What research opportunities are available for undergraduates at the University of Delaware?

The University of Delaware offers a lot of undergraduate research access, and students can often get involved earlier than at many large universities. A major reason is UD’s status as a research university with strong labs and institutes across science, engineering, health, environmental studies, business, and the humanities. One especially notable option is the Undergraduate Research Program, which helps students find faculty mentors, research placements, and funding.

For STEM students, research is available in areas like chemical engineering, materials science, biotechnology, neuroscience, environmental science, marine science, and computer science. UD is also known for resources such as the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, and engineering and energy-related labs. In the humanities and social sciences, students can work on archival projects, policy research, digital humanities, psychology studies, education research, and public health work.

Students usually get involved in a few common ways. Some join a faculty lab by emailing professors whose work matches their interests, often after taking an intro course with them or reading about their projects on department websites. Others find research through the Undergraduate Research Program, departmental announcements, honors programs, or summer opportunities.

UD also has formal presentation and funding support. Undergraduates can apply for research grants, participate in summer fellowships, and present at events such as Scholars Day, where students share posters, talks, and creative work. First-year and sophomore students do get opportunities, especially if they reach out proactively and show genuine interest in a specific project rather than just asking generally for “research experience.”