Undergraduate Research
What Will You Discover?
USC Dornsife’s renowned faculty produce research that changes our understanding of the world. As an undergraduate student, you have opportunities to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these experts through the process of discovery and make an impact that is all your own.
What’s New in Undergraduate Research
Find out how USC Dornsife undergraduates are shaping the future through student research — in the lab, the archives, or around the world.
Student Research News
Gifted young authors get career boost through new endowment
The Jimmy Gauntt Memorial Award Endowment honors its namesake while giving talented USC Dornsife students a leg up on their writing careers and emergent projects.
Student launches pandemic plan for outdoor dining
Geodesign major Alexa Weintraub developed an interactive map that analyzed the impact of outdoor dining in New York and helped restaurants identify potential locations for new outdoor dining spots during the pandemic.
Mellon Mays Fellow builds on a history of activism
When computer science major Felanté Charlemagne realized the potential for research opportunities at USC Dornsife, he switched his studies to sociology and history. Now a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Felanté’s research focuses on prison abolition, decarceration, and the Black radical tradition.
Finalists for sustainability prize pitch green solutions
The Wrigley Sustainability Prize awards student projects that approach sustainability from a creative angle. Students have pitched novel ways of recycling plastic and innovation in to-go containers.
Summer Breakthroughs
Through SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fund) and SHURE (Summer Humanities Undergraduate Research Experience), you can participate in research projects, learn valuable hands-on skills, and build meaningful connections with experts in the field.
A Summer You’ll Never Forget
Looking for a way to deepen your academic experience while classes are in session? Through the SOAR program at USC Dornsife, you can become a faculty member’s research assistant during the the academic year.
A Sustainable Future Starts Now
Research at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) leverages the unique and awe-inspiring Catalina Island campus to create a more sustainable world. Undergraduate fellowships and research opportunities allow you to take a deep dive into everything from new breakthroughs in aquaculture to the latest insights in communicating sustainability to the public.
Bridge Undergraduate Science Program (BUGS)
Imagine the world in a cell. The Bridge Institute brings these worlds to life, while blurring the line between art and science to better understand the human body. Working alongside faculty members conducting barrier-defying research, BUGS students are in the center of the action.
Problems Without Passports (PWP)
Signature PWP courses challenge undergraduates to grapple with pressing global issues in the very places where they happen — from exploring ecological security in the Arctic to human trafficking prevention in the Middle East.
Undergraduate Research Symposium
At the Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work, you’ll have the opportunity to present your original research and creative work to fellow students and experts alike.
WiSE Undergraduate Research
Women in Science and Engineering programs aim to increase the number of women in STEM fields. Through WiSE, the next generation of scientific leaders connect with faculty mentors and gain experience in academic and laboratory research.
Undergraduate Research Fellowships
The USC Office of the Provost provides research fellowships to a limited number of undergraduates across the university. Through this program, you’ll work with a faculty mentor on a project that you design.