Opportunities
Kansas State University offers undergraduate opportunities for research and creative inquiry as we strive to attain the status of a top 50 public research university by 2025. Click on the links below to learn more about the opportunities to get involved.
University-Wide Programs
Developing Scholars Program
The Developing Scholars Program offers underrepresented students research projects with faculty mentors. Students receive academic, social and financial support while participating in the discovery and creation of new knowledge at Kansas State University. The Developing Scholars Program is an Excelencia In Education Honorable Mention. Learn more.
McNair Scholars Program
Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D. (1950-1986)
The McNair Scholars Program is federally funded and prepares low-income and first-generation college students, as well as students from groups under-represented in graduate education for doctoral study. A paid eight-week undergraduate research experience with faculty mentors is a major part of this preparation. Learn more.
Kansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (KS-LSAMP)
The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation is a National Science Foundation program that assists colleges and universities in diversifying the workforce entering science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, in part, by supporting institutions' efforts to increase the numbers of students that successfully complete baccalaureate degrees in these fields. Learn more.
College of Agriculture
There are a variety of opportunities to get involved with undergraduate research within the College of Agriculture. Learn more about the college-wide experiences or explore individual department opportunities by following the links provided below.
Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
The academic program of the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education is engaged in research projects in local, national, and international settings. Faculty members work with graduate and undergraduate student research projects. Learn more.
Department of Plant Pathology
Plant pathology is the study of plant diseases, their causes, effects, and control. Keeping plants healthy requires an understanding of the organisms and agents that cause disease as well as an understanding of how plants grow and are affected by disease. Our faculty have a wide range of expertise and frequently take undergraduate research students for research training opportunities in their labs. Many of our faculty also participate in the Interdepartmental Genetics Program. Our faculty research interests include: Plant Disease, Plant Health, Genetics (Plant genetics of models and crops, fungal genetics, population genetics, host plant resistance genetics), Microbiology (Fungi, Bacteria, Viruses), Pathogens (Fungi, Bacteria, Viruses, Nematodes), Plant-Microbe Interactions, Molecular biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Epidemiology, Applied Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Disease diagnosis and management. Learn more.
Gamma Sigma Delta Undergraduate Research Showcase
The College of Agriculture and Gamma Sigma Delta host an annual Undergraduate Research Showcase for students who are engaged in research projects within the college. Learn more.
College of Arts and Sciences
Undergraduate students enrolled in any major in the College of Arts and Sciences are invited to apply for research awards to conduct projects with faculty members in the college. Learn more. In addition, please visit individual department websites to explore research options that fit your academic interests.
Department of Biology
The Department of Biology offers numerous opportunities for undergraduates looking to get involved with research. Follow the links provided below to learn more.
Bioinformatics Center: Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary research area that relies on computational and statistical methods to solve biological problems. Undergraduate and graduate students in the Bioinformatics Group enter either in the K-State Division of Biology or the K-State Department of Computing and Information Sciences. Learn more.
Ecological Genomics Institute: supports integrative research that seeks to understand the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptive responses of organisms to their environment. Join the lab of one of the 13 KSU Ecological Genomics Institute's faculty mentors and discover the world of research. Learn more.
Department of Chemistry
Students who participate in undergraduate research work closely with K-State chemistry professors and internationally known scientists and are given opportunities to present their work at meetings and conferences which provide additional opportunities for networking and interacting with other scientists. Learn more.
Department of Communication Studies
The Communication Studies program is dedicated to research that advances the fields of communication and rhetoric. Students and faculty are involved in a number of scholarly activities. Learn more.
Department of Geology
The Department of Geology is deepening its research focus in three critical areas including energy and mineral resources, earth surface processes and the environment, and evolution and solid earth. Learn more.
Department of History
The Chapman Center for Rural Studies offers internships to undergraduates. Internships in the Chapman Center are allocated $1000.00 per semester and are not based on financial need. Under the direction of the Research Director, interns are expected to work a set number of hours per week on a thematic project leading to a larger goal (ie, publication of a book, database, website, museum installation) and keep a log of their activities each week that should be turned into the Research Director. Learn more about the application process.
Department of Mathematics
The Center for the Integration of Undergraduate, Graduate, and Postdoctoral Research (I-Center) within the Department of Mathematics fosters groups of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty jointly working on cutting edge problems in applied mathematics, pure mathematics and interdisciplinary areas. Learn more.
Department of Psychology
The Department of Psychological Sciences encourages Psychology majors to become involved in research activities as part of their undergraduate experience. Learn more about how to get involved.
Johnson Cancer Research Center
In addition to performing cutting-edge research, our faculty are training today’s students to be some of tomorrow’s top cancer researchers and medical professionals. The center offers numerous opportunities to help students work towards careers in research and medicine through student award programs. Learn more.
Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE)
The purpose of the Kansas INBRE (K-INBRE) is to strengthen the ability of Kansas researchers to compete effectively for NIH funds by building a "critical mass" of junior and senior investigators, as well as undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows supported with cutting edge technology within a scientific research theme. The scientific research theme chosen for the K-INBRE is Cell and Developmental Biology. Learn more.
Student Research Travel Awards
Undergraduate students enrolled in any major in the College of Arts and Sciences are invited to apply for travel funding. The program supports students who want to attend conferences or other professional venues to present their research activities conducted with faculty members in the college. Students also may apply for funding to travel to conduct their research or to learn research techniques. Learn more about the application process.
College of Engineering
Learn more about the Office of Research and Graduate Programs in the College of Engineering.
College of Human Ecology
Faculty and students within the College of Human Ecology work in all five areas of research and scholarly activity including discovery research, translational research, practice, policy, and creative activity. Learn more.
Trauma Research, Education and Consultation at K-State Team (TRECK)
The TRECK Team, which is registered as a university student organization, focuses on developing research programs, providing education, and clinical consultation about issues related to trauma and traumatic stress. TRECK team members include graduate and undergraduate students in the School of Family Studies and Human Services and related programs at Kansas State University. Learn more.
