Open Research Opportunities
Finding a research opportunity that helps you refine your academic and career interests, develop your academic identity, and helps you make decisions about career goals requires effort and persistence.
To find open research opportunities, including virtual opportunities, start with opening an account with the Student Opportunity Center, the largest national database to search for opportunities that are right for you and your goals. Starting an account will also allow you find research opportunities within CSUMB and our local partners.
Register for Student Opportunity Center
This is perfect for any student new to CSUMB looking for a research opportunity or any undergraduate level opportunity for that matter. However, not signing up for SOC will not prevent you from contacting faculty or PIs whom you are interested in working with. This is simply a platform that allows you to easily search which faculty or community members have open research opportunities.
If you are currently working on a research project, you are not required to go through SOC.
Signing Up
- Step 1: Visit Student Opportunity Center and click on the Log In button on the top right corner and select Select SOC Enterprise
- Step 2: Click on the Sign Up button and complete the form. You must use your @csumb.edu email address. Please add UROC as a community
- Step 3: Check your email for an activation email from account@studentopportunitycenter.com titled "SOC Account Confirmation." Be sure to check your spam folder. Click on the Verify button to confirm your email address and activate your account.
- Step 4: As soon as you activate your email, you'll have access to thousands of opportunities. Enter your discipline or major in the search bar to get started. You can also filter your results. NOTE: To access CSUMB opportunities, disable the "Include National Database" toggle and click UROC on communities option.
- Step 5: Contact the Faculty or PI of the research project to express interest. Be sure to visit our Professional Communications page for tips.
- Step 6: Collaborate with your mentor to prepare your application to the UROC Researcher Program.
- Step 7: Submit your UROC Researcher application by the next UROC Researcher application deadline.
Please contact UROC if you require assistance.
UROC has highlighted the programs listed below as a starting point to search for summer research opportunities across multiple disciplines. You can begin your search for a research opportunity using these links. All of the listings are non-exhaustive but will help you identify programs available to undergraduates. Start your search early to identify the types of programs that interest you and diligently research program requirements.
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduate Listing
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science, and the social sciences, this site is where students should start to view multiple summer research programs at once.
Pathways to Science
Pathways to Science supports pathways to STEM fields. Particular emphasis on connecting underrepresented groups with STEM program, funding, mentoring, and resources.
Leadership Alliance
Since 1992, the Leadership Alliance has encouraged students from groups of traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities to pursue research careers in the academic, public, and private sectors.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program
HACU reviews applications for completeness and eligibility. HACU staff matches academic backgrounds to internship descriptions provided by the host organizations. Some intern assignments have included completing and analyzing research, writing speeches, conducting audits, performing land surveys, creating web pages, conducting community health surveys, and developing outreach strategies for underserved populations.
George Washington Carver Research Program
The George Washington Carver Research Program is a recruitment initiative to identify superior graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions for selected undergraduate internship positions.
Department of Energy Scholars Program
The DOE Scholars Program introduces students or recent college graduates to DOE's mission and operations. As a participant in the DOE Scholars Program, you will earn a competitive edge by familiarizing yourself with DOE functions while showcasing your education, talent, and skills.
The Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience at UCSB
DYNS utilizes computational methods to understand brain-mind interactions across all levels of architecture, from single neurons to complex networks, with a focus on the roles of these levels in an organism's behavior.
American Anthropological Association Field School Opportunities
The American Anthropological Association provides a list and description of field schools across many institutions and disciplines.
Library of Congress
Fellowships, internships, residencies, and volunteer opportunities open the doors of America's library to life-long learners from teens to retirees, providing unprecedented access to the Library of Congress' world-class collections and staff.
Summer Experiences in the Arts & Humanities
The Arts and Humanities Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research provides and regularly updates their resource list of regional and national summer research opportunities in the arts and humanities. Only options that fit CUR's description of undergraduate research (mentored, original, and leading to disseminated outcomes) are included. Though some experiences may be called "internships", anything that is just a job has been eliminated.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
One of the best ways to know if a career in personality and social psychology is for you is to get first-hand experience in an active psychology research laboratory. A list of research opportunities in psychology for undergraduate students has been compiled to facilitate this search.
Zooniverse
The Zooniverse is the world's largest and most popular platform for people-powered research. This research is made possible by volunteers -- more than a million people around the world who come together to assist professional researchers. Our goal is to enable research that would not be possible, or practical, otherwise. Zooniverse research results in new discoveries, datasets useful to the wider research community, and many publications.
Chesapeake Conservation Corps
Increasing access and opportunities to green careers and educating and training the next generation of stewards on how best to manage and protect our environment is crucial to restoring our region’s natural resources. To help meet those needs, the Trust provides young adults with hands-on environmental and leadership experience through its Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program. The Corps Program places young adults (ages 18-25) with nonprofit or government agencies for one-year terms of service in the Chesapeake Bay region. Learn more about the CCC from UROC Mentor and former CCC member Caroline Rodriguez.
Life Sciences
- Harvard-Amgen Scholars Program - Biotechnology
- University of South Florida REU - Weather; Climate; Society
- Rochester Institute of Technology REU - STEM Education; Chemistry; Molecular Biology
- Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment REU - Chemist
- Center for Chemical Evolution REU - Chemistry; Chemical Sciences
- CSURP REU - Chemistry; Chemical Sciences
- Center for Sustainable Polymers Summer Program - Chemistry; Materials Science
- Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology REU - Chemistry; Molecular Biology; Materials Science
- Boyce Thompson Institute REU - Plant Biology; Genomics; Bioinformatics; Molecular Biology
- Summer Research Early Identification Program - Life Sciences; Physical Sciences; Biology; Chemistry
- Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) - STEM
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Summer Internship Program - Biomedical; Biological Sciences
- AAMC Summer Undergraduate Research Program - Medical Education
Arts & Humanities
- Library of Congress Junior Fellows Summer Internship Program - Humanities; Art and Culture; Collections Conservation and Preservation; Law; Business; Library Information Science
- Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Program - Classical Studies; English; History; Linguistics; Sociology
- Summer Research Early Identification Program - Humanities
- Summer Research Opportunities Program - English; Writing; Language Studies; Education
- Princess Grace Film Awards Program - Film; Media Installations
- Robert Frederick Smith Internship & Fellowship Program - Digital Imaging; Media Preservation; Preserving Oral Histories
- Conservation Internship for Broadening Access - Museum Conservation
- American for the Arts Internship Program - Arts Education; Arts Policy
- The Getty Foundation - Public Art; Museum Conservation and Collection; Museum Exhibits; Film; Arts Education; Media and Design
Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Summer Research Early Identification Program - Psychology; Sociology
- Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) - Social Work; Sociology; Psychology
- Society for Personality and Social Psychology - Psychology; Cognition & Early Development; Organizational Behavior