Finding a Faculty Mentor
Step 1: Make a list of possible Faculty Mentors
A good starting place is faculty members whom you may know, for example, instructors that you have had for a class. You could also ask Teaching Assistants (TA's) that you have had for a class to recommend possible UROP Faculty Mentors. If your academic advisor is a faculty member, you could put her or him on your list, or just ask your academic advisor for suggestions. Finally, ask your friends for professors that they may know, either from a class or from some out-of-class experience, such as undergraduate research.
If these strategies do not yield enough names, you should check out the websites for the fields in which you are interested. This link will take you to the University directory pages. Every department has a website that lists faculty interests. Pick a few faculty whose research interests seem interesting and add them to your list.
Here are some other resources that can help you!
• Talk with your college's UROP Coordinator.
• What about professors who have recently mentored other UROP students. Check out the list of approved UROP's for Fall 2007 and Spring 2008.
• More than 250 University students exhibited research and creative activity posters at the 2008 University Symposium in April 2008. You can find the names of the students, their mentors, abstracts of their posters and even some complete posters here.
Step 2: Send Emails
Make sure you know something about the research interests of each possible Faculty Mentor on your list. You can use departmental web pages or Google to fill in any gaps. Send an individual email to each faculty member on your list. Your email should
• indicate your intent to apply for a UROP
• describe your interest in the faculty member's research
• provide a brief description of who you are; for example, your major, your year in college and your strong points for doing research
• ask for a specific time and place to meet to discuss research possibilities
Step 3: Follow Up
Some faculty members will respond to your email; others will not. Regardless, you need to go talk with possible faculty mentors face-to-face. You can ask in departmental offices about faculty office locations and office hours. You can often catch faculty members at the end of their classes. Your opening line is something like, "I sent you an email about a UROP." You then go on from there.
Step 4: Get Help
The Undergraduate Research Office is available to help you connect with a Faculty Mentor. You can contact or schedule a consultation appointment with the UROP Coordinator Vicky Munro (munro001@umn.edu or 612-625-3853), the Faculty Director of Undergraduate Research Marvin Marshak (marshak@umn.edu or 612-624-1312).