Original research is central to UChicago’s mission. Over 80 percent of undergraduate students choose to engage in research, and many more gain hands-on experience through internships, externships, student activities, and course practicums.
Opportunities abound
UChicago students have access to over 160 research centers and committees, six libraries within the University of Chicago Library system with over 12 million volumes, three museums (including the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa), nearly 60 opportunities for study abroad, and built-in mentoring, advising, and other support. The University receives hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsored research awards annually, and undergraduates take part in projects that shape the way we understand and interact with the world.
RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH
Any student at UChicago who chooses to can get involved in research in a huge range of disciplines, starting their first year on campus. Guidance and support are provided by the College Center for Research and Fellowships, and funding is available through paid research positions and an abundance of grants and fellowships offered by departments, the Study Abroad office, and numerous other sources.
LABS, CENTERS, AND INSTITUTES
The University of Chicago is one of only two universities in the nation to manage two U.S. Department of Energy National Labs—Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab—and has a deep affiliation with the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. Other institutes fostering research and hosting events include the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, the Institute of Politics, the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, the Urban Education Institute, and the Enrico Fermi Institute.
Other centers include the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights, the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, the Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion.
Most of these labs and centers are right on campus, as is another major host of student research and practical experience, the University of Chicago Medical Center. However, some STEM students also choose to combine research with a travel experience - whether that's spending Fall Quarter at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts, or Spring Quarter in Paris to study Astronomy.