"Since coming here and doing research with professors, I've begun to understand what real scientific work is." --Ian Lizarraga
Supercharge your education
Research opportunities abound. Many Weinberg students say their strongest educational experiences are hands-on: independent research, seminars and internships. We'll encourage you to tackle original projects –- in any discipline –- and we'll teach the hard thinking that makes your conclusions persuasive.
Original research and creative projects give you an opportunity to build on the knowledge and intellectual rigor gained through course work. You may pursue topics of interest through junior tutorials, senior honors theses, independent studies, research seminars, and independent projects, always working under the supervision of a faculty adviser. Whether during the school year or over the summer, you experience firsthand the excitement and complexities of generating new ideas and testing them against the evidence you uncover.
Many professors invite undergraduates to join their research teams, often encouraging them to take on an unsolved problem. Undergraduates sometimes go on to publish their original work in a professional journal or present the results at a national scholarly meeting. Such experiences often stimulate career choices and provide valuable grounding for graduate and professional school.
Northwestern makes substantial funds, in excess of $1.5 million, available on a competitive basis, to support student research. Some grants cover direct costs of doing research –- the cost of materials or travel, for example. Funds are also available to defray living expenses of students doing research during the summer.
