CURF streamlines undergraduate humanities research

As a large university with 12 different schools, Penn often touts its array of opportunities for undergraduate research as an asset that distinguishes it from peer institutions. And though some undergraduates might struggle to navigate the various avenues for study outside the classroom, Penn offers numerous resources to those who work hard to find them.

CURF

Since its inception 11 years ago, the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships has aimed to coordinate research opportunities under one roof, according to CURF director Harriet Joseph.

Perhaps CURF’s most widely used service is its website, Joseph said, which lists available grants and fellowships and offers mechanisms for undergraduates to connect with mentors, among other resources.

Additionally, under the leadership of Wallace Genser, associate director for undergraduate research, CURF holds regular open houses, proseminars and preceptorials featuring Penn faculty who are currently conducting research. Through these initiatives, Genser said, CURF seeks to “encourage students to first do some research on faculty members in the areas they’re interested in.”

University Scholars

Perhaps Penn’s most institutionalized avenue for undergraduate research is its University Scholars program, a selective initiative which supports undergraduates interested in research by offering funding and mentoring opportunities.

After participating in a Penn in Seoul summer program and receiving a research scholarship which he found on CURF’s website, College senior Pablo Barrera wanted to continue his study of traditional Korean architecture. He applied for the University Scholars program, was accepted in the spring of his sophomore year and used grants from the program to continue his investigation.

At the same time, he continued to seek guidance from “a network of professors in my department that knew about CURF and research,” he said.

Barrera is currently writing his senior thesis to complete an art history major based upon his findings. Though he has “learned how to navigate the structure” of conducting research at Penn, he acknowledged that his success has been a “mixture of me being self-motivated and having professors more than ready to answer questions.”

PURM

Due to fewer sources of funding and the “lonely” nature of humanities research, Joseph said creating opportunities in the humanities has been more difficult than in the sciences. In order to combat this imbalance, four years ago CURF implemented the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring program, a summer initiative which connects undergraduates and faculty to conduct research in all 12 schools with “the hope that the student will be turned on by that research and continue doing research on their own with the professor as a mentor,” she added.

College sophomore Rachel Eisenstadt found out about PURM at one of Genser’s preceptorials. This summer she worked in a trauma surgery laboratory investigating septic shock in mice. Through this “incredible opportunity,” Eisenstadt said she was able to both experience a lab setting and also undertake specific responsibilities while conducting research.

Opportunities Within Departments In addition to Penn programs that encourage undergraduate research, according to Associate Director of the Office of the Provost Rob Nelson, “most of the support that happens for undergraduate research happens through individual programs in undergraduate schools.”

In this more unofficial way of pursuing research opportunities, Genser added that he encourages students to contact their department chairs and professors whose interests seem to align with theirs. From there, they can forge mentor relationships with these professors and apply for various sources of funding found on CURF’s website.

“Everyone has a different path and an individualized program,” he said, but “I think this is pretty effective as long as the student is open-minded.”

College sophomore Alicia DeMaio followed one such individual path. After doing a project in a history course on Harbottle Dorr — a Boston shopkeeper who annotated 12 years’ worth of newspapers during the American Revolution — DeMaio wanted to continue her exploration into the summer.

After consulting her instructor, DeMaio applied for and received a grant from the History department, which allowed her to travel to Boston to continue her investigation. DeMaio is now one of two scholars to have ever researched Dorr. She is currently applying for the University Scholars program in order to take her studies further.

“The faculty have been the most helpful to me,” DeMaio said of her experience. “It’s not that CURF hasn’t been helpful, I just haven’t used them as much.”

Nonetheless, DeMaio added, “Penn definitely has the resources if you’re interested in doing research — you just have to take the initiative to go out and find them.”

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