PEER ADVISING
Do you need help getting started in research at UF and would like to speak with someone? The Center for Undergraduate Research Board of Students (CURBS) offers peer advising for anyone who would like get involved in undergraduate research.
Whether you’re looking to get involved in undergraduate research at UF or are already involved and looking to enhance your experience, our trained peer advisors are here to help. The Center for Undergraduate Research Board of Students (CURBS) offers personalized peer advising to students to help them find research opportunities on campus, apply to research scholarships, create effective research presentations, locate and apply to external research programs outside of UF, and offer resume critiques. CURBS peer advisors are experienced undergraduate researchers who are passionate about helping students find enriching opportunities that will take their academic experiences to new heights.
PEER ADVISING SCHEDULE
Find a Mentor
Click below to search our database for a research mentor
How to find a research project
Interested in performing research at UF but not sure where to start?
The Center for Undergraduate Research Board of Students (CURBS) offers workshops on how to find research!
TESTIMONIALS
“My peer advisor was very helpful. I needed some guidance on how to approach a researcher via email and I was given a clear outline that I’ll definitely be making use of.”
“My peer advisor gave me the tools to reach out to the professors I am interested in working with. She recommended picking 7-10 researchers and how to initiate contact with them. She was a wonderful peer advisor. I will definitely make an appointment with her soon!”
“I benefited greatly from attending peer advising. My peer advisor was able to give me useful information on which websites to use to find research positions, how to reach out to professors, and other great advice.”
“My peer advisor was super kind, helpful, and easy to talk to. She definitely knew what she was talking about and helped me figure out my next steps in the process of finding a research mentor.”
“My peer advisor helped me refine my email and also gave me some insight into how he attained a research position. His advice truly helped me and allowed me to attain an interview.”
FAQs
Most research positions aren’t found through advertised openings, so it will take some initiative of your own to get connected with a research project. We recommend meeting with a peer advisor on campus. If you are unable to meet with a peer advisor, reach out to us and we can connect with you over the phone. Click the Get Started button below for more information, or the Peer Advising button to meet with a peer advisor.
While it’s an exciting experience to design a research project of your own, you certainly don’t have to create a project from scratch to participate in undergraduate research. UF is home to hundreds of researching professors who want to help students gain research experience and have ongoing projects that you can work on. The best way to get started in undergraduate research is to connect with a faculty member who can mentor you on an existing project or help you design one of your own. For more information on how to find a faculty mentor, check out the Get Started page by clicking the button below for help.
Your research opportunities are not limited to your selected major. If you find an interesting project or mentor that is not in your department, you can certainly benefit from this research experience. If this research is for a scholarship or for college credit, you will need to make sure you keep track of the requirements from your major and from your mentor’s department, as these vary among colleges and departments. Click the Find a mentor button below for more information.
Most colleges at UF have research credit options ranging between 0-3 credits. Applying for research credit is a great way to document your research experience on your college transcripts, so we highly recommend speaking to an academic advisor in your college about getting credit for your research.
Research courses range from 0-3 credits, this allows for a varied cost and time commitment for the student. 0 credit courses do not cost the student tuition, but allows for the undergraduate research to be displayed on the transcript. Applying for research credit is a great way to document your research experience on your college transcripts, so we highly recommend speaking to an academic advisor in your college about getting credit for your research.
The amount of time you will spend doing research will depend on your expectations and the expectations of your mentor and your college. It is generally recommended that you spend between 8-10 hours per week on your project. If you are taking a class for credit additional hours may be required. Speak to your faculty mentor to establish these expectations from the start.