Undergraduate Research in Ivan Allen College

Are you interested in undergraduate research opportunities in the Ivan Allen College? Curious about how to get involved, or what liberal arts research looks like?

This guide to undergraduate research in Ivan Allen College answers all these questions and more.

Keep reading to discover an extensive list of research opportunities in IAC and across the Institute, as well as funding sources, conference opportunities, and advice from undergraduate researchers just like you.

Now, let's dive in! 

Research Opportunities Across Campus

1. Did you know there are 20 research centers and labs in the Ivan Allen College? Many of them hire undergraduate and graduate researchers to work on projects and even co-author published papers.
    
2. Georgia Tech also has 10 interdisciplinary research institutes (IRIs) where faculty, students, and researchers work to solve pressing challenges. Ivan Allen College faculty are particularly active in the Energy and Sustainable Systems IRIs.
    
3. If you are interested in working at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, use the “student” filter to find open positions on the careers page.
    
4. For first-year students, GT 1000 is a one-credit-hour seminar about pursuing research at Georgia Tech.
    
5. The Office of Undergraduate Education is another great resource, sharing seven tips in their step-by-step guide to get involved in research at Georgia Tech.
    
6. PairMe is a virtual platform where faculty and researchers post open research positions for students.
    
7. The Research Option is a multi-course research track at Georgia Tech. It is open to all undergraduate students, but specifically geared toward those planning to attend graduate school or pursue a career in research and development — find the undergraduate coordinator for your School.
    
8. Undergraduate research ambassadors provide one-on-one support to students during their office hours, helping students explore their interests, contact faculty members, and find open research positions on campus.
    
9. Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) are faculty-led interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate and graduate students. You can receive academic credit or pay for working on a VIP research team.
    
10. Members of the Science and Technology Policy Connections student organization research topics across the humanities and STEM disciplines to help legislators make more informed policy decisions.
     
11. There are also classes that incorporate research into the curriculum at Georgia Tech. Read how these HSOC students help translate slavery data into stories and this INTA graduate honed his data visualization skills in Washington, D.C.

In addition, you can:

• Keep up with research news across campus through the research website, newsletter, and monthly bulletin (all of which can be found on the Institute Research Communications & Outreach page).
• Meet researchers across campus through the Faces of Research Q&As.
• And find more external Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) through the National Science Foundation.

Most importantly...

Don’t forget to talk to your professors! Here are the faculty members in each School in Ivan Allen College — browse through their profiles to learn more about each professor’s field of study.

• Economics faculty
• History and Sociology faculty
• International Affairs faculty
• Literature, Media, and Communication faculty
• Modern Languages faculty
• Public Policy faculty

Consider your favorite classes and interests - which one do you want to pursue further?

Remember, you don’t only have to pursue research related to your major — if another course sparks your interest, reach out to the professor to see if there’s anything they’re working on that you can help out with. Experience across fields and disciplines is a great strength to develop during your time in Ivan Allen College and beyond it.