Unveiling Undergraduate Research Opportunities at Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) distinguishes itself as a research-intensive institution, deeply committed to involving undergraduate students in research and creative projects. This article serves as a guide to the myriad of opportunities available to undergraduate students at CWRU, regardless of their major or academic interests.

The Role of the Undergraduate Research Office

The Undergraduate Research Office (URO) stands as a central resource for all students interested in research, scholarship, and creative projects. The URO's mission is to assist students in identifying opportunities both on and around campus during the academic year and summer. Beyond identification, the URO provides research professional development, and funding, and hosts Intersections: Undergraduate Research Poster Session.

The URO staff can help you identify research projects or show you how to get started on your own research. Sheila Pedigo, Director, is available to discuss what opportunities will best fit your goals and schedule.

URO Services and Programs

Identifying Research Opportunities: The URO assists students in finding research positions on campus and in the surrounding area.
Professional Development: The URO offers resources and workshops to enhance students' research skills.
Funding: The URO provides funding opportunities to support undergraduate research projects. Sometimes, special opportunities are available for Case Western Reserve undergraduates to receive semester funding for sponsored research opportunities.
Intersections: Undergraduate Research Poster Session: The URO hosts a poster session where students can present their research findings.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Seminar Series: Consider registering for the four-part Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Seminar Series that is offered in the fall and spring semesters. Students who attend all four sessions receive a Certificate of Completion.
Summer Research Application Support: Tuesday, Jan. This hybrid session is your chance to bring any questions about your summer research applications: Please note: This session will not help you identify research opportunities. URO SOURCE PSURG and STEM applications: Saturday, Feb.

On-Campus Research Opportunities

Diamond Lab

There are often opportunities for pursing undergraduate research in the lab.

Department of Biology

The Department of Biology at Case Western Reserve University offers opportunities for collaboration with nearby research facilities including the University Farm, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Holden Arboretum. A number of additional universities in the area including John Carroll University, Kent State University and Ohio State University provide further opportunities for collaboration.

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CWRU School of Medicine

Ranked as a tier-1 medical school for research, the CWRU School of Medicine prides itself on offering students numerous opportunities to gain hands-on research experience.

CWRU Undergraduate Research Office Sponsored Summer Research Programs (CWRU Students Only):

The CWRU URO sponsors three different types of research programs each summer.

ENGAGE: The ENGAGE summer research training program supports undergraduate, master's or medical students interested in stem cell and regenerative medicine research.
Research Institute for Children's Health: A 10-week, hands-on opportunity during which students work directly with our investigators. The areas of research range greatly and include bench research in biochemistry, genetics and physiology.
SURP - Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Pharmacology: This 10-week program is sponsored by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). This program is dedicated to rising juniors and seniors who major in biomedical sciences, including but not limited to chemistry, biology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, and others; striving to pursue post-graduate Ph.D., Pharm.D., or MD/Ph.D.

Off-Campus Research Opportunities

Advanced Platform Technology Center Summer Internship

The Advanced Platform Technology Summer Internship Program (APT-SIP) is for undergraduate STEM and PreHealth (Medical, Nursing, Physical Therapy) students who have completed at least their sophomore year of college.

MetroHealth Chester Scholars Program

A 10-week program in clinical or laboratory research settings at MetroHealth Medical Center that includes observation of surgery and hospital rounds.

Summer on the Cuyahoga Internships (SOTC)

SOTC offers paid internships in a variety of fields including finance, technology, marketing, IT, human resources and entrepreneurialism.

NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)

This program is for college, graduate and professional students interested in exploring careers in research and healthcare. These are full-time research positions within one of the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) in the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP).

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - Summer Internship Program

Summer interns spend six - eight weeks working in basic and clinical research areas under the mentorship of an NHLBI principal investigator.

American Heart Association (SURE Program)

The SURE program supports individuals interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine (STEMM) fields or careers. The American Heart Association collaborates with learning institutions to provide research experience and mentoring.

Amgen Scholars Program

Amgen Scholars allows undergraduates from across the globe to participate in cutting-edge research opportunities at world-class institutions.

Gates Center Summer Internship Program

The Gates Summer Internship Program (GSIP) is a key educational initiative of the Gates Institute.

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Huntington Medical Research Institutes - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

Through the structured eight- to ten-week SURF program, students participate in the day-to-day workings of a research lab, develop a deeper understanding of the scientific process, and fine-tune practical laboratory techniques.

Mayo Clinic - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

The Mayo Clinic SURF Program has helped thousands of undergraduate students explore their interests in research. As a summer fellow, you will be immersed in research opportunities.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center - College Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN) Program

Roswell Park is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Upstate New York.

Benefits of Undergraduate Research

Participation in undergraduate research and creative endeavors offers the opportunity to connect with the academic community at levels the classroom experience does not provide. Engaging in research will allow you to create mentoring relationships with individual faculty members and can be the gateway to developing a professional network that will open up opportunities for you whether you continue in graduate and professional studies or enter the workforce. Research projects also allow you to integrate academic theories learned in the classroom with practical experiences at a deeper and more meaningful level. In addition, these endeavors can enhance valuable workplace skills such as verbal and written communication, teamwork, and adaptability.

Research at CWRU: A Driving Force

Case Western Reserve is committed to research and scholarship that changes lives, whether finding faster ways to fight disease or deepening our understanding of the past. As a student, faculty or staff member, or industry partner of Case Western Reserve, you'll conduct research at an institution with a strong history of innovation, a commitment to breaking new ground and an exciting future of translating ideas to reality. Connect with our offices to jumpstart your work.

Examples of Research Initiatives

Energy Efficient Solutions for Manufacturing: Rohan Akolkar's lab focuses on metal production using electrochemistry in a process that is energy efficient, reduces costs, circumvents the use of carbon and reduces reliance on foreign countries for the resource.
Turning Ideas into Inventions: Alumni-founded Startup Works to Filter Microplastics. Three then-students at CWRU designed CLEANR, an easy-to-install filtration system to capture 90% of microplastics in washing machines. The filter is now available to order.

Graduate Student Opportunities

The Department of Biology at Case Western Reserve University is an excellent place to earn a graduate degree. Our department continues to grow, and we are an interactive, engaging and collegial group. Graduate students need not work on the current study systems in the lab as long as the research topics fall within the lab's general area of expertise. The lab tends to be more on the quantitative side, so strong data analysis and modeling skills are helpful (we do offer a number of data analysis courses at CWRU, so a willingness to learn and develop these skills is really the most important thing). Above all, the most successful students in the lab will be those driven by scientific curiosity about the natural world. They will be willing to fully engage with the scientific process from the generation of questions and hypotheses through the development of a strong background knowledge of the scientific literature in the desired area of study; to experimental design and data analysis; to a robust commitment to delivering those results to the scientific community and public through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences and other venues. These elements are really crucial (in my opinion) for whatever post-degree career is desired including faculty positions at R1, PUI, SLAC, etc. institutions, non-profits, and the many other types of careers that our students go on to hold. I view my mentoring role of graduate students as a 'coach' - I will provide quite a lot of feedback on these areas, but the motivation should really come from the student. For guidance on how to structure the interest letter, there are a number of excellent resources online including the blogpost here. The graduate program handbook contains complete details on our program. Submit your application here. The deadline to apply is 15 December (annually).

Navigating Application Deadlines

Summer may feel far away, but the deadlines for undergraduate research programs across the country are not. Most deadlines are in February, many are in January and a few are in December and March. URO has four funded summer undergraduate research programs.

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