Saturday Q&A: Part IV

Saturday Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions from Our Tours...

Every week we'll post answers to prospective students' questions. Some will be FAQs from tours, like this week, and others will be responses to comments and emails received via this blog. If you have a question about a post we've covered previously, comment to ask us for more information. Have we not covered it yet? Email us at UVaSummer14@virginia.edu and we'll reply with an answer!

Can I have a meal plan after my first year?

Yes, we have many meal plan options that are available to our second, third, and fourth year students. The meal plan options offered to our upperclassmen students are different and more varied than the plans offered to first year students. You can also choose to not have a meal plan after your first-year if you decide you want to cook for yourself more or take advantage of the wide variety of restaurants that we have in Charlottesville and near Grounds.
--Will Bennett

Do undergraduates have the chance to participate in research?

There are many opportunities for students to get involved with research at the University - both on and off grounds. U.Va. is a large research University that is also very undergraduate focused, so right off the bat students can get involved in lab work (the most popular being in the social science, science, and psychology departments for example), work at a research institute off grounds, or help conduct studies and interviews in a multitude of subjects! Many of these research opportunities are open to all students and majors and can even count for academic credits at the University. Undergraduates can have a lot of responsibility within these projects, so it’s a great experience for those who want to participate!

--Chelsea Marcelin

What outdoor activities are available for students?

There are so many outdoor activities available to students. There are plenty of running and hiking trails near the New Dorm area close to observatory hill. There is also several popular hiking trails available with spectacular views - Old Rag, Humpback, and Sugar Hill are popularly attended by the students. In addition, there are several waterfalls nearby and also for the wintertime there is skiing at Evergreen.

--Wyatt Moorer

Undergraduate Research at UVA

Hey Guys! My name is Emma Petkofsky and I am a rising third year here at UVA. I grew up in the wonderfully historic Williamsburg, VA and I am studying Kinesiology and Psychology here at UVA. After I graduate I plan to get a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.  One of the most rewarding things I've been involved with here at UVA has been undergraduate research--something that about two-thirds of our undergraduate students will take part in during their time here.

I know when people talk about research at a university it is easy to jump right to science and engineering projects, but as a student at UVA you have the opportunity to explore whatever topic interests you most--no matter the field or the discipline. There are also a number of different avenues to getting involved in research, whether through student-led projects or teaming up with professors. As a research-oriented university, our professors are constantly engaging in their own research, and are more than happy to have undergraduates working on their projects.

For my own research project, I received the funding I needed through one of the grants offered here at UVA, known as the Jefferson Public Citizens. This grant is given to student teams of three to seven members that work on a project under the advisement of a faculty member. Some of this research takes place on grounds, but other projects have given students the opportunity to travel across the country, and internationally as well. My JPC team, for example, is doing research here in the Charlottesville area that deals with topics concerning gender studies and relationships. Some other grant opportunities available to students at UVA are The Harrison Award, and The Double Hoo Research Grant. The Harrison Award grants up to three thousand dollars to undergraduate students to work on a year-long research project, and the Double Hoo grants up to five thousand dollars to an undergraduate and graduate student pair working on a year long research project.

Research is abundant here at UVA. Whether you are interested in the arts, or engineering a clean water system for the developing world, you will find the resources you need to take part in a number of hands on, innovative research projects all over grounds.

Best of luck!

Emma

Three JPC grant recipients (from left: Catherine Nakalyowa, Emily Renda, and Jamie Swogger) are all smiles at an orientation this past semester. Photo Credit: Deidre Davie 

Independent Research--Not Just For Science Majors

Independent Research doesn't have to involve flasks and beakers. Every department at the University has offerings for students willing--and wanting--to go the extra distance. By utilizing these opportunities, students can have hands-on experiences, lending to better understanding of the material. Also, some independent research courses give students an idea of what certain careers would be like. For example, I joined a research group in the Biology department, and I tell everyone who asks me about it the same thing: I've taken coursework labs and research labs and the difference is textbook French to visiting France. You will learn quicker and more thoroughly if you immerse yourself in a real situation rather than textbook scenarios.

This is where I have spent many an hour working with Silene latifolia. Some days it's exhilarating, and other days I need a break from seeing eight hundred plants.

How Hard Is It To Get Involved?

Anyone at UVa who wants participate in research can. It's as simple as that. I don't know a single person who has genuinely wanted to do research that hasn't found a mentor. That's actually one of the best parts about UVa: you can get involved in a professor's research or a graduate student's research. Having graduate students expands the opportunities at least ten fold. A friend of mine works on the effect nematodes have on bees. Pictured right is a worker on a flower.

When Can I Get Involved?

Anytime you want to. I know first years who joined labs, and I joined my second year. I will say this caveat, though. Don't wait too long. Being in research typically takes two semesters at least (one semester to train, one to two to design and work on your project), so don't wait until your final year to join.

Where Do I Even Begin?

On many department directories, there's a link that says something to the effect of "Meet the Faculty." Click on that and read about what each professor is doing. For example, if you go to http://www.virginia.edu/biology/directory/faculty.htm , you'll see a full list of biology professors and a short explanation on what each one researches. If you then click on the individual names, you can see a longer description of their work in addition to the lab's homepage. There, you can read about the projects happening within that lab. Here's the homepage for the lab I joined: http://people.virginia.edu/%7Edrt3b/index.php.

What Can I Do Before I Enroll in UVa?

Whenever I would give summer tours and someone asked about research, I took them to the faculty directory and started writing down names, email addresses, phone numbers, and building numbers. Whenever you visit UVa, the professors are there--even in the summer. Why not spend time talking to professors while you're at UVa anyway? They're very friendly and approachable. They love students with initiative and will very willingly set up appointments to chat. As far as resources, current students and professors are some of your greatest. They're who you'll be working with on a daily basis. For me, when I went on a tour, I wasn't completely sold on UVa. I knew it was a nice place to look at and a good school, but I wasn't convinced this was where I wanted to be. Then I visited a microbiology class and was immediately ready to sign the enrollment paperwork. By luck, the class was going over a test they had taken last

time, and the professor let me have a copy to follow along during class.

So yes, visit the school, talk to the professors, take a class, interact with the students. It's the best litmus test a high school student has for determining how a college will be before attending it.

Never be afraid to notice the unusual and ask why.

Pictured left is a cluster of all white phlox flowers in my garden. My best guess is that there must be genetic co-dominance that allows some to be striped and others to be a solid color. I apologize for the slight jargon. I am a biology geek.