If you are reading this, you have probably decided that you are interested in applying to the SMART program. Within this program, identifying a research project and faculty mentor is the single most important decision you will make. After all, this is the project to which you will dedicate much time, energy and thought. Your faculty mentor is the person with whom you will be working most closely over the course of this project. It is important that you select a project in which you are interested and a mentor with whom you want to work. However, for many students, finding a project and/or mentor is difficult. The information provided on this page will help you with this process.

Projects and mentors are most often selected in one of three ways. A brief discussion of each follows. No single method is preferable to another, nor are these three methods of finding a project and/or mentor exclusive. Student/Mentor research team matches are made in a number of ways and the fact that a good match is made is much more important than the way in which you and your mentor came to work together.

The SMART on-line directory of research opportunities

The Burnett Honors College maintains a list of faculty members who have expressed an interest in working with undergraduate students on their research projects. This is a good place to start searching for research opportunities because you know that the opportunities on this list are open for student participation. Do the opportunities listed within your major sound interesting to you? Do any of them come close to what you ideally want to research? From this list you can also explore other opportunities outside your major. Often, faculty research is interdisciplinary and you may find that a faculty member from another department is interested in working with someone of your academic background, experience and knowledge as it may complement their own. Once you have identified a project or projects, check to see if you meet the requirements that the professor has given for his or her SMART assistant.

Next, come to the Office of Research and Civic Engagement in The Burnett Honors College (room 102) with the information about the projects in which you are interested. Here, you can talk about the SMART program, get more information about the research opportunities in which you are interested and learn the names of the faculty member who listed their projects with SMART. You will also receive help in setting up an initial meeting with the faculty member. After this meeting, if the two of you decide to work together, you are a SMART team!

Department web sites

Most faculty members on campus are engaged in some sort of ongoing research project. While many have listed these projects in the SMART directory, others have not. This does not necessarily mean that they would not be interested in working with you.

Most departments maintain web sites on which their faculty are listed. Often, on personal pages linked to the department page, faculty members list their publications and ongoing research projects. You should read these pages to see if someone is working on a project that is interesting to you. If so, learn what they have done and make an appointment with them to discuss their research. Faculty members generally enjoy meeting with students who are knowledgeable about and interested in their work. During this meeting, you can ask about getting involved in their research. If the faculty member is interested in working with you, refer them to the SMART program in the Burnett Honors College where your collaboration can be incorporated into this program.

Classroom experience

Students often become interested in faculty research projects as a result of a positive classroom experience. Faculty members often discuss their research in class and if you have had professors whose enthusiasm for their research has spread to you, let them know! Again, faculty members enjoy hearing from students with whom they have connected in the classroom. Perhaps you have a friend who has spoken highly of a professor she or he has had. Schedule a meeting to discuss their research and whether or not it is possible for you to get involved. If so, refer them to SMART.

After you have found your SMART mentor, please come back to the Office of Research and Civic Engagement in The Burnett Honors College to let us know. Also, make sure that you have completed the SMART Student Information Form. At this point you may also want to begin working with your mentor to complete an application for a SMART grant. Writing a grant application is a learned skill with which the faculty is familiar. Working together on this application will be the first part of what should be a beneficial collaboration.

Questions? E-mail HonorsResearch@mail.ucf.edu