Can undergraduates participate in chemistry research?
Yes! And many undergraduates do pursue research at UVA to expand their learning and experiences beyond the classroom. The UVA Chemistry Department provides a guide to finding a research lab and how to successfully email faculty to express interest in their work.
It’s important to note that if you are looking to earn credit through the chemistry department, you may do so in multiple disciplines aside from just chemistry, such as biology, physics, engineering, and the School of Medicine.
The UVA Chemistry Department additionally answers frequently asked questions and explains how to earn credit or pay for your work as an undergraduate researcher.
Additional resources to support you in finding a lab are linked below:
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The Office of Citizen Scholar Development provides resources for students looking to get started in research, earn grants, and participate in summer programs. Additionally featured is the USOAR program for Federal Work Study students.
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The Career Center provides their own advice on how to navigate finding a research lab as an undergraduate, as well as a sample email to support your efforts in communicating with faculty.
Watch the videos below for first-hand experiences of undergraduate research from UVA undergraduates, including finding a lab and what it's like to do research:
Synthetic Organic Chemistry Inorganic Materials Chemistry Bioanalytical Chemistry