Research Beyond STEM

For many incoming students, the opportunity to participate in research often ranks highly in their list of interests and priorities. Thankfully, at Penn, research isn’t just a passing feature of academics-but a defining part of student life. In this post, I’ll do my best to share my own experiences with research and to showcase a variety of opportunities for all majors through my friends’ anecdotes.

The university encourages close collaboration between students and professors, creating an environment where undergraduates can actively contribute to ongoing faculty-led projects. Whether it's in the fields of humanities or STEM, programs like PURM and CURF allow students to participate in mentorship as they develop their research skills/interests. For students who enjoy doing research more independently, the University Scholars program or WOLF Humanities Fellowship are excellent opportunities to do so. Students are required to choose faculty mentors, but for the most part, research tends to be more student-driven in nature.

Although research may take an independent format, it almost certainly doesn’t have to be. When I started a research assistant position at the Annenberg School for Communications, I wasn’t actively searching for research at all, my TA in my political science course simply proposed the idea to me and asked if I’d like to help her with a project regarding partisan media and voter polarization.

As a history major, it would be remiss of me not to mention some humanities specific research opportunities. I have many friends involved with the PORES fellowship, an opportunity for students specifically interested in election studies and opinion research, incorporating studies of political science with data science, although you do not have to have any background in this to apply. Additionally, SHIP (Summer Humanities Internship Program) invites humanities majors to take part in summer research internships for art galleries, Philadelphia museums, local historical sites, or even radio stations.

All the opportunities above barely cover even the tip of the research iceberg at Penn. If you can take anything away from this, know that it’s never too late to do research and to never be afraid of reaching out to faculty for help. Penn professors are kind and welcoming; they are here for you! Embrace the possibilities and let your spirit of natural inquiry guide you as you embark on your research adventure. Good luck!

- Seyoon C.