Undergraduate Research

Among the many academic experiences offered at Penn State Berks is the opportunity for students to conduct genuine research, either under the guidance of a faculty mentor or as a collaborator on a faculty member's research project. The faculty and staff at Penn State Berks are committed to making research a major component of the undergraduate educational experience. Research experience is exciting and is a great way to prepare for careers in a variety of fields. 

Satisfy your craving to know more

Undergraduate research enriches your college experience by helping you understand subject matter beyond course materials. Getting involved in undergraduate research can ignite your curiosity, and undergraduate research opportunities at Penn State Berks also feature academic benefits! Did you know that: 

  • undergraduate students at Penn State Berks can do a research project with a faculty member?
  • you can receive course credits for doing this research? 
  • Conducting research with faculty guidance is a way to satisfy honors requirements? 
  • this work can lead to a summer internship? 

Get involved with research

Begin by searching the faculty web pages to find an academic area that fits your interests.  

Contact the faculty member by email to see if they are open to taking on an undergraduate researcher. 

These research projects can be done during academic year or summer. You can earn course credits and satisfy honors requirements.

Projects can be done on a volunteer basis or paid (when available). Consider funding sources or other support resources such as summer programs, conferences, or facilities. 

Why should you get involved? 

Through research you can: 

  • Build experience that is valuable in many careers 
  • Apply coursework concepts 
  • Develop communications/organization/time management skills 
  • Get an early introduction to graduate-level study 
  • Share in the excitement of discovering something new 
  • Build relationships with faculty members and other students 
  • Get a good grad school/job recommendation 
  • Learn more about the newest technologies 
  • Work with internationally known scholars 
  • Develop a better understanding of current intellectual debates 
  • Work toward academic presentations or publications 

Undergraduate Research Resources and Funding 

  • Learn about undergraduate research travel support for conference travel »
  • Fund projects through the Student Engagement Network Grant Program. Note that application deadlines are in early September for fall semester, early December for spring semester and March for summer. 
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities 
    • The Erickson Discovery Grant is designed to provide summer funding to start, continue, or finish an independent project. Students seeking to build their research skills are encouraged to apply for the Erickson Discovery Grant to fund an independent project of their own choosing and then present a poster of their work. Deadline for submission is in January of each year. 
    • The Dr. Frank Franco Undergraduate Research Endowment provides monies to support and encourage research projects and initiatives of undergraduate students. Students must work with a faculty member to create a proposal for funding. Deadlines are September 15 for the fall semester, January 15 for the spring semester and April 15 for the summer. 
    • Summer Undergraduate Research Enrichment Program (SUREP).  This program is a series of lunch meetings designed to give student researchers an opportunity to talk about their research projects and the results that they generate throughout the summer with their peers.  These regular meetings will also create a community of scholars performing research over the summer.  To get added to the email list, contact either Dr. Justin DiAngelo (jrd5671@psu.edu) or Dr. Allison Singles (ara5093@psu.edu). 
  • Undergraduate Research at Berks Library Guide – information that the Penn State Berks Library Staff has put together to support undergraduate research on our campus including a workshop series that they host. 
  • Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) - Undergraduate research is celebrated each spring at the colleges and universities that compose the HECBC: Albright College, Alvernia University, Kutztown University, Penn State Berks, and Reading Area Community College. Students from HECBC universities and colleges and beyond showcase their research at a research conference each spring at one of the HECBC institutions. 
  • Schreyer’s Honor College – Students in the Schreyer’s Honors College must write a senior thesis based on a research project they carry out. Learn more about the Penn State Berks Honors Programs »
  • Cohen-Hammel Fellowship – A program combining research and service to our campus and the surrounding community.  First year students planning to complete their degrees at Penn State Berks can apply for entrance to the program which includes a scholarship. Learn more about the Cohen-Hammel Fellows program » 

**Note: Please contact faculty in your discipline for discipline-specific funding sources and resources.**

For additional information regarding undergraduate research, please contact the Penn State Berks Undergraduate Research Fellows Dr. Justin DiAngelo at jrd5671@psu.edu or Dr. Allison Altman-Singles at ara5093@psu.edu.