Research & Faculty

Hands-On Experience and Involved Professors

Cornell is a leading research university, and you don’t have to be a scientist or an engineer to get involved. Opportunities are available across all majors, and some students get started in their first year. Cornell faculty are renowned scholars and leaders in their fields. They write books, conduct research, and sometimes win Nobel Prizes. They are also dedicated to teaching and advising undergraduate students, and helping them find opportunities for hands-on learning.

The Office of Undergraduate Research

For Cornell University, research is a priority. The Office of Undergraduate Research is a resource for students interested in collaborating with faculty outside of the classroom. Whether you are a first-year student looking to find out about the opportunities that are available or an accomplished researcher preparing to present your work to an audience, the Office of Undergraduate Research can help. Recent projects include classifying elephant sounds to decode their communication, examining organic chemistry in Japan, and studying mental health courts in Tucson and Ithaca.

The Cornell Undergraduate Research Board

The Cornell Undergraduate Research Board (CURB) offers programming to help kickstart your undergraduate research experience. The Peer Mentorship Program (PMP) offers incoming students insight into which labs to join or whom to connect with to start their research experience. The Fall Forum and Spring Symposium provide Cornell students with the opportunity to present their research. Events such as Grad School Demystified and the Professor Panel connect undergraduates with graduate students and faculty to ask questions and learn about research opportunities after Cornell.

Involved Professors 

Cornell professors are involved in every aspect of life on campus. Faculty host weekly office hours, collaborate with students on research projects, and even live in the residence halls. Faculty-in-Residence and Faculty Fellows are committed to building community with new students. They'll help you explore intellectual topics, find research opportunities, navigate your first year, connect with others, and discover the Ithaca community.