Student Research Opportunities
We strive to create learning opportunities for our students outside the classroom, and we believe in the value of student-led research. Check out some of our student research opportunities below. For a list of additional research opportunities in faculty labs, visit our Research and Employment Opportunities page.
W. Scott Chilton Undergraduate Research Award
The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology (PMB) gives the W. Scott and Mary Dell Chilton Undergraduate Research Award to one student each year. Applicants must be rising sophomores, juniors or seniors interested in becoming involved in research with a faculty member in the department. Stipends of up to $1,500 are furnished by the Chilton Undergraduate Research Foundation.
Integrative Microbial and Plant Systems Research Experience
NC State has a strong core of plant and microbial biologists who work in the areas of sustainable foods, fuels and computer modeling for studying fundamental biological mechanisms. Four major research themes across these faculty are stress resilience, nutrient acquisition in plant and microbial systems, signaling in plant-microbe systems, and plant-microbiome modeling.
The Integrative Microbial and Plant Systems Undergraduate Research Experience focuses on basic and applied questions about plant-microbe interactions in the face of climate change and global food security hardships.
During a 10-week summer program, students actively engage in a research project under the mentorship of a participating faculty member. Participants receive housing on campus, travel expenses when applicable, a food allowance and a stipend of $6,000. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation.
BeeMORE
The BeeMORE program at NC State is an eight-week summer research experience funded by the USDA – NIFA Research and Extension Experiential Learning for Undergraduates (REEU) Fellowships Program. BeeMORE focuses on building awareness and fundamental skills in the areas of microbiology and bee biology. This program provides eight undergraduate students with the opportunity to investigate diverse topics that highlight the importance of bees as pollinators, the role of pollinators in crop productivity, the importance of microbes in earth ecology and the specific role of microbes in bee health and disease.
