Research at ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´

A Commitment to Research

Robust research and scholarship are integral to the undergraduate experience at ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´. 

Why is research and scholarship important at a predominantly undergraduate institution? They inform teaching.

Faculty research makes for more dynamic teachers who better understand the link between scholarly work and the basic principles of any discipline. At ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´, faculty are evaluated based on the quality of their teaching as well as their research accomplishments. And faculty research often involves undergraduates at many levels. 

ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´'s emphasis on a dynamic research environment is evident in:

  • The diversity of faculty research programs.
  • External funding secured by faculty.
  • On-campus research institutes and collaboration groups that attract national and international competitive funds for faculty-student research.
  • ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ competitive grants that support faculty-student research, summer research programs for undergraduates and free summer housing for undergraduate researchers—yes, that’s a summer stipend and free housing!

Cultivating Problem Solvers

Research and other scholarly activities build students’ problem-solving skills and career perspectives, expanding career opportunities – often beyond initial aspirations.

Graduate-Level Experience

Motivated students can earn a bachelor’s degree with graduate-level research experience, opening numerous avenues for advanced graduate education or competitive job prospects.

Scholarly Achievements

Scores of ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ faculty and student produce books, journal articles, conference presentations, artistic accomplishments and other achievements in their fields.

Research Stories & Successes

ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ students and faculty field research

Discover Research at ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´

Discover NEPA sat down with some of our research professors, including Michael Steele, professor and H. Fenner Endowed Chair of Biology Research, to learn more about our top-notch opportunities for undergraduate students.

Emily Russavage headshot

Emily Russavage ’20 earned a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for early-career scientists based on her work at ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´.

ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ campus at night

Scholarship Symposium

Each year, ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ celebrates the outstanding faculty research and scholarship taking place throughout ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´â€™s spectrum of disciplines during the Research and Scholarship Symposium and O'Hop Last Word lecture.

Summer Research Opportunities

ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ provides a dynamic summer research program for undergraduates. This program offers a full research salary and free housing on campus, as well as opportunities to:

  • Conduct research at off-campus sites such as Costa Rica, Purdue University and Yale University for collaborative research.
  • Accompany faculty to scientific conferences and present their research findings in locations inside and outside the United States, including Hawaii, Mexico and China.
  • Co-author scientific publications with faculty.
ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ students performing field research
Emily Kamieniecki headshot

Each summer I participated in student research projects where I learned molecular techniques such as Next Generation Sequencing preparation and analysis. These experiences set me apart during my application and job hunting process.

Emily Kamieniecki ’20 | Medical Laboratory Science Major

The most unique aspect of the chemistry department is the hands-on experience. ÃÍÁÏÔ­´´ has numerous instruments that the students have the opportunity to use, such as the NMR, IR, UV-Vis, UHPLC, GC-MS.

Junior Alvaredo-Rosario ’21 | Biochemistry/Pre-Medicine Major | Medical Student at Pennsylvania College of Medicine
Seth Platukas headshot

No matter what title someone held, they were always full of a bounty of knowledge that would help to guide you in one direction or another.

Seth Platukas '20, Biology and Secondary Education Major | Secondary Science and Career Technology Teacher

Students can start research as soon as they come into college. I started my freshman year. You can stay over the summer to do paid research.

Stephanie Ko ’21 | Chemistry/Pre-Medicine Major | Medical Student at Penn State College of Medicine

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