Undergraduate Research

Contact me about developing your own project

For those in science majors, undergraduate research is an invaluable way to learn how experiments are set up and run in a real-world setting. Not only will you augment your degree with practical, hands-on science, but these experiences can set you apart from the others upon graduation, regardless if you wish to apply for a graduate position or employment. 

The goal is that students gain true experiences on what research is like. Sometimes this isn’t glamourous both in collection and analysis. Undergraduate researchers may be out in the field risking insect bites, thorns, poison ivy, or sweating in the sun. Students may be in the lab working long hours, getting manure on their hands, or working with maggots. Students may not get a perfect dataset ready for analysis and you may need to work through what to do with it. Many will thrive in the research experience, and others will realize research isn’t for them. However, although students may come to the lab with a background in human or veterinary medicine, nursing, infectious diseases, parasitology, animal science, wildlife, forestry, or any of the other fields that intersect with the focus of the Veterinary Entomology Laboratory, students will be able to see the connection to animal and human health.

I welcome undergraduate students from all related science fields to join our lab, and either work on an existing project or develop their own. 

Expectations

Are you interested in undergraduate research? Here is what I expect: 

1) genuine enthusiasm for the work that we do in the lab, 

2) commitment to at least 10 hours a week,

3) ability to work with others and alone,

4) willingness to work with flies and ticks,

5) responsible and hard-working.

I do not expect undergraduates to have prior research experience, and I do not expect the next Nobel prize winner. However, I do expect you to show up when you say you will, and come in with a can-do attitude and work hard. Benefits include additional opportunities for letters of reference, and potentially authorship on manuscripts. 

Ready to commit? 

We always have room for positive, hard-workers!

• Check out https://agsci.psu.edu/students/research The college of Agriculture has research funding for undergraduates each semester. These require some planning, so think ahead!

• Send me an email! Make sure you include

  • Your current CV or resume,

  • course load and availability,

  • what projects you would like to be involved in,

  • and what your career goals are.