How do Emory and Notre Dame compare for undergraduate research opportunities?

For a student focused primarily on biology, biomedical science, or health-related lab research, Emory offers an especially deep environment because its undergraduate campus is closely connected to Emory School of Medicine, the Rollins School of Public Health, Winship Cancer Institute, and major clinical and research facilities. Biology students can pursue faculty-lab positions during the academic year and through Emory’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), with projects spanning molecular biology, neuroscience, infectious disease, public health, and clinical research.

Emory’s setting is particularly appealing for someone who wants research to intersect with medicine or population health. The Atlanta location also creates connections to public-health work, including opportunities related to the nearby Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though students should treat any individual placement as competitive rather than assumed. Access to a lab is real, but it depends on contacting faculty thoughtfully, having relevant preparation, and finding a project with space for a new student.

Notre Dame fits a student who wants serious research within a more traditional residential undergraduate experience and a strong campus-centered community. Its biology-related opportunities include work through departments such as Biological Sciences and Chemistry and Biochemistry, as well as institutes and centers focused on areas such as global health, cancer research, neuroscience, and regenerative medicine. Notre Dame also supports undergraduate research through summer funding and structured programs, and faculty mentorship is a visible part of the undergraduate culture.

Emory may provide more immediate exposure to the breadth of an academic medical center and public-health ecosystem; Notre Dame may appeal more to someone seeking close faculty contact alongside a highly cohesive undergraduate community.