Undergraduate research is often described as the exploration of a specific research topic by an undergraduate student that seeks to make an original contribution to the discipline. It is a fairly recent concept in the academic community, with roots in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The creation of MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) in 1969 encouraged an explosion in popularity. Undergraduate research programs were fairly common by the 1990s, and are currently accessible in many countries. Students may work on their own, collaborate with faculty members and other students, or seek enrollment in a research program within their field. Both faculty members and students experience advantages and disadvantages when collaborating on research. Although historically centered in the sciences, undergraduate research is now conducted in most fields. The research approach and preparation will differ depending on the disciplinary field and the specific research focus. Undergraduate research is often required for acceptance into graduate and professional schools.
History
Undergraduate research has proliferated in higher education since the mid-twentieth century, although it has roots in early nineteenth and twentieth-century practice, particularly in Germany. In 1810, Wilhelm von Humboldt founded the University of Berlin, which created the model for undergraduate research. During the nineteenth century, many Americans pursued graduate education in Germany. Many Americans began to call for a transition towards the German education systems, with specialized disciplines and majors. This paved the way for undergraduate education. Mentions and praises of undergraduate research could be found in journals and magazines by the early 1900s and in 1912, the University of Chicago established the undergraduate research prize in memory of Howard Ricketts. In 1969, Margaret MacVicar established the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at MIT. It was considered the first Undergraduate Research Program. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) was established in the United States in 1978 as a faculty development initiative; its headquarters are in Washington, DC. The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) was formed in 1987 and hosted its first conference at University of North Carolina at Asheville. Recent NCUR events have attracted more than 3000 students. CUR and NCUR merged in 2010. Since the 1990s, many universities and colleges have instituted programs and offices meant to foster research at the undergraduate level.
Global Representation
Undergraduate research is widespread globally and many international examples are presented in recent books edited by Hensel and Blessinger (2019), and Mieg, Ambos, Brew, Galli, and Lehmann (2022). In the Americas, undergraduate research is common in Canada and the United States and has a growing presence in countries in Central and South America. In Africa and the Middle East, undergraduate research has robust development in Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. With regard to Asia and Oceania, many nations are developing undergraduate research programs, with Australia and New Zealand hosting undergraduate research programs at multiple academic institutions. Within Europe, robust undergraduate research enterprises in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and several other countries have emerged.
In addition to the U.S. based CUR organization, several multinational organizations operate student research conferences and produce publications on a regular basis to serve the growing global undergraduate research community. Some examples are the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research (ACUR) and the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR). International undergraduate research conferences have also arisen, chief examples of which are the International Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR), the Global Undergraduate Research Awards, and the World Congress on Undergraduate Research. The most recent World Congress took place at the University of Oldenburg from May 23-25, 2019. The 2023 World Congress on Undergraduate Research will be held at the University of Warwick.