Navigating Research at Penn

Penn is known as a research-focused university, and students tend to find navigating the world of research quite daunting when they get to campus. Although research may be something that students feel that they need to participate in, it is important to understand that there are other opportunities in which students can apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to the real world. It is also crucial to understand that research is not only done in a lab setting, with a lab coat and safety goggles. Research is done in a variety of fields, including the humanities, and is extremely fulfilling to participate in. Faculty at Penn are extremely enthusiastic about having undergraduates involved in their research. Penn also provides many resources to help students participate in academic research. The biggest hub for research on campus is the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). CURF is used by a large part of the student population at Penn to start their research journey during college. CURF has many resources, including the CURF research directory, the research peer advising (RPA) program, and the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentorship (PURM) program. These are all great resources for students interested in engaging in research at Penn!

- Ananya M.