undergraduate honors research project

University Honors Program

Multiple students sitting in a classroom with some students watching a faculty member hold up a paper.

Undergraduate students discuss process of research with Stanford University author

Undergraduate research center and university honors program host researcher thomas mullaney.

by Jenny Carrick
November 21, 2024

More than 100 undergraduate students filled the Teaching and Learning Complex Learning Lab Nov. 14 to learn how to find research projects that matter to them. The Undergraduate Research Center and University Honors Program invited award-winning Stanford University author Thomas S. Mullaney to lead the event.

Mullaney, who wrote the book, Where Research Begins: Choosing a Research Project That Matters to You (and the World) , guided attendees in several exercises designed to help students find research inspiration within themselves. The offering proved so popular with students that a live stream event was made available after all the Learning Lab’s seats were filled.

According to Mullaney , the hardest part of research isn’t answering a question. Instead, he said, it’s knowing the steps to take before determining the research questions. His exercises are designed to explore how to choose a compelling project that matters to both the researcher and others.

The first 40 students who attended the event received a copy of Mullaney’s book. UC Davis Undergraduate Education programs offer a variety of special workshops and events for students as part of its efforts to foster innovative and transformative educational experiences.

The University Honors Program provides students with an enriched undergraduate education through its interdisciplinary curriculum.

The Undergraduate Research Center facilitates and encourages research opportunities for UC Davis undergraduate students across all majors and class levels through research funding, activities and more.

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Two students drawing in Beardshear Hall.

Honors students gain access to research opportunities as early as their first year through the First-Year Mentor Program . Undergraduate students play a significant role in Iowa State’s research mission. They work alongside top-notch faculty and staff who are exploring innovative ideas and finding solutions to real problems. They are part of the team, gaining firsthand experience with equipment and laboratory procedures. Often, they connect with other students with adventurous minds and become part of a student-led project. As part of their graduation requirements, members of the University Honors Program complete an independent research or creative project and participate in the honors poster presentation by their senior year.

Participating in a research activity complements your coursework and adds another dimension to your Iowa State experience. These opportunities are as rich as your imagination and found across the university, in laboratories and libraries, in the field or at a computer, and in disciplines representing the breadth of Iowa State's mission.

Getting involved in research offers you a valuable opportunity to gain skills, learn more about a field of study, and make a difference in the world.