undergraduate research at purdue

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Undergraduate Research

Make it healthier. Search for a cure. Make it better. Shape the future. Unravel a mystery. Do it at Purdue.

Undergraduates participate in nearly 2,000 research projects a year. Their interests are wide ranging. Their efforts are multidisciplinary. Their ideas are full of potential. And some of them get published.

As a research institution with a strong focus on undergraduate education, Purdue connects inquisitive minds with faculty and projects that allow them to explore and contribute to the development of new knowledge. Learn more about why and how Purdue undergraduates students get involved in research . 

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Undergraduate Research at Purdue CS

Current Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The Department of Computer Science, as well as Purdue University as a whole, has multiple research faculty engaging in research for a variety of areas both within the field of computer science and beyond.  For an undergraduate student looking to join in research the process may seem daunting, so here are some FAQ's and resources to assist in getting started.

When do I get involved in research? 

Undergraduate students can engage in research opportunities as early as their freshman year. This will depend on the research project as well as the professor's requirements and skillsets needed. Some professors will want you to have taken a specific course before you start research, while others say it's never too early to engage in a project, especially since you'll do a lot of your learning on the job.

How do I get involved in research?

The first step is finding the type of research you would like to be involved in (see next question for a list of websites). You should talk with faculty who were or are your instructors for ideas and insights. If you are approaching faculty that you have not had for a course, be sure you write a clear and detailed email about your request to be part of their research and see if you can meet them in person to discuss further.

Your academic advisor is also a great resource. They can discuss how to develop the skills you'll need for research, help manage your expectations, assist with the paperwork you need to register once you are on a research project as well as provide other insight and resources.

Excelling in coursework leads to research opportunities

What opportunities are there to do research?

Research is available to students not only through the academic year, but can be an alternative to internships during the summer. Besides research on Purdue's campus (either through the Department of Computer Science or other departments on campus) there are resources and opportunities to do research on other campuses across the country or with other organizations.

Volunteering for research leads to first paper

Undergraduate research resources at Purdue:

• Department of Computer Science Research Areas
• Department of Computer Science Research Seminars
• Purdue University Office of Undergraduate Research
• Purdue University Center for Programming Principles and Software Systems (PURPL)
• Purdue Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (SURF)
• Discovery Park Undergraduate Research Internship Program (DURI)

Research Opportunities off-campus:

• National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU's)
• Computing Research Association's Computer Science Undergraduate Research (CONQUER)

Department of Computer Science, 305 N. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202

Phone: (765) 494-6010 • Fax: (765) 494-0739

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• Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate Research programs are a great opportunity for undergraduates to build research experience, connect with faculty and researchers, and (sometimes) even earn some money. Undergraduate Research programs can take a variety of formats. Some are informal arrangements with a professor where you work independently on a problem but with guidance from the professor. Other programs are more formal, such as the numerous summer REU programs funded by the National Science Foundation.

These programs are typically an 8-10 week residential program with other students from various universities where you work together on a problem.

Summer REU programs typically involve paid travel expenses and a summer stipend and are very competitive to get admitted to. If you are interested in finding out more about Undergraduate Research opportunities at Purdue, or how to apply to summer REU programs, contact Jon Peterson at [email protected] .

Summer is traditionally a time to kick back and take a break from studies, but not so for several mathematics students who are in residence in the Mathematics Department during summers.

With support provided by Purdue alumni Andy Zoltners, Joel Spira, as well as the National Science Foundation and other funding, undergraduate math students engage in research projects under the guidance of mathematics faculty members.

• Purdue REU Opportunities

Summer REU Opportunities

Past Research Projects

• Faculty Research Areas
• Center for Computational & Applied Mathematics
• Funding Opportunities
• Research at Purdue

Department of Mathematics, Purdue University, 150 N. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067

Phone: (765) 494-1901 - FAX: (765) 494-0548   Contact Us

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Research: Overview & Approaches

What does research entail, the office of undergraduate research (our), journal of purdue undergraduate research.

• Planning & Getting Started
• Building Your Knowledge Base
• Locating Sources
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Creating a Literature Review
• Productivity & Organizing Research
• Scholarly and Professional Relationships
• Empirical Research
• Interpretive Research
• Action-Based Research
• Creative & Experimental Approaches

So what is involved in research? What would you be doing, exactly? Who would you be working with and in what capacity?

It all depends on your particular field of study.

• Those in the liberal arts, social sciences, business and economics might begin with researching journal articles on a particular subject.
• Sometimes you may be collecting data through interviews, observations or surveys, then analyzing that data to find patterns.
• Those in engineering or sciences may spend the bulk of their time conducting laboratory research, experiments, equipment and lab maintenance, and preparing samples.

Ultimately, the research approach you take depends on the questions you are trying to answer.

Undergraduate research is an exciting opportunity to get first-hand experience conducting research and developing valuable research skills that you can bring to your future courses or other professional endeavors. You will likely have the added benefit of receiving guidance and support of an experienced research mentor as you participate in undergraduate research at Purdue.

The Office Undergraduate Research  is the best place to begin your exploration of undergraduate research options at Purdue. Explore the various pages to ...

• Identify Research Programs at Purdue Explore the variety of undergraduate research programs offered at Purdue, such as research abroad, internships, on and off campus opportunities, and more!
• Take an online research course Hone your knowledge and skills about conducting different kinds of research through this sequence of online courses.
• Search for Research Opportunities There are many avenues for finding research opportunities, including college specific programs, special summer programs, partnerships outside of Purdue, and more!
• Present Your Research Discover different opportunities throughout the year to showcase your research, such as the Spring Undergraduate Research Conference, the Fall Expo, the Spring Pitch Competition, the Research Roundtable, and more!
• Market Your Research Experience Learn about how to tell the story of your undergraduate research experience through your CV, resume, cover letter, in an interview, and more.

Want to publish your undergraduate research in an academic journal? Explore opportunities to publish in The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR), a student operated journal that partners behind the scenes with the Purdue University Press, the Libraries, the English department, the Purdue Writing Lab, and Purdue Marketing and Media to publish exemplary research across academic departments at Purdue. 

Explore your options and archives of published articles by visiting the JPUR website !

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• Last Edited: Aug 13, 2024 12:18 PM
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The Purdue Office of Research fosters life-changing research, attracts world-class faculty, and enables teams to engage creatively around society’s biggest needs and pursue solutions not yet imagined.

Featured Research

Support services, office of research updates.

• Purdue Excellence in Research Administration (PERA) system to go live this fall
• PPRI now accepting fall 2024 Diplomacy Lab bids: Round 2
• Explore Office of Research identified funding opportunities
• IRB updates office hours for summer 2024
• IRB seeks faculty engagement for improvements
• NSF Workshop on Sustainable Computing - August 20, 2024
• CERIAS Security Seminar: Shagufta Mehnaz - August 21, 2024
• CERIAS Security Seminar: David Haddad - August 28, 2024
• Finding Funding, Limited Submissions, and Proposal Submission - September 3, 2024
• CERIAS Security Seminar: Empowering the Next Generation of Digital Defenders: Ethics in Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies - September 4, 2024

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Office of Research News

• Check out the Office of Research Blog - August 14, 2024
• States consider new science-backed solution to save time and money on concrete infrastructure repair - August 14, 2024
• Bowman appointed chair of U.S. Labor Department's advisory board for compensation, benefits of nuclear weapons industry - August 14, 2024
• A surprising byproduct of wildfires: Contaminated drinking water - August 14, 2024
• Purdue researchers adopt interdisciplinary approach to assessing emerging tar spot disease in corn - August 14, 2024

See all news

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If you have trouble accessing this page because of a disability, please contact Office of Research at [email protected] .

• Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Abby Santos – Dr. Mugler's Group – Summer 2019

Colin Burke - Dr. Peterson's Group - Summer 2017

Joshua Leeman - Dr. Fischbach's Group – Summer 2017

Charlie Guinn – Dr. Manfra's Group – Summer 2017

Zhuo Hann Cheah – Dr. Hung's group – Summer 2017

George Mitchell – Dr. Jung's group – Summer 2017

Dr. Jung's Undergraduate Students – Summer 2017

Summer 2015 – Alison Hoe

Being in a research environment stimulates learning and reinforces concepts and critical thinking skills needed for success.  Our faculty members provide a vibrant research environment for students and we encourage all undergraduate physics majors at Purdue to participate.  

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program

Research Courses

These courses deepen and broaden understanding of physics by providing learning experiences tailored to specific faculty research and teaching interests.  While many of these courses are lecture based, they can also be a pathway for undergraduates to earn course credit for participating in research.  Recent opportunities include courses in infrared spectroscopy, physics education, dark matter research, and Bose-Einstein condensates.  Check the course catalog each semester for new opportunities.

PHYS 59000 – Reading and Research

This individual study course is available to physics seniors and graduate students.  Students conduct research while receiving individualized supervision and guidance from a faculty member.

PHYS 59300 – Independent Research

This is a required course for Honors Physics and Applied Honors Physics majors .  Students conduct research while receiving individualized supervision and guidance from a faculty member.    

• Centers and Laboratories
• Seminars and Colloquia
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
• Research Experience for Teachers

Department of Physics and Astronomy, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2036 • Phone: (765) 494-3000 • Fax: (765) 494-0706

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Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Department of Psychological Sciences

PSY 39000 (Research Experience in Psychology)

PSY 39000 is a course that allows you to work as a research assistant on projects managed by a faculty member or graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences. Through this course, you’ll gain hands-on experience in data collection and learn skills such as data analysis, data interpretation and writing. The course will also allow you to develop contacts for job references and letters of recommendation as well as enhance the competitiveness of your application for graduate school, professional school or a variety of careers.

Faculty Accepting Undergraduate Students — Fall 2024

Chris Agnew – Social

Faculty member

Chris Agnew, PhD, Professor, Social Psychology, RSVP Lab Director

Description of Research 

We conduct research on interpersonal relationships and are particularly focusing on relationship processes that take place in virtual reality (VR).

Description of Undergraduate Participation

Research assistants perform a variety of tasks, including collecting data in our VR lab. You will be trained on how to conduct research involving participants who interact within VR. We also often design new VR studies together as a lab team. Lab team meetings take place weekly, either in person or via Horizon Workrooms in VR, with lab team members using lab-supplied Meta Quest headsets to attend. Team members also assist with relationship experiments and surveys not focused on VR.

Research Setting

All work is completed in the Psychological Sciences building or in virtual space. Research assistants spend most of their hours working in the lab.

Number of Assistants Needed:

We are recruiting up to 4 new undergraduate students to join the RSVP Lab in Fall 2025 to work alongside returning undergraduate research assistants. Research assistants are expected to work an average of 9 hours per week during the semester and receive 3 credits for PSY 39000.

How to Apply

Send (1) your CV, (2) unofficial Purdue transcript, (3) statement of research interests, and (4) reasons for applying, as one PDF file via email attachment to Dr. Agnew at [email protected] . Minimum 3.3 overall GPA required. Interviews for the most promising applicants will take place via Zoom in April and May 2024 until positions are filled. Thx for your interest!

Stephen Broomell – Cognitive

Faculty member or graduate student

Dr. Stephen B. Broomell Global Risk and Individual Decisions (GRID) Lab

Description of research area

Our lab is focused on understanding how individuals form judgments and make decisions in the face of risk and uncertainty. We leverage real world risks such as climate change, weather hazards, medical, or cyber risks and design experiments to investigate what features of the problem domain facilitate or hinder accurate judgment and effective decision-making regarding the risk.

Below are a few current research topics:

• Communication of uncertain climate projections.
• Developing and testing theories for how the form and presentation of information affects judgment.

More information can be found at: https://hhs.purdue.edu/grid-lab/

Description of undergraduate participation

Students can be involved in all phases of research, including designing experiments, testing participants, analyzing data, and presentations of study results. Students will also participate in regularly scheduled lab meetings and discussions of readings on relevant topics.

Research setting

The lab is located on the third floor in the Psychology Building.

Number of assistants needed

2-4 students. If you are interested in joining our laboratory, please fill out this survey .

If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Broomell using the email below.

Contact information

Email: [email protected]

Jeffrey D. Karpicke – Cognitive

Dr. Jeffrey D. Karpicke Cognition and Learning Lab

Description of Research Area 

The Cognition and Learning Lab conducts basic and applied research on how people learn. Specific areas of interest are as follows:

• Identifying effective learning strategies
• Metacognition and self-regulated learning
• Developing computer-based learning tools
• Memory retrieval processes and retrieval-based learning

Students in the Cognition and Learning Lab have the opportunity to get involved in all phases of the research process. Most frequently this consists of running experimental sessions, helping to score and analyze data, and attending bi-weekly lab meetings. Additionally, students have the opportunity (although this is not required) to conduct independent research and learn more about experimental design/computer programming.

The Cognition and Learning Lab is located on the 1 st floor of Peirce Hall.

2-4 research assistants are needed.

Contact Information

Students interested in doing PSY 390/391/498 in the Cognition and Learning Lab should complete an application by April 12th. We will follow up with you within two weeks of that deadline. If you have any questions, please direct them to Michelle Coverdale: [email protected]

Additional Comments

For more information see our lab website . Students with GPAs of 3.4 and higher are particularly encouraged to apply.

Teri Kirby – Social

Faculty member and other supervisors

Teri Kirby, PhD, Assistant Professor – Social Psychology Austin Zeng, Lab Coordinator Junming Zhang, Graduate Researcher

Research in Dr. Kirby’s lab explores a range of topics related to diversity, inclusion, identity, prejudice, and discrimination. We most often focus on racial/ethnic, gender/sex, and LGBTQ+ diversity. Recent topics of investigation include:

• Diversity ideologies: ideas about how to accommodate differences across ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation categories (e.g., multicultural and colorblind approaches to diversity)
• Diversity initiatives: intersectional approaches to diversity initiatives, how diversity initiatives shape sensitivity to discrimination, self-concept, stereotyping, and academic/workplace outcomes
• The co-opting of diversity by majority/privileged groups
• Cultural appropriation
• Intersectionality and feminism

Research assistants typically gain experience running participants in experimental lab studies, recruiting research participants, programming surveys, collecting survey data, entering or analyzing data, reviewing relevant psychological literature, and helping to design studies. They also gain experience with software that can be useful for graduate school (e.g., Qualtrics, Zotero, SPSS, R and RStudio).

Research assistants attend research group meetings to discuss projects in the lab and learn more about the research process. Finally, more senior research assistants may have the opportunity to conduct independent research projects and mentor/train more junior assistants.

Labs in Psychology Building

Please submit your application at: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tzVkWICaZbikMC

For questions, please contact Austin Zeng: [email protected]

Franki Kung – Industrial-Organizational

Research Team

Principal Investigator: Franki Kung , Assistant Professor, I-O Psychology Graduate Investigators: Rick Yang, and Dante Bruno

At the Conflict and Mindset Collaboratory , we conduct research to help people and organizations effectively manage:

• Culture and Diversity (e.g., diversity policies, cultural mindset, immigrants)
• Conflict Resolution (e.g., negotiation, feedback effectiveness)
• Multiple Goals (e.g., self-regulation, goal conflicts)

We design the lab experience to prepare our undergraduate research assistants for graduate school and jobs in the fields of I-O and social psychology, management, human resource, and organizational behavior. Students will join a community of peers, researchers, and mentors passionate about the studies of diversity, conflict, and goals. Besides individual project team meetings and tasks, students attend lab meeting weekly to learn and discuss related issues and enjoy other social events throughout the semester (e.g., lunch, escape room, mini golf).

Junior research assistants will have the opportunities to

• learn how to conduct online surveys, literature reviews, behavioral experiments, and qualitative analysis (e.g., picture coding, focus group analysis)
• develop scientific thinking and presentation skills in weekly lab meetings
• attend research and professional development workshops (e.g., literature review, survey design, data analysis)
• honors contract or scholarly project

Senior research assistants (typically 1+ year experience) will have the opportunities to

• manage participant recruitment and lab schedule
• conduct training sessions
• develop their own research ideas and design studies
• present findings in academic conferences

We support and encourage student involvement in our lab through scholarship programs such as Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation , OUR Scholars , and Summer Stay Scholars .

Our research takes part mostly in our lab space (in the Psychological Sciences building) and some part of the work can be carried out remotely (e.g., from home).

To Apply, please fill out this form and supply related documents.

Contact Dr. Kung at [email protected] if you have questions. Twitter: @ConflictMindset

Preference is given to students who major or are interested in Psychology, Business, or related fields. Application is reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the semester – if you are interested, apply now!

Margo Monteith – Social

Dr. Margo Monteith, Distinguished Professor—Social Psychology

Anna Li, graduate student, —Social Psychology

Liz Noland, graduate student, —Social Psychology

Description of research area 

Research in Dr. Monteith’s Intergroup Relations and Inclusion lab explores issues related to stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination.

Topics of investigation include:

• Implicit or unconscious biases and their effect on people’s perceptions, evaluations, and behaviors in relation to outgroups (e.g., White people in relation to Black people)
• The self-regulation of biased behavior
• Confrontations of bias (e.g., how people react when they are confronted; how to make confrontations more effective)

The lab experience is designed to provide students with hands-on experience with the research process.

Research assistants engage in weekly one-hour research group meetings will be held to discuss various projects in the lab and to help undergraduate assistants to learn what our research is all about. Additional time will be spent on planning and execution (e.g., data collection) of the research projects. Scheduling is flexible.

Please reach out to Anna Li (a graduate student in the Monteith lab), [email protected]   for an application

Additional comments

• Must have completed PSY 120
• Completion of or enrollment in PSY 240 and PSY 203 preferred
• GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred
• Minimum commitment of 3 credits per term (9 hours per week) required, as well as two terms overall

However, all interested candidates are encouraged to apply. We especially encourage people from underrepresented or marginalized groups to apply.

Thekla Morgenroth – Social

Dr. Thekla Morgenroth (they/them/their), Assistant Professor—Social Psychology

Kira Means (she/her), graduate student – Social Psychology

Heejoo Chung (she/her), graduate student – Social Psychology

Yanzhe (Austin) Zeng (he/him), lab manager – Social Psychology

Research in the UNICORN ( UN derstanding I dentity and the CO ntinuance of R oles and N orms) lab examines how and why people defend and maintain social categories and hierarchies.

• LGBTQ+ issues
• Gender and the gender binary
• The psychology of different feminist ideologies
• Opposition to trans-inclusive policies
• Stereotypes and prejudice

Research assistants have the opportunity to:

• Conduct research using a variety of research designs and methods
• Gain experience in software used for research (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS)
• Engage with and code open-response data
• Read and analyze published academic articles
• Be active participants in weekly lab meetings and discussions about research

More experienced research assistants also have opportunities to:

• Engage in independent research projects, mentored by Dr. Morgenroth
• Present their results to the lab
• Train and mentor incoming undergraduate research assistants

Work will be carried out in a joint lab space in person at specific times (depending on your schedule).

Please fill out the following survey by April 5th . You will hear back within 1-2 weeks of this deadline.

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a8CUIaw5Qvcm7lQ

Members of underrepresented or marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to apply. In addition, individuals interested in pursuing careers in academic research and/or who may be interested in working in the lab for more than one semester are particularly encouraged to apply. Students should be able to commit at least 6 hours/week (2 credits).

Anne Sereno – Cognitive

Dr. Anne B. Sereno, Professor –Mathematical and Computational Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior, and Biomedical Engineering

Daniel Larranaga McGough, graduate student – Neuroscience & Behavior

Research in Dr. Sereno’s research spans a wide array of topics in computational modeling, cognitive neuroscience, , and biomedical engineering.

• The factors that impact the time course of spatial attention
• The cortical representations of lexical semantics, attention, and memory
• Investigations of the effects of age on spatial processing
• Computational modeling, population decoding methods, and instrumentation
• Classification of motor movements for disease (e.g., bradykinesia, tremor, cognitive deficits)
• The effects of traumatic brain injury

Research assistants engage in weekly one-hour lab meetings where we will discuss various projects in the lab. Additional time will be spent on planning and execution (e.g., data collection) of the research projects. Scheduling is flexible. If student’s perform exceptionally well, there may be opportunities for the research honors program.

Labs in Psychology Building and Pierce Hall

Please reach out to Daniel Larranaga McGough (a graduate student in the Sereno lab) at  [email protected] for an application.

• Completion of PSY 200, 201, and 203 preferred

Darryl Schneider – Cognitive

Dr. Darryl W. Schneider

We conduct basic research on attention and cognitive control. Recent studies in our lab have examined alertness and attentional focusing in selective attention tasks, as well as how people switch between tasks and resume interrupted tasks.

Students will be primarily responsible for help with data collection in behavioral experiments. For Fall 2024, students will work mainly on experiments for a project about factors that affect the ability to focus visual attention. Students will also participate in regular lab meetings and discussions of research with Dr. Schneider and other lab members.

Experiments are conducted in laboratory rooms on the 3rd floor of the PSYC building.

We are seeking 2-3 students.

Office: PSYC 3174

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://web.ics.purdue.edu/~dws/

A commitment of 3 credits per semester (9 hours per week) is required.

Susan South – Clinical

Faculty Member and Graduate Students

Susan South, PhD Professor – Clinical Psychology

Jessica Dupree, Graduate Researcher

Magaret Lupo, Graduate Researcher

Description of Research

Research in the Relationships and Mental Health Lab seeks to investigate the role psychopathology plays within intimate romantic relationship experiences. Past research in the RMH Lab has focused on links between trait personality and dysfunction within marital relationships, as well as the interplay between personality and psychopathology and their influence on one another.

Currently, the lab is funded for a project examining the effects of adverse interpersonal experiences on mild cognitive impairment in older adult twins. Additionally, the lab is in collaboration with Dr. Chris Eckhardt’s team to investigate the impact of stress, mood, and alcohol use on relationship experiences, and Dr. David Rollock’s lab to investigate discrimination, relationship functioning, and mental health.

Research assistants will help facilitate data collection by assisting with participant concerns, programming surveys, as well as entering or analyzing data.

Research assistants will also attend biweekly lab meetings to read and discuss relevant journal articles, watch presentations from Dr. South and graduate students regarding research processes to gain additional experience useful for graduate school. Research assistants that have been with the lab for more than one semester may also have an opportunity to conduct their own independent research project.

Most of our research will take place in our lab space in the Psychological Sciences building. Some work may be completed remotely.

Number of Research Assistants Needed

For questions, please contact Dr. South: [email protected]

To apply, please contact [email protected] for an application

Students taking the course for credit should commit to working 3 hours in the lab for each credit (e.g. 9 hours/week for 3 credits).

Louis Tay – Industrial-Organizational

Faculty Member

Louis Tay, PhD, Professor, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, WAM Lab Director

The Well-Being and Measurement (WAM) Lab pursues cross-disciplinary research on human well-being and methodology.

Research assistants perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Learning and practicing literature review techniques
• Collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data
• Assessing traits and characteristics of people from videos or their writing
• Developing research study materials

Topic areas for fall 2024:

• Authenticity and Personality
• Work-Life Balance and Well-being
• Work Relationships
• Trait Assessment
• Big Data/AI/ML

You can find a draft of the syllabus here .

Number of Assistants Needed

We are recruiting up to 4 new undergraduate students to join the WAM Lab in Fall 2024 to work alongside graduate students and senior researchers. Research assistants are expected to work an average of 9 hours per week during the semester and receive 3 credits for PSY 39000.

To apply, please send an email to [email protected] and [email protected] (include both email addresses as recipients) with the following materials:

• A very brief statement (no longer than one page) describing 1) who you are, 2) why you are interested in joining our lab, 3) your prior research experience and technical skills (e.g., computer programming), and 4) your weekly availability
• A CV or resume, if available
• An unofficial transcript

Although we prefer students with relevant skills and GPAs over 3.3, all interested students are encouraged to apply. Applications will be processed in the order they are received. Please reach out if you have any questions!

Registering and Earning Credit for PSY 39000

Registration for PSY 39000 is done during open registration using Scheduling Assistant — not during pre-registration using the course request form. Although PSY 39000 may be taken more than once, no more than six credits may be taken for a standard grade. All additional PSY 39000 credits must be taken as pass/no pass credit. Only three credits of standard-grade PSY 39000 can be used in the psychological sciences major, the brain and behavior science major, or the psychological sciences minor.

During the 16-week fall or spring semester, you are expected to work three hours in the lab for every credit earned (e.g., three credits would require nine lab hours per week). After the fourth week of the fall or spring semester, you may not register for three credit hours of PSY 39000 without special permission from the Department of Psychological Sciences. Late enrollment in PSY 390 during any semester reduces the number of possible credit hours you can earn.

During the eight-week summer session, you are expected to work in the lab six hours per week for every credit earned (e.g., three credits would require 18 lab hours per week).

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Undergraduate Research

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Learn About Cutting-Edge Research Projects

Urt program.

Through our  URT program , you’ll work with a faculty member to solve a research problem and learn how to conduct research about student behavior. This program offers a $1,000 stipend.

DEVITO SCHOLARS

Our freshman  DeVito Scholars  conduct research with faculty and participate in a weekly seminar.

HONORS PROGRAM

As an  honors student in the College of Education , you’ll complete a research project that lets you demonstrate deep engagement in your chosen field.

BECOME A PART OF THE PURDUE COMMUNITY

nres research

NRES students are required to either complete an internship or a research experience before graduation.  Several of our students choose to participate in research either on or off campus. 

  If our office is ever aware of any open research opportunities, we will post them on our  job board . We encourage our students to view our Affiliated Faculty section to learn more about the research projects that our Affiliated Faculty partake in. Faculty members welcome interested students to email them and ask if they need assistance with their research.  Click here for a guide that can help you write that email.

Students can also look at these websites for research opportunities at Purdue University:

• Office of Undergraduate Research
• Office of Research
• Research at Purdue

Below are examples of what research projects our students have completed.

Grace's Summer Assistantship in Amphibian Disease Ecology

Matteo Mereu Summer Internship at Argonne National Laboratory

Office of Research - Research - College of Engineering - Purdue University

Research: Expanding the boundaries of science and technology

Few colleges can match the depth and breadth of Purdue Engineering’s research capabilities and talent. We are focused on 21st century impact — leading the way in reshaping the research universe through discovery and innovation.

Research Administration

Discovery Park

Research Park

Lillian Gilbreth Postdoctoral Fellowships at Purdue Engineering

Neil Armstrong Distinguished Visiting Fellows

Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Engineering (SURGE)

Summer Undergraduate Research (SURF)

Labs and Facilities

Purdue Engineering Initiatives

In the News

Purdue’s Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories announces new Indianapolis presence

In an effort to accelerate physical, digital and sustainable manufacturing efforts across Indiana, Purdue University’s Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories will establish a presence in Indianapolis at 16 Tech Innovation District.

CE's Lu startup invention wins Edison Award

Luna Lu, Purdue’s Reilly Professor of Civil Engineering, has been recognized as a gold winner of an Edison Award in the Critical Human Infrastructure category for leading the development of sensor technology that could help reduce time and money spent on the construction and repair of concrete highway pavement and other structures. The Edison Awards, considered the “Oscars of innovation," are given annually to “recognize the persistence and excellence that also characterized Thomas Edison’s work.”

PUBLICATIONS

Engineering Frontiers - Fall 2022

Engineering IMPACT - Summer 2022

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A year of record-setting milestones across key indicators at Purdue University

As the new academic year begins, Purdue University’s execution for excellence at scale in the areas of learning, research and engagement has led to new records in almost all dimensions during the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

Financials and physical facilities

Purdue’s trend of breaking key institutionwide records during fiscal year 2024 extended across the philanthropic sector. The university set records for new gift commitments and philanthropic cash in 2024. New gift commitments reached $632.3 million, which broke the record of $610.3 million set a year ago. The philanthropic cash total of $349.8 million broke the 2022 record of $245.3 million. These efforts were propelled by continued growth in the number of donors, which rose to 85,421, a record for total annual donors outside a major campaign. The university’s endowment climbed to $4.1 billion, reflecting an 11.6% return. And $1.5 billion worth of construction and major renovations on 28 campus projects were started, with an industry-high 87-88% of them on time and on budget.

Research awards and national center wins

Purdue’s sponsored program awards climbed to a record $757.5 million from $622.4 million the previous fiscal year. Research awards from external sources reached a record $647.7 million, up from $613.3 million a year ago, a figure considered a high benchmark for a university without a medical school. Purdue also signed nine new master research agreements with industry partners, including one as part of the landmark announcement by South Korea-based SK hynix to invest nearly $4 billion to build an advanced packaging fabrication and R&D facility for artificial intelligence semiconductor products in the Purdue Research Park. Additionally, Purdue was the only university in the U.S. as a leading university partner in winning all three national hub competitions last year — Heartland BioWorks, Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen, and Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons — focused on ensuring the U.S. remains globally competitive in key national security areas.

Patents and startups

A barometer of Purdue’s thriving entrepreneurship culture, intellectual property disclosures surged to a record 466 from 400 in fiscal 2023, the Office of Technology Commercialization reported. Additionally, 290 patents were issued, while the number of patent licenses skyrocketed to a record 224. This ecosystem helped establish 16 startup companies based on Purdue research.

Faculty awards, citations and books

The number of research publication citations by Purdue faculty rose nearly 13% to 435,087, while the number of books published by faculty jumped nearly 40% to 60. Meanwhile, 40 faculty members received prestigious awards, up 11% from the number recognized last year.

Undergraduate applications and admissions

Purdue welcomed its most selective class of undergraduate students for the 2024-25 academic year. This fall’s projected class of undergraduate Boilermakers starting in West Lafayette and the new urban campus Indianapolis was selected at a 49.8% admission rate from a record-setting pool of 78,522 applicants, with a post-summer-melt yield rate at a record 30%, significantly higher than all historical data. Their average SAT score was a record 1329, up 10 points from last year.

Graduation rates and earnings-to-debt ratio

The number of Boilermakers graduating in four years rose to 67%, the highest in recent record, and the six-year graduation rate remained at 84%, vs. 74% in 2008. Another positive pocketbook trend: The number of Boilermakers graduating without debt was up 3 percentage points to 64%, while the earnings-to-debt ratio increased further to 6.7.

Graduate applications and admissions

As goes the undergraduate student trend, so goes the demand for advanced degrees. Sparked by progress in achieving excellence at scale academically, graduate student applications reached another record level. PhD candidate applications hit 11,677, while master’s student applications climbed to 14,403, both new records in recent memory.

Online enrollment

Purdue’s ongoing commitment to growing its online offerings is drawing increased interest and activity. Enrollment in Purdue’s online master’s degree programs rose 23% to a record 5,245 students. The number of students taking online post-bachelor certificate classes surged 56% to 15,955. Total number of Purdue University’s online students exceeded 20,000 for the first time, in addition to almost 13,000 residential undergraduates taking at least one course online.

Excitement at Purdue wasn’t confined to classrooms and research labs. Athletics had a banner year, as the men’s basketball team registered its winningest season in program history, with 34 victories. Led by the first ever two-time unanimous National Player of the Year Zach Edey, the Boilermakers appeared in their first national championship game since 1969 as March Madness captivated Boiler nation. At the same time, the six-year graduation rate for our student-athletes hit a record 90%, their average GPA was 3.2 and career placement was 100%.

Reputation and visibility

In both QS and Times Higher Ed worldwide rankings, Purdue is ranked among top 10 American public universities. Purdue has enjoyed six straight years as a top 10 Most Innovative university as designated by U.S. News & World Report, and 13 undergraduate programs were ranked in the top 10 in the nation in its 2024 survey. Overall, Purdue ranked No. 43 among 435 U.S. universities, up eight spots from 2023 and rising to the highest position in school history.

Earned media placements jumped 34% to a record 119,345, while social media impressions skyrocketed to 160 million. Listeners to the “This Is Purdue” podcast reached 2.2 million, ranking tops in Apple podcasts’ education category. Visits to purdue.edu topped 15.8 million, up 9%.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at  https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives .

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