UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Undergraduate students interested in research are invited to participate in a series of virtual sessions designed to help them get started, find opportunities and succeed in their research endeavors.
Presented by Penn State University Libraries and Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring, these sessions will cover a range of topics, from navigating library resources to learning about research ethics and securing funding. While workshops can be attended individually or as a complete series, students who complete at least five sessions will receive a certificate of completion that can be added to their resume or CV. Registration for each session can be found in the schedule below:
Libraries Open House — Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 29 and 30, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Learn to navigate the libraries’ physical spaces, website and online resources. This is a self-guided tour that takes ~30 minutes.
Getting Started with Research — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
- Hear from a panel of undergraduate researchers on how to find opportunities, reach out to mentors and make the most of your research experience.
Ask a Faculty Researcher — Wednesday, Feb. 12, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- A panel of faculty research mentors will discuss the research experience, how to connect with mentors and what it takes to become competitive in securing a research opportunity.
Research Ethics, Compliance and Safety — Wednesday, Feb. 26, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Explore the ethical issues researchers must consider and learn about safety training and compliance from the Office for Research Protections. The second half of the session will cover how course credit works for research experiences, whether they are paid or volunteer and what funding options exist.
Showcase Your Research — Wednesday, Mar. 5, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Learn how to design compelling research posters and navigate the conference application process with confidence. Equip yourself with the tools to present your work effectively and stand out in academic settings.
Citation Management — Wednesday, Mar. 19, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- This session will introduce two popular citation managers, showing how to collect, organize and cite resources for research projects.
Literature Review Foundations — Wednesday, Mar. 26, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Learn the basics of writing a literature review and how to find, collect, and organize your sources.
How to Read Scholarly Articles like a Ph.D. Student — Wednesday, Apr. 9, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Learn how to approach scholarly articles with a critical and analytical mindset. Explore techniques for efficiently navigating dense academic language and extracting essential insights to engage with scholarly texts at an advanced level.
- This program is sponsored by Universities Libraries, The Office and Research Protections and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship Mentoring.
To learn more about University Libraries, visit libraries.psu.edu. Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.