The Office of Connected Learning

Getting Started in Research

Student research opportunities

You can pursue research at any point in the academic year or summer. There are many ways to get involved: you can enroll in a class to receive course credit, work as a paid research assistant, or volunteer as a researcher on campus or in a community setting. Depending on your interests, you can get involved in projects on the UW Bothell campus, in the Snohomish-King County area, and even abroad! Our office will help you find opportunities aligned with your interests and needs.  

Search UW Bothell Research & Creative Project Database

The getting started checklist

  1. Talk to your professors about your interest in research. Every professor at UW Bothell is a trained researcher. Many of them are actively pursuing multiple research projects in their field of interest right now! When you share your interest in research with them, they can help connect you to specific opportunities or to other professors who may be looking for research assistants.
    When you meet with your professor, share more about your academic interests and career goals. Then you can ask them to tell you more about: 
    • Their research projects
    • What research looks like in your field
    • Skills you should develop if you want to pursue research
    • Classes you should take to learn research skills
    • On-campus labs, research projects, or working groups in your field that hire undergraduate researchers
    • Professors, staff, or experienced student researchers you should talk to next if you want to learn more (bonus: ask if they’ll “e-introduce” you!)
  2. Schedule a research advising appointment. When you meet with a member of our team, you’ll receive individualized support in learning more about research in your field, finding interesting opportunities, applying to positions or programs, and getting paid for your research. We can answer your questions and help you plan your research journey.
  3. Take research courses. UW Bothell does not currently have a system for marking research courses in the course catalog. Our advice for finding courses:
    • Search the course catalog for the keyword “research”
    • Ask your current professors to recommend courses that will develop your core research skills OR courses where you can conduct original research
    • Ask your academic advisor or one of our Undergraduate Research advisors for course recommendations in your field of interest
    • If you are a STEM student, search for courses with a lab component
    • If you are interested in doing research in STEM, the social sciences (such as psychology, education, public policy, etc.), or business, look for courses in data analysis, data visualization, and/or statistics
    • Enroll in community-engaged research courses (multiple fields offered) and learn research skills through working on a real-world project for a community organization
    • We also strongly recommend that ALL students interested in research enroll in BWRIT 135: Research Writing. This course will hone your skills in locating and reading scholarly articles, conducting literature reviews, and communicating your research findings—skills that will be invaluable in any field.
  4. Browse research programs and opportunities. The following resources will allow you to integrate research with your course work.
  5. Seek out UW resources to support your research journey.
STEM Capstone project by Hubert Huang, Naseem Haq, Dustin Chiang
Ariana Greer presenting their research