University Honors Program

Research

Research Opportunities

• Freshman Honors Mentor Program
• Honors Projects
• Research in the Capitol
• New Opportunities to Showcase Research and Scholarship

Freshman Honors Mentor Program
The Freshman Honors Mentor Program pairs a student in the Freshman Honors Program with a researcher in a field of study the student is interested in. It is offered to freshmen in their Spring semester. Read more about the Freshman Mentor Program.

Honors Projects
A requirement to graduate with the Honors designation, the Honors Project gives students a chance to show off not only what they've learned, but also how they've applied what they've learned. Read more about Honors Projects.

Research in the Capitol
Ten Iowa State University undergraduate students are selected annually to present their research to lawmakers in a program called "Research in the Capitol" in the rotunda of the State Capitol building.

The students, along with undergraduates from the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, display posters and provide other information about their research work. In 2006, Michael Gartner, president of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and John Brighton, ISU's vice provost for research, spoke during the program which was held on Tuesday, Feb., 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Subjects of the research range from chemistry to agriculture to aerospace engineering and are presented by the students who conducted the research. The students are excellent ambassadors to convey to the legislators the depth and variety of research we are doing at Iowa State.

The program is designed to highlight the importance of undergraduate research to legislators and other state officials. The date and time for the 2007 Research in the Capitol program has not yet been set, but interested ISU students may contact the Honors program for more information.

New Opportunities to Showcase Research and Scholarship
The Honors program is launching new opportunities for undergraduates to showcase results of their undergraduate research and creative work. A university-wide Undergraduate Research Symposium will be launched in April 2007 to provide student an opportunity to present and defend their undergraduate research in front of a campus-wide audience. Undergraduates from all disciplines (and not restricted to Honors studens) are being encouraged to consider participating in this event. Please contact the Honors Program to indicate your interest in participating, and watch this space for further details.

Discussions initiated by the Honors Program staff also are underway to launch an Iowa State University Journal of Undergraduate Research. The goal of this effort is to provide undergraduates an opportunity to take their research to the final step of peer-reviewed publication. Achieving this step provides a valuable product for demonstrating skills in scholarship and writing when applying for post-baccalaureate opportunities. Watch this space for further details.