Undergraduate Research
Discover a world of research at UCalgary
Those ‘gaps’ and ‘walls’ that a researcher encounters are not stopping places—they’re starting places. They are questions that no one has asked yet, so maybe I can be the one to ask them.
Bonnie Piercy
Faculty of Arts, PURE 2022
Why should you do undergraduate research?
Engaging in undergraduate research can play a pivotal role in your professional and academic development and further develop your skills:
- Go in-depth on a subject of interest to you
- Collaborate with researchers, experts, and practitioners
- Develop your problem-solving abilities and grow your resiliency
- Sharpen your critical thinking and analytical skills
- Hone your autonomy and sense of self
- Clarify your career interests and expand possibilities
What is undergraduate research?
Undergraduate research gives you an opportunity to explore a research question that leads you to discovery, creativity and innovation. The research you do, under the guidance of an instructor or a mentor, can have a real impact on the world and result in an original contribution to a field of knowledge.
It's an opportunity to gain confidence and skills in research, scholarship, or creative expression — there are many types of research to explore!
High-quality research experiences will:
- Evoke your curiosity
- Engage you in the process of discovery
- Provide opportunities to share your findings
- Extend your learning through critical reflection
Ready for Research
Get ready to engage in research with this badge program that covers everything from how to choose a topic to managing a research project.
Undergraduate Research Summer Studentships
Awards up to $7,500 give you an opportunity to lead your own summer research project with an on-campus mentor.
Student stories
Read student stories about the variety of ways to engage in research at UCalgary.
Dive into undergraduate research
Check out this series of open-access videos where UCalgary graduate students provide useful insights related to developing research skills.
Upcoming events
Undergraduate student Lauryn Anderson tests an app she created as part of the PURE program with her supervisors Dr. Lora Oehlberg, PhD, and Dr. Wesley Willet, PhD.
Elyse Bouvier/University of Calgary 2023
Course-based undergraduate research
Implementing a high-quality research experience in a course provides an opportunity that sparks students’ curiosity, and drives student-led discovery while allowing students the chance to disseminate their findings and reflect on the process.
Faculty resources
Undergraduate research experiences engage students in the process of discovery. Find resources to bring undergraduate research into your courses or get involved by supervising a summer research student.
Department of Geoscience PhD student Gerardo Zegers and undergraduate student/field assistant David Garcia Larez deploy i-buttons temperature loggers to study the permafrost on Fortress Mountain. Zegers and Garcia are students of Dr. Masaki Hayashi.
University of Calgary 2020
Undergraduate research news
Summer research opportunity gives mature student experience needed to pursue medical school dreams
Applications for Undergraduate Summer Research Awards open until Jan. 27
UCalgary undergraduate students begin their transdisciplinary research journeys
Apply for your PURE award by Jan. 27
Digging up Alberta's history: Undergraduate research project sparks enthusiasm for Plains archaeology
Sam Judson explores how to engage with the public on Alberta's archaeological sites
Can earthworms bring relief to a global blood donor shortage? Enterprising UCalgary students are working on it
Multidisciplinary team wins iGEM competition for research into developing a surprising substitute for human-sourced hemoglobin
‘I found my passion’: How a UCalgary student discovered his Vietnamese identity through an undergraduate research project
Billy ‘Me’ Wijaya traced his family's roots over the course of a transdisciplinary undergraduate research summer studentship
Passion for community and identity expression inspires undergraduate summer research project
Social work student supported through 2024 SSHRC Undergraduate Student Research Award
The Office of Experiential Learning
The Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) brings undergraduate research initiatives to UCalgary to advance undergraduate research experience across our academic community.
Contact the academic lead of undergraduate research at OEL, Dr. Victoria Guglietti, to learn more about undergraduate research at UCalgary.