A student observing test tubes in a lab.

Undergraduate Research

Engaging in research is a fundamental experience for undergraduate students, and the College of Science and Health provides many research opportunities and internships for students. Here you will find access to information about seeking research opportunities, presenting your research, and publishing in the college's peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal DePaul Discoveries. See below for examples of our innovative student research and donate now to bolster funding for these integral experiences.

Support Student Research

Recent Articles in DePaul Discoveries

Health Outcomes

Chela Reiss and Grace Vethacke look at the role of race/ethnicity, living arrangements, and medical access on health outcomes for older adults living with Alzheimer's.

Music Computation

Rose Bittle explores a computational approach to music analysis, from Mozart to the Star Spangled Banner.

Volunteer Values

Gavin Warner, Quang Ahn Nguyen, and Dr. Ansuk Jeong consider the values and barriers that shape volunteerism among college students.

Check out all of the articles in this issue

Undergraduate Student Research Spotlight

Atomic Anatomy

Physics students study the atomic structure of a compound that could be used in everyday electronics.

Urban Forestry

Sydney Bosley receives the 2025 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award.

STEM Collaboration

DePaul students present interdisciplinary research across STEM fields.

Finding a Lab

Search the College of Science and Health's Faculty Bio Page to find faculty who share your research interests. Read some abstracts from their recent publications to assess whether there is a match with your research interests. Look for classes they teach and take one. Reach out to the faculty member, lab manager, or graduate student to discuss potential research opportunities and volunteering. Students typically volunteer on research projects prior to seeking funding with their faculty mentor. See the video below for tips and tricks.

Getting Funded

We have several grant and fellowship programs to immerse students in undergraduate research. Click on any of the opportunities listed below to find out more about them.

Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (URAP)
If you are currently working with a College of Science and Health faculty member on a research project, or perhaps you are interested in joining a research group in the college, talk to your research mentor about the possibility of submitting an Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (URAP) application. This program has been created to support DePaul faculty in their pursuit of research and the creation of knowledge with a dual purpose:
1. To provide valuable learning opportunities and financial support for undergraduates to assist and collaborate with faculty members who conduct research projects and are engaged in scientific activities, and,
2. To offer support to faculty engaged in the above activities consistent with the university's commitment to the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
All applications for Winter/Spring funding must be received by October 15 of the preceding year. Applications for Summer/Autumn funding must be received by May 9. Funding is for up to 75 hours per quarter ($1,245). The committee will begin reviewing applications after the posted deadline. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision approximately one month following the posted grant deadline.

To submit an application, please complete the following steps:
1. Download and read the application instructions.
2. Fill out and submit the online student application.
3. Ask your research mentor to complete and submit the online faculty application.
4. At the end of the quarter, you will have to fill out the URAP student evaluation online. Your faculty mentor will likewise have to complete an online URAP faculty evaluation.
For more information, please contact CSHResearch@depaul.edu or Dr. Susan D. McMahon, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs.
Undergraduate Summer Research Program (USRP)
The Undergraduate Summer Research Program (USRP) of the College of Science and Health grants financial awards to undergraduate students in the support of summer research projects undertaken in collaboration with a faculty member. The program offers a complement to the typical classroom experience by giving students an opportunity to design a project, develop a proposal for competitive review, work closely with a faculty mentor on the project, and prepare results for presentation at the annual CSH Undergraduate Research Showcase as well as DePaul Discoveries, the college's undergraduate research journal.
The application deadline is April 9. Funding is available for 15-30 hours per week over the summer ($2,490-$4,980).
- Download and read the application instructions.
- Fill out and submit the online student application.
- Ask your research mentor to complete and submit the online faculty recommendation.
For more information, please contact CSHResearch@depaul.edu or Dr. Susan D. McMahon, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs.
Dean's Undergraduate Fellowship
The Dean's Undergraduate Fellowship is a 10-week paid summer research internship program for undergraduate students in the College of Science and Health. Fellows selected for the program are placed at world-class institutions in the Chicago area. Fellows participate in research projects onsite with a principal investigator during the summer. Students can apply for multiple sites. For questions or help with your application, please contact the Office of Advising and Student Services at CSHfrontdesk@depaul.edu.
Funding is for up to 250 hours over the summer. The application deadline for this year is February 27. All applications will be made available on Handshake by the beginning of Winter quarter.
The Dean's Undergraduate Fellowship is funded exclusively by generous donors. Please consider supporting the Dean's Undergraduate Fellowship by clicking here. A partial list of recent research sites is shown below:
- Adler Planetarium, Far Horizons Program
- Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source
- Brookfield Zoo, Animal Nutrition
- Chicago Department of Public Health, HIV/AIDS Unit
- Field Museum, Lichenography
- Field Museum, Botanical Collections
- Lincoln Park Zoo, ZooMonitor Program
- Lincoln Park Zoo, Urban Wildlife Institute
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Butterfly Conservation
- Peptide Synthesis Core, Northwestern University's Lurie Children's Hospital
- Rush University Medical Center, Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment, and Services (AARTS) Center
- Shedd Aquarium, Horticultural Program
DePaul/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Summer Research Program
The DePaul University and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS) Summer Research Program is a paid summer biomedical sciences research program for undergraduates on the Rosalind Franklin campus in North Chicago. Students are matched with a faculty member at RFUMS and conduct research in areas such as virology, microbiology, physiology, and neuroscience.
The deadline for applications this year is February 20. Applications will be available on Handshake by the beginning of Winter quarter. Funding is for 35 hours per week over the 10-week summer term (total 350 hours). For questions or help with your application, contact the Office of Advising and Student Services at CSHfrontdesk@depaul.edu.
STEM Summer Institute
The STEM Summer Institute is designed to provide rising sophomores with an authentic research experience early in their academic journey, a proven approach to enhancing engagement and student success.
The Institute engages 12 students in an immersive 5-week program focused on research, collaboration, and community building. Students work in teams of four, led by a faculty mentor and supported by a graduate assistant, to complete a research project. The program culminates in final presentations at the CSH Undergraduate STEM Research Showcase in Fall, providing students with an opportunity to showcase their work and celebrate their growth as emerging STEM professionals.
The application form opens every Spring quarter and can be found here. For questions regarding the program, please contact Emma Pisello at episello@depaul.edu.

Presenting and Publishing

<p class="text-blue">There are several opportunities for DePaul College of Science and Health undergraduates to gain experience disseminating their research findings. Click on the options below to find out more.</p>

Undergraduate STEM Research Showcase
Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium (CAURS)
DePaul Discoveries
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) provides support and professional development opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and administrators. CUR’s publications and outreach activities are designed to share successful models and strategies for establishing, nurturing, and institutionalizing undergraduate research programs. CUR offers consulting, mentoring services, and program review services to individuals, academic departments, school/colleges, and entire campuses.
Library Research Support
The DePaul University Library supports all phases of a research project, including preliminary literature searches, developing research questions and hypotheses, guiding search methodologies, managing and sharing citations, and identifying journals for publication. The library also offers the following:
- Assigned librarians for ongoing support to researchers on an individual, pair, or group basis, program presentations, or workshops.
- Subject and activity-focused Research Guides that provide convenient access to online databases, background information sources, research tips and more.
- Research guidance and assistance (live chat, texting, email, video tutorials, Zoom).
- Collaborative study and meeting spaces, computer workstations, printing/scanning, poster printing, and ‘green screen’ audio-visual/recording room.
- Mechanisms for requesting library materials to support specific research needs, including I-Share book requests, interlibrary loan, and suggestions for purchase.

Course Based Undergraduate Research Experiences

<p class="text-blue">CUREs are projects that engage whole classes of students in a hands-on investigation of a problem of interest.</p>

Learn about CUREs

Research Opportunities

Click on any of the sections below to explore research opportunities for undergraduate students. Contact the Office of Advising and Student Services for assistance with finding and applying for research experiences.

Handshake
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
McNair Scholars Program & Arnold Mitchem Fellows Program
The McNair Scholars Program prepares selected undergraduate students from low-income, first-generation college families, and/or members of underrepresented groups, for future doctoral study and faculty careers. Students engage in undergraduate research and receive mentoring, intensive advising, and assistance with the graduate school admission process. Similarly, the Arnold Mitchem Fellows Program prepares first-generation, low-income and underrepresented sophomores to attend graduate school and pursue a research career.
Summer Research Opportunities (SROP)
The Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST) Science Communication Internship
C2ST's Science Communication Internship is a program that applies STEM disciplinary practices to a science communication context. The program teaches students how to think and speak scientifically to communicate about science for wider public engagement. This is done through various techniques, from disciplinary literacy practices to implementing best practices for teaching science. Read the C2ST's intern blog here and email info@c2st.org to inquire about internship opportunities.
Animal Care Research
Biomedical Research
Chemistry Research
Environmental, Agricultural, and Oceanic Research
Mathematics, Statistics, Acturarial Science and Finance Research
Neuroscience Research
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute Summer Internship Program
- University of Washington Neurological Surgery Summer Student Program
Physics, Astronomy, and Engineering Research
Psychology and Human Services Research
Public Health Research

Undergraduate Research

Recent Articles in DePaul Discoveries

Undergraduate Student Research Spotlight

Finding a Lab

Getting Funded