By Ryanne Slagiel
Graphic by Javier Vargas
Student research is not just for graduate students! CI has a student research center right here on campus focused primarily on undergraduate research. Located in John Spoor Broome Library, The Student Research Center encourages students to get involved and get excited about student research, because it is not just for students currently interested in or enrolled in graduate school. Student research is a perfect way to get more involved around campus, to meet new people and to meet with faculty members that could serve as valuable mentors.
The Student Research Program strives to take an interdisciplinary approach to research. When you think about research, you may have a picture in your head of a student in a lab coat and goggles, but this is not the only kind of research. Luis Sánchez, Faculty Advisor for the Student Research Center, presses this point, saying, “we want to promote ways that history students can get involved in research, English students can get involved in research, and then, our performing arts students and art students to be involved in creative activities, which still live under that umbrella of student research and creative activities.” The Student Research program is open to students of all majors and wants students to get involved with other students’ research and creative activities. You do not have to only do research for your major and are welcome to explore several fields of study!
The Student Research Program has several resources available for students to utilize, from a physical space to do your research, located in Broome Library room 1740 featuring things like screens to help practice presenting and a 3-D printer, to smaller, overlooked things like presentation clickers. The Student Research Center itself employs three peer mentors currently, all of which are well versed in research and happy to help students get started or continue with their research.
The biggest event the Student Research Program would like students to get involved with this semester is the Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR). Being held in Fullerton on Nov. 18, this conference is an amazing opportunity for undergraduate students who have never been involved in research to get a foot in the door. It is a great place to talk to undergraduate students about their research, how they got started and how they manage a balance between school, work and research. You can find more information and sign up for this conference here through the Student Research Program; CI students will have their registration fees covered and a bus will be provided.
In all, the Student Research Program seeks to promote a balance and harmony between all disciplines, both with faculty and students. Students can learn from faculty, and the reversal is true as well. The main goal is to acquire knowledge, and we can all do that from each other.
