Undergraduate research is very accessible to students at IIT, and it’s something I’m really thankful for. I personally was able to get into my professor Dr. Kawaji’s lab through the RES-MATCH program last semester that Nadia talked about. This semester, I’m continuing my project with him as a volunteer in his lab with a few of my other classmates.
There are a lot of other ways to get involved in research on campus. The Armour College of Engineering has an R&D initiative that consists of two different programs: the Program for Undergraduate Research Education (PURE), which focuses on research, and Mentored Innovation and Development (MIND), which focuses on applying and developing technology based on research. Both programs allow students to work under a professor to pursue their own research projects that they’re passionate about.
Overall I’m so happy with the experience that I’ve already been able to gain so far doing undergraduate research on campus, and I’m excited to continue working with and getting to know my professors more as I work with them.
By Cassie Carlson
The undergraduate research opportunities were one of the main reasons I committed to IIT. There are a lot of great research opportunities on campus and professors are always looking for undergraduates to join their lab. For a lot of professors, all you have to do is reach out and ask to meet with them to discuss their research and see if you will be a good fit for their lab. Make sure to look into their research beforehand, which you can do by looking on the IIT website where professors have their current research and publications listed. RES-MATCH is another great opportunity for getting involved with research. RES-MATCH is a program that aims to provide undergrads with hands-on research experience with IIT faculty through an organized matching process. It is a one semester biomedical science or biomedical engineering research project that awards a $500 research award to the student participating in the program and $500 to the faculty mentor’s research lab. At the end of the semester, the students present their projects to students, faculty, and staff. I participated in RES-MATCH last semester, and it was a great experience. I worked in Dr. Tichauer’s lab on improved detection of insufficient margins in head and neck cancer surgery. Through this process, I was able to learn about Dr.Tichauer’s research, gain valuable research experience, and learn how a lab operates. Research is a fantastic opportunity to pursue your interests and develop academically and professionally.
By Nadia Netolicky
To learn more about research opportunities here at Illinois Tech, visit https://www.iit.edu/research/student-research/student-research-opportunities
