<p>son has been accepted for chemistry and honors college. would like to know about research opportunities for undergrads at upitt...could he expect to be able to do research in freshman year or would if more likely be as a junior or senior. what specific programs would he need to look into to find research opportunities</p>
<p>There are a multitude of research opportunities for undergrads. He would definitely be able to do research freshman year.</p>
<p>There’s a program for first-year (and some times second-year) students called First Experiences in Research that he could look into. He’d be paired with a researcher and would be expected to do 5 or 10 hours a week of research for credit. At the end of the semester, he’d be expected to create and present a poster based on his project, though the poster presentation is really informal. This is one option.</p>
<p>His other option is to find a researcher whose work interests him and then contact this researcher, likely by e-mail, to let him/her know that he’s interested and would like to potentially work in his/her lab. Most PIs respond very well to having undergrads work in their labs, including freshmen. They’ll often even pay students. I’ve used this website to find researchers to contact: [University</a> of Pittsburgh Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program - Faculty Members](<a href=“http://www.gradbiomed.pitt.edu/faculty.aspx]University”>http://www.gradbiomed.pitt.edu/faculty.aspx). He could also look at the Chem Department’s faculty websites to see what their projects are and contact the profs whose work appeals to him the most.</p>
<p>Having done both routes, I would recommend the second one because he’ll have more freedom to choose work that he likes as well as the opportunity to meet with PIs beforehand to make sure that it’s a good fit. Also, when I participated in the First Experience in Research Program, it was kind of unorganized.</p>
<p>thank you very much</p>