By Carl B. Sell, PhD, Associate Director of Undergraduate Research
I often get asked a certain set of questions about undergraduate research by students and parents at info-sessions:
- “How can undergraduate research shape professional and personal skills for students?"
- "What skills will this give students who are not pursuing academia in the future?”
I tend to start them out with a few key definitions.
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines research as “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.”
Here at Pitt, we use that definition as the groundwork for the ways in which our students follow their curiosity by exploring topics and questions currently relevant in their field with faculty members that are esteemed researchers in their respective fields.
Ultimately, undergraduate research at Pitt allows students to build discipline-specific knowledge while answering key questions that professionals in their respective fields are also considering. These experiences are vital to increasing practical and theoretical knowledge in their prospective careers, whether or not they choose to pursue academia or industry.
Collecting and analyzing data is a critical skill that is necessary in any career, and critical thinking skills are best honed by practical, hands-on work in a discipline—which is exactly what research opportunities are intended to provide for undergraduates.
These opportunities also allow for students to present their findings, which teaches students communication skills at every level of proficiency: Researchers often present and speak to populations that know a great deal about their topic and to audiences that are more general. To hone the skills to be able to communicate research and data effectively to both audiences is, ultimately, unique to these kinds of opportunities.
Many students often do not get such experiences until graduate school—I certainly did not—and here at Pitt, we prioritize opportunities for undergraduates to find entry points into critical discussions in their field early in their careers. These entry-points are fostered through relationships with faculty research mentors who assist students in building skills, working with data and presentations, and guiding students to future opportunities in research-related careers and other academic opportunities.
I also really enjoy when students tell me about why they think research is important, and why getting involved in it leads to their personal and academic success in school.
One of our McNair Scholars, 2026 alumna Daisy Smith, had this to say about undergraduate research: “My experience in undergraduate research has truly shaped my educational career for the better. The opportunity to be involved in research at Pitt has given me life-long skills that I will be able to carry with me to my professional future. I have learned to collaborate with my peers and faculty members to develop a deep understanding of what goes into complex clinical research trials and to contribute meaningful, hard work to projects I am privileged to be a part of. Pitt has given me the tools to be able to enhance my educational and future professional career."
Speaking for myself, I teach and research English Literature, specifically Middle English Arthuriana in popular culture. I mention this to say that, even the most esoteric, niche research topics and fields can be so enriching and rewarding.
The same analytical and communication skills I use to present and publish findings and explain connections that only I may see to my colleagues and editors are the same as those used across disciplines at every level.
While the types of data and their conclusions might change, the skills in exploration, analysis, and presentation of findings is more similar than different in all fields, and when our students see that through their own exploration and presentations, it is truly joyous for me.
That is, ultimately, the beauty of being able to use undergraduate research to both hone the skills students learn in classes that they will use in their careers—whether those careers involve further academic research or not.
Learning cross-discipline skills are valued in any career, and the research process is uniquely insightful for undergraduates, as they see something they wanted to learn or were interested in when they heard it in class evolve into an active research project that gets them connected to a faculty member, then a presentation, and even publication.
Critical thinking and analysis of data are skills that are paramount, and undergraduate research allows you to apply the knowledge from class in a way that can make the information concrete and applicable.
Perhaps the most valued skill at play is communication, both presenting and writing, and students get feedback at all levels in both that are, frankly, unsung heroes of the professional world today.
At the end of the day, research teaches students to better understand what they and others value in their work, and what their prospective careers value, which is essential to understand before entering life after graduation.
Our Undergraduate Research website and the McNair Scholars and Friends of McNair Programs I direct showcase the impact cross-disciplinary student research has on student success at Pitt. Together with our various research partners and programs, like the Frederick Honors College, our students and research mentors demonstrate how vital and applicable honed research skills are to learning, professional development, and achievement beyond the classroom.
As a program and resource advisor, I am available to meet with any undergraduate student at Pitt to create a personalized plan for getting started in research, explore programs and offices that align with their interests, and connect with faculty research mentors who can help them discover and explore their interests. By fostering an environment where students are urged to follow their curiosity, Pitt proves that research, and the mentorship that comes with it, is possible.