How do ASU and the University of Wisconsin–Madison compare for undergraduate research opportunities?

For a student seeking a traditional, faculty-led research environment with deep strength in the sciences, engineering, agriculture, health-related fields, and the humanities, the University of Wisconsin–Madison may offer the more established undergraduate research ecosystem. UW–Madison is a major research university with extensive laboratory infrastructure, and its Undergraduate Research Scholars program, research opportunities database, and undergraduate symposium give students visible entry points. Its research culture is especially attractive for students who may want to pursue graduate school or work in a large, well-developed research lab.

UW–Madison can still require persistence: many first-year students begin by contacting labs, taking relevant courses, or applying for structured programs rather than immediately joining a professor’s project. Strong mentorship is available, but the experience can vary by department and by how proactively a student builds relationships with faculty, postdocs, and graduate students.

ASU is an excellent fit for a student who wants research connected to innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, technology, or applied community problems. ASU makes a visible effort to involve undergraduates through programs such as the Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative for engineering students and the Social, Life, and Urban Sciences Laboratory, along with research opportunities across its colleges. Its large size means there are many projects, including interdisciplinary work that can cross fields such as computing, public policy, business, and environmental science.

At ASU, students who take initiative early can find unusually flexible paths, particularly in newer or rapidly growing programs. Madison may feel more research-intensive in the classic university sense, while ASU can be especially compelling for students who want to turn research into a prototype, venture, design project, or real-world partnership. In either case, the major matters substantially: compare faculty labs and undergraduate programs in your intended department before deciding.