Just north of half of all research in America is being conducted at American universities. This presents a remarkable opportunity for students to become an important part not only of academic research culture but to carry those skills out into the public and private sector.
Are you looking for a university with a top-tier research program? Here are five of the best research universities in America based on funding and undergraduate research opportunities.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
If you’re considering research schools, you’ve inevitably considered MIT.
MIT is the holy grail of American research schools by design. Unlike other schools, it adopted a model of teaching from European universities that prioritizes laboratory instruction in addition to classroom instruction.
MIT students are able to participate in or even initiate projects as part of their academic credit or as volunteers.
Johns Hopkins is the premier research university regardless of your field. Students in the sciences are particularly well-catered for because undergraduate students are able to participate in programs that most schools only allow graduate entry to.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Looking for an opportunity to get involved with contracts sponsored by the government and important industries? Look no further than the George Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in the Georgia Institute of Technology.
GTRI isn’t just focused on discovery. Faculty actively seek out groundbreaking opportunities and patents them. Moreover, students can get involved in faculty research and even receive the President’s Undergraduate Research Awards as a salary.
The University of Chicago is a research university at heart, and it’s love for discovery ranges from the physical to the social sciences.
Whether you’re interested in ancient dead languages or nuclear reactors, the University of Chicago has excellent student and faculty research options and an active undergraduate research community.
If you’re interested in research in the energy sector, Iowa State University is a unique option. The Electric Power Research Center is dedicated to studying a wide variety of subjects within the discipline and have plenty of resources, including the largest tornado simulator in the world, to get the job done.
Iowa State University is also a good choice for students who want to participate in world-changing research but who aren’t as interested in living in large or expensive cities.
Are you hoping to engage in research as an undergraduate? What universities are you interested in? Let us know in the comments.
