Seek out new challenges and create new opportunities in the University of North Carolina Asheville’s undergraduate research program!
Here in the Land of the Sky, you’ll look at what’s known and push to discover what’s beyond. Ask the questions of tomorrow, publish and present your findings, and position yourself as a curious, experienced, truth-seeking academic and professional.
What is Undergraduate Research?
As an undergraduate student, you can choose to create a research question and design a study that seeks to better understand the world. This rigorous independent research should lead to a scholarly or creative end product that you can publish or present on or off campus.
UNC Asheville is a hub for undergraduate research excellence: 49 students and alumni have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Scholarships, we pioneered the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and our Undergraduate Research Program is recognized as a “program of distinction” by the U.S. News and World Report. And while your research will be independent, we don’t expect you to do it alone: our faculty are eager and dedicated research mentors in a wide variety of fields.
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Imagination Meets Impact – Undergraduate Student Research Projects
The Original Minds Series
Witness how UNC Asheville students think critically with curiosity, approach challenges with courage and create impact with imagination through their academic work, creative projects, and our undergraduate research program.
The Journal of Undergraduate Research
One of the most important aspects of research is putting it to the test in the public sphere by publishing it for others to evaluate, critique and build upon. Our Journal of Undergraduate Research exhibits academic excellence and rigorous inquiry in broad topics, from the pitch of bird songs to Hopi prophecy to urban renewal to nanowire synthesis.
Intrigued? Read the latest issue to get a firsthand look at research on campus!
How Can You Get Involved?
Gain hands-on field experience pursuing a question and path of study that you design. Join more than 70 percent of UNC Asheville’s undergraduates conducting research in labs, forests, theaters, and more, both in North Carolina and around the world. Produce a presentation for our annual symposia on Undergraduate Research, Creativity, and Community Engagement.
UNC Asheville also provides ample grant opportunities to support your creative activities and research! Learn more about how to apply for undergraduate research grants.
Room for Every Voice – The Benefits of Undergraduate Research
Engaging with salient questions as an undergraduate sets you up for long-term success, both as a researcher and as a lifelong learner. At UNC Asheville, undergraduate research involves close mentoring relationships between faculty and students—relationships that can form the basis of your academic and professional networks.
Beyond how you’ll personally benefit from research, though, is the impact you’ll have on fellow students, our community, and even the world. New research is invigorating and inspiring: it drives those who engage with it to ask more questions and make more discoveries. We can’t wait to see where you start.
Your Curiosity and Imagination are Valued at UNC Asheville
Pair creativity with persistence in your quest to uncover truths and share insights in a community that is constantly learning and growing. At UNC Asheville, you’ll find new understandings of the world, rich collaborative partnerships, and lifelong mentors who are invested in your flourishing.
