Making It Happen: Workshops on Developing Your Research or Creative Project

January 8, 2019 | by Andrew Karas

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships announces the Spring 2019 cycle of the workshop series “Making It Happen: Developing Your Research or Creative Project.” This series of interactive workshops takes participants through the key stages of project development, from articulating the question that inspires your inquiry through writing a winning proposal–and everything in between. Whether you have a detailed idea for a project or simply think you might be interested in getting started, these workshops will help you take the next steps on your path to deeper involvement in research and creative endeavors.

The “Making It Happen” workshops are strongly encouraged for students applying for an Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors Award and required for applicants for the Summer Scholars Independent Research Fellowship (SSIRF). The SSIRF is the university’s most robust award for students taking on research and creative projects requiring the greatest degree of independence and sophistication. These awards support original, student-initiated independent research, creative performance, and project-making in close collaboration with a faculty mentor.

Northeastern Internal Undergraduate Awards Information Session
Thursday, January 10, 5:30PM, 450 Dodge Hall
To start off the spring semester, we will be holding an information session on two of our most generous and prevalent undergraduate research awards: the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor Awards (UGRCE) and the Summer Scholars Independent Research Fellowships (SSIRF). Learn which award would best fit your timing and needs.

Finding Your Sources: Using the Library
Tuesday, January 15, 5:30PM, Snell 422
Meet the dedicated staff and discover specialized resources—from 100,000 e-journals, to 30 years of recordings of Boston alt-rock station WFNX, to the archives of queer performance group The Theatre Offensive–that will help you conduct smart, targeted searches of our vast collections to find the essential sources in your field of endeavor.

Developing Your Research or Creative Question
Tuesday, January 22, 5:30PM, 450 Dodge Hall
All research and creative endeavors respond to a question, gap, or problem—but where do you start? Learn how to focus your project on a question that is both meaningful to your discipline or audience and precise enough to be feasible.

Cultivating a Faculty Mentor
Tuesday, January 29, 5:30PM, 450 Dodge Hall
Strong mentoring relationships are essential for success in research and creative endeavor, as well as graduate school and fellowship applications. But mentoring isn’t only about what you can get—it’s about building long-term, mutual relationships. Learn how to identify and approach potential mentors, be a gracious mentee, and cultivate your connection into the future.

Ethical Conduct of Research and Creative Endeavor
Tuesday, February 5, 5:30PM, 450 Dodge Hall
Research and creative projects must be both intellectually rigorous and ethically sound: protecting human subjects, respecting animals, and treating our peers, collaborators, and communities with respect. This session covers both fundamental principles and the specifics of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Formulating a Project Proposal
Tuesday, February 12, 5:30PM, 450 Dodge Hall
You’ve developed a question, researched the background, devised the methods—but how do you communicate the elements of your project effectively to an external reviewer? This session covers the construction of a compelling—and, hopefully, winning—project proposal.