- Nuts and Bolts of Research: recommend setting up a schedule that works, hours that work
- Plan your classes so that you have a decent amount of time; roughly 3 hours (depends on your research) and at least twice a week to go into lab
- Working under a mentor vs. creating your own project:
- Both can be done! If you want to create your own project, you will need to show your professor a proposal, with a research plan sketched out
- Keep in mind that the environment of a lab can differ: some are deeply bureaucratic over generations, while others are more free-form-- this has to do with the history of students in the lab!
- Both can be done! If you want to create your own project, you will need to show your professor a proposal, with a research plan sketched out
- Let your professors know when you might have conflicting events with your research by GIVING THEM AN AHEAD OF TIME NOTICE
- Let your professors know your intended goals so you can find the right lab; for example, what type of project are you seeking to undertake, to what degree of autonomy do you hope to have on the project, etc.
- Make sure to stay in contact with your professor and research mentor throughout the process!
General UNT lab information
Biology
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The Department of Biological Discoveries at UNT is a highly esteemed organization, with medical discoveries being made, new technologies being developed, and improvements in sustainability and quality of life being made every day. Such work is supported by million dollar investments in creating collaborative research environments. Notable research institutes that offer cutting edge undergraduate research opportunities include the Institute of Applied Science, the Center for Plant Lipid Research, and the Center for Network Neuroscience. The Department of Biological Discoveries at UNT offers a wide variety of fields of study, from computational biology to ecology, so there is a place for everyone!
Prominent Professors:
Dr. Dane Crossley- https://biology.unt.edu/people/dane-crossley Dr. Jannon Fuchs- https://biology.unt.edu/people/jannon-fuchs Dr. Pamela Padilla- https://biology.unt.edu/people/pamela-padilla Dr. Rajeev Azad- https://biology.unt.edu/people/rajeev-azad Dr. Ana Alonso- https://biology.unt.edu/people/ana-alonso Dr. Richard Dixon- https://biology.unt.edu/people/richard-dixon |
Chemistry
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The Chemistry Department at UNT is consistently named a “superior performing department” in research and teaching. Chemistry research at UNT is endorsed by the National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation, and the American Chemical Society, among many other organizations. While traditional fields of study in chemistry are available within the Chemistry Department, such as analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical, interdisciplinary studies also mark the new frontiers of development at UNT. Such fields include computational, materials, forensics, and organometallic chemistry. Various professors offer undergraduate research opportunities for the wide variety of areas of study within the Chemistry Department.
Prominent Professors:
Dr. William Acree- https://chemistry.unt.edu/people-node/william-e-acree-jr Dr. Thomas Cundari- https://chemistry.unt.edu/people-node/tom-cundari Dr. Mohammad Omary- https://chemistry.unt.edu/people-node/mohammad-omary Dr. Oliver M.R. Chyan- https://chemistry.unt.edu/people-node/oliver-mr-chyan |
Physics
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The Physics Department at UNT excels in state-of-the-art research across a number of areas of physics and closely related areas of science and technology. With more than 20 research faculty members, substantial contributions and insightful projects are developed every day. Undergraduate research participation flourishes in the Physics Department, complimenting student education and professional preparation. Physics research at UNT is mainly concentrated in 7 main areas: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics; Astrophysics; Complex Systems; Ion Beam Analysis; Photonics; Materials Science; and Plasma Science. Such variety of studies offers a focused approach to developments in physics while engendering an environment conducive to learning!
Prominent Professors:
Dr. Duncan Weathers- https://physics.unt.edu/people/duncan-weathers-phd Dr. Arkadii Krohkin- https://physics.unt.edu/people/arkadii-krokhin-phd Dr. Carlos Ordonez- https://physics.unt.edu/people/carlos-ordonez-phd |
Computer Science
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The UNT College of Engineering is a diverse discipline that contains many subfields all contributing to the real world. The discipline ranges from mapping the mechanics of human traits to maybe understanding how vehicles function. The overarching goal of computer science research is to connect all aspects of life with technology. Computer science integrates into designs, algorithms, and procedures of your everyday work at the lab. This department of UNT earns millions of dollars of funding from renown companies and organizations such as Intel, NASA, AMD, and Microsoft. Research in computer science not only teaches young scientists how to code or design systems, but also the fundamental mechanics behind the things they are automating. Computer science extends past the field and provides a new lens to view the world and how it works. Some topics in this field include smart-home technology, artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, Cognitive Sciences, Computer Vision, Data Mining, and Cyber Security.
Prominent Professors:
Krishna Kavi- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/krishna-kavi Saraju Mohanty- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/saraju-mohanty Rodney Nielsen- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/rodney-nielsen Song Fu- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/song-fu Armin Mikler- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/armin-mikler Farhad Shahrokhi- https://computerscience.engineering.unt.edu/people/faculty/farhad-shahrokhi |
Mathematics
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Math is often used to explain or represent a phenomenon. At the UNT Mathematics Department, research is done to understand how mathematical models can be used to analyze systems and occurrences in real life. From bacterial genome evolution and plant genomics to fluid dynamics and statistical physics, math is used to represent ideas and processes through a mode which humans understand very well: numbers. That being said, Mathematics is a unique field of study that allows the researcher to not only grow their mathematical intuition but also learn about life processes at a deeper level by eventually modeling them. Some topics in this field include Dynamical Systems, Topological Studies, Operator Theory, Scientific Computation, Numerical Analysis, Computational Biology and Chemistry, and Metagenomics.
Prominent Professors:
Rajeev Azad- https://math.unt.edu/people/rajeev-azad Neal Brand- https://math.unt.edu/people/neal-brand Charles Conley- https://math.unt.edu/people/charles-conley Su Gao- https://math.unt.edu/people/su-gao John Krueger- https://math.unt.edu/people/john-krueger |
Psychology
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Psychology research, in the last decade, has made great strides in understanding the underlying phenomena behind the way humans think and how they behave. The Department of Psychology at UNT is among the top research institutions in the field of Psychology. The various laboratories studying psychological phenomena offer focused research experiences and great learning opportunities for those interested in the field. Some examples of specific research topics include: stress and trauma, PTSD, addiction, episodic memory, fatigue, and behavioral restraint.
Prominent Professors:
Dr. Casey Guillot- https://psychology.unt.edu/content/casey-guillot Dr. Anthony Ryals- https://psychology.unt.edu/content/anthony-j-ryals Dr. Rex Wright- https://psychology.unt.edu/rex-wrights-research-lab Dr. Adriel Boals- https://psychology.unt.edu/node/faculty/adriel-boals |
