Research

Getting Involved in Undergraduate Research

Overview
Getting Started
Tips for Securing Research
Receiving Funding
Viterbi Research Programs
For Viterbi Students
For Non-USC Students
Additional Opportunities

Getting Started

Starting to look for a research project can be a daunting task. Here are some tips to make the process easier!

Ask yourself the following questions before you look for a research project:

  • What kind of research is interesting to me?
  • What do I hope to gain from doing research?
  • How much time can I comfortably commit per week?

Now that you have an idea about what you want to get out of your research experience, it is time to start looking for a project!

Common Terms

You’ll probably encounter these terms when looking for research. Here’s what they mean.

NSF: National Science Foundation. An independent federal agency that promotes science and research. NSF grants fund many research opportunities for undergraduates.

PI: Principal Investigator. The lead researcher for a project.

REU: Research Experience for Undergraduates. Commonly used for summer programs with 10 or more undergrads working on research programs at a host institution.

SURF: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Similar to an REU.

Published on August 31st, 2021

Last updated on August 28th, 2023