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A student standing explains her economic growth research to an onlooker at a poster presentation.

Student Research

Student Research

Research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students empower you to make the most of your education at UNCW. You will apply what you learn in the classroom as you explore topics that interest you.

Along the way, you will discover your passion and position yourself for the next steps in your career path or continued scholarly journey.

Maximize the Value of Your Education

Research is an opportunity to identify a topic that interests you and study it in-depth, with the guidance of faculty experts who are invested in your success.

As you immerse yourself in a project of your own, you will employ skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, synthesis of ideas, and how to present your findings to other scholars.

Not only will you make a significant contribution to research and scholarly productivity at UNCW, you will also develop marketable career skills or prepare for your continued academic journey in graduate or professional schools.

Undergraduates who participate in research gain the advantage of a track record of applying what they learn to produce tangible results. Graduate researchers sharpen their scholarly expertise and gain an even deeper understanding of their chosen field.

A World of Topics

Most graduate programs will expect to see some track record of undergraduate research as a requirement for admissions, and employers welcome candidates with the kind of applicable experience gained through research.

Research at UNCW can be conducted in any discipline – the natural sciences and mathematics, education, business, social sciences, the arts and humanities. It can happen anywhere: in a scientific laboratory, in the great outdoors, on a computer screen, in the community, or in lands abroad.

As you delve deeper into your subject, you will gain confidence as a scholar. Discover previously unknown facts. Uncover questions that have yet to be answered. Let your curiosity take you as far as you want to go!

Student Research Projects

Dr. Wilson Freshwater and marine sciences graduate student Skye Dibner collect algae in the marsh to study for further study in the lab at the Center for Marine Science.

Organic chemistry student Michela Montgomery adds samples to the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer at UNCW's Crest Campus while studying in Dr. Jeremy Morgan's laboratory.

Coastal engineering students Jacob Stasiewicz and Chris O'Connor set up a field camera at Kure Beach Pier to monitor beach erosion through timelapse.

Student researchers working with Dr. Carolina Priester and D. Raymond Danner learn to read, interpret, and study CT scans and MRIs.

The Publishing Laboratory incorporates into the apprenticeship of creative writers an applied learning experience in the process by which literary manuscripts, including their own, are designed, shaped, and edited into books and published to a wide audience of readers.

Supervised by Professor Wayland Tseh, Holly Champion conducts a study that tests the benefits of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) on the cardiovascular health of paraplegics.

People standing in muddy water taking algae samples
Alt: Two students working in a laboratory in white lab coats
A student standing on a ladder under a pier as another student stands nearby holding a drill.
Two students dissecting a brain while looking at an image of a brain crossection.
Teacher explains how the publishing lab equipment works to three students.
One student sits with breathing gauges on face while another stands and studies the readings.

Getting Started

  • Choose a topic that interests you. You will get far more from your experience if you are passionate about your subject.
  • Check out department and faculty web pages to learn more about their research and published articles. Talk to professors about their research.
  • Gather information about your topic and be prepared to explain why it interests you and what you know about it.
  • Reach out to faculty who have expertise in that subject matter. In many cases, it will be a professor whose class you are taking. Other resources include fellow students or the department or college.
  • Follow up!

Research Opportunities

A poster outlining research on vocabulary retention by English learners in Ethiopia Undergraduate Research Find out how to develop a scholarly project in your major area, how to apply for funding to carry out your project or present your research at a conference, and how to present your project to a professional audience. Explore Undergraduate Research Opportunities
A student tries to put a band on a bird’s leg Graduate Student Research Graduate students lead research, assist undergraduates with their research, and work closely with professors on projects that contribute to their chosen field as well as the body of scholarly work at UNCW. Explore Research at UNCW
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