeing students take advantage of this new service.”

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of the Penn State Office of Undergraduate Education, the academic administrative unit that provides leadership and coordination for University-wide programs and initiatives in support of undergraduate teaching and learning at Penn State. Learn more about Undergraduate Education at undergrad.psu.edu.

Last Updated March 2, 2021