Getting Started on Research and Creative Activities

It only takes a few steps to get started on research and creative activities:

Explore your interests

To get started, we recommend exploring what faculty at Chapman are working on. If you don’t have a project idea in mind, this is your chance to see what projects catch your eye and sound interesting to you; if you do have a project in mind, this is your chance to find someone who may have expertise in that area to help guide you in the project. We recommend several strategies for reading more about what faculty at Chapman are doing:

• Faculty mentor directory: CUE maintains a faculty mentor directory for students to find potential mentors. It’s worth browsing through, though not all faculty who are interested in mentoring students may have listed themselves in the directory.
• Faculty research and creative activities expo (September 11, 4–5:30 PM, Sandhu): CUE holds a research and creative activities expo each year at the beginning of the fall semester, which is designed as a place for you to explore the diversity of research and creative activities! Drop by Sandhu anytime between 4–5:30 PM on Thursday, September 11.
• Departmental webpages and publications: We also recommend browsing faculty profiles listed on each college or department. Many faculty, particularly in the STEM disciplines, also have lab webpages, while faculty in the creative arts will often have links to their portfolios. These will also often include links to past publications or projects that the faculty have been involved in; we recommend skimming some to get a sense of what they do. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed or not understand the paper—your goal is only to get a snapshot of their interests!
• Ask your professors: One of the best ways to find out more is to ask your instructors about their research or creative activities, especially if you’re interested in their courses. Even if they aren’t currently doing research or creative activities, they may often be able to recommend people who are or tell you more about their past projects. You can ask your instructors in office hours or send them an email.
• Lunch with a Professor Week (October 13–17): CUE hosts Lunch with a Professor Week each semester, where you can invite faculty to a free lunch in the dining hall. You can even invite a professor with several of your friends. It’s a great chance for you to get to know your instructors and for you to ask them about their research and creative activities! Plus, who doesn’t like free food? Read more and sign up here.
• Student Scholar Ambassadors: Student Scholar Ambassadors are a select group of accomplished students who have participated in academic research, creative activities, and/or applied to or received a prestigious fellowship or scholarship. CUE’s Student Scholar Ambassadors are available for one-on-one peer advising to help students get started and navigate their research and creative plan, find various scholarly opportunities, and answer any questions. Meet the ambassadors and set up a time to chat!

Contact potential mentors

Once you have identified a potential research mentor, you should reach out to them. We recommend emailing only one potential mentor at any one time, with a personalized email that describes specifically why you are interested in their work. Not sure what this looks like? Feel free to use this email template below. Note that if you don’t hear a response within two weeks, you are welcome to send a follow-up email in case the first email got lost in someone’s inbox.

Sample email template

Dear Dr. LASTNAME,

My name is [NAME] and I am a [first/second/third/fourth/etc.]-year [MAJOR NAME] major at Chapman. I saw that you were doing research [or creative activities] on [TOPIC] and have reviewed your [lab website/papers/faculty profile]; this area interests me because [REASON].

Would you be open to meeting to discuss your work? I would be interested in learning more about your research or creative activities and discussing possible collaborations and potentially working with you on your research or creative activities!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Meet with a potential mentor and get started!

You will meet with the faculty member to discuss your interests. Some common questions to ask:

• Can you tell me more about the projects you’re currently working on? (Be ready to discuss your interests and to share that you’ve already looked at their faculty profiles, creative portfolios, etc.)
• What does an average week look like?
• What is the time commitment?
• What is your mentoring philosophy?
• How does funding work?

If the faculty member agrees to serve as your mentor, you will work with them to develop a plan for your research or creative activities, or to apply for summer funding (see below). Have fun and be sure to engage with CUE. See below for more info on ways to get credit for your work and tap into resources that will support you along your journey.