Undergraduate Research Experience

Mission Statement

The Freed-Hardeman Undergraduate Research Experience was created to provide an arena that fosters undergraduate research in a well-equipped laboratory facility for students and faculty in their collaborative pursuit of innovative solutions to the myriad of scientific challenges faced in today's technologically advanced world.

 

The History

In the fall of 2005, the Research Center was founded for the purpose of engaging undergraduates in scientific research. In the fall of 2012, the Anderson Science Center was completed and opened for classes and research. The lab facilities housed in the old Research Center were moved to the state-of-the-art laboratories within the Anderson Science Center. The Research Center was then renamed the Freed-Hardeman Undergraduate Research Experience to better reflect the scope of scientific research occurring on campus.

 

The Research

Our students do not just study other scientists' research; our students are given the chance to be researchers. Much like graduate level research, our students write procedure, analyze results, propose alternate methods, and present their work at conferences.

 

The Students

Students design many of the research projects. Students also have the chance to work with expert faculty. Student-suggested research is coordinated with the help of a faculty mentor in a related field. Other research opportunities are available for students to work on current faculty projects.

 

The Equipment

Our facility is open year-round for students and faculty, and it houses scientific equipment, including modern cellular and molecular biology equipment.

 

PURPOSES of the Undergraduate Research Experience

  • to enable students to pursue individual interests in the sciences through faculty-guided, student-suggested research projects
  • to allow further study of areas of science briefly addressed in the general class setting
  • to challenge motivated students as they seek to identify their particular areas of scientific interest
  • to solicit funding for undergraduate research