One hundred UCF undergraduates will participate this week in a three-day pre-research course aimed at introducing them to the ins and outs of research, as well as helping them learn how involvement in research has the potential to enrich their education as undergraduates. Students were selected from a pool of 250 candidates.
The Summer Research Academy to be hosted Thursday through Saturday by the Office of Undergraduate Research offers students the opportunity to enhance their undergraduate experiences in a number of ways.
All students accepted into the academy take a one-credit course, Introduction to Research. Through workshops and events, academy scholars will get the chance to acquaint themselves with students and faculty who are or have been involved in research. Students also learn about credit-based and financially-compensatory options for research at UCF and other academic institutions.
Essential to the event are 12 peer mentors, distinguished students who have demonstrated their abilities as leaders and researchers. These peer mentors have the responsibility of guiding participants through various programming.
As a peer mentor for this year’s event, Brianna Williams, a former academy participant, said she wanted to be a peer mentor to share her experiences with students and “encourage them to engage in research because it is a gateway to other opportunities.”
During the three-day course, participants will learn about finding faculty mentors, interacting in research settings, understanding “research,” writing as a researcher and research ethics. They also will go on research tours around campus and take part in a student research poster showcase.