Undergraduate Research

Experiential learning and research for undergraduates are at the core of our university’s mission, as it combines faculty mentoring with student achievement and offers opportunities for our undergraduates to explore and learn. Engaging students in research, scholarship, and/or creative activities not only fosters intellectual curiosity but also enhances skill development, equipping them with the ability to tackle complex problems.

Undergraduate research at Wentworth takes place in different formats:

Research co-ops
In-class research/research classes
Individual projects with faculty mentors
Co-authoring publications
Conference participation, including presenting
Graduate Fellowships (e.g. for Architecture majors)

Benefits of the Undergraduate Research Initiative

Industrial Design students build a bridge out of cardboard and help a woman walk across it on the quad.

Expanding Research Skills

supports personal and professional growth
includes: analyzing information and data, developing claims, identifying evidence, drawing conclusions
leads to informed decision-making and possible innovation
prepares for future graduate work

Encouraging Interdisciplinarity

supports collaborative and interdisciplinary learning and knowledge generation
enables students to experience projects across disciplines making connections outside of their major and school
pushes disciplinary boundaries; allows the creation of new knowledge

Fostering Collaboration and Networking

undergraduate research supports collaboration among students, faculty, and industry partners, creating a dynamic framework of diverse perspectives to tackle complex challenges
the initiative enables students to join existing networks of scholarly research and applied research in industry, practice, and academia

Goals and Objectives

Two students working within the lab using pipettes.

Hands-on Learning: Provide students with practical, hands-on experience, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems and to deepen their understanding of a specific subject area or topic within their field of study.

Career Exploration: Help students in exploring their interests and different career paths within their field of study and empower them to make well-informed decisions regarding their future career aspirations by Providing them with opportunities to gain research experience which will give them a taste of whether they would like to consider further education (such as graduate school), work in academia, industry, or government research.

Skill Development: Help students to conduct independent research, including formulating research questions, designing experiments or methodologies and to develop skills that employers are looking for such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and communication skills by effectively presenting their research findings.

Collaboration and Mentorship: Help students to develop teamwork and collaboration skills by working closely with fellow researchers, interdisciplinary teams, and with faculty members who serve as mentors by providing guidance, support, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.