northwestern university undergraduate research

Academic Catalog

2023-2024 Edition

Undergraduate Research

Fellowships.

northwestern.edu/fellowships

Northwestern undergraduates win an array of national and international fellowships. Such awards fund study, research, and service opportunities in the United States and around the globe. The Office of Fellowships works with students in group and individual advising sessions to identify fellowships that fit their educational, professional, and personal goals. The office offers guidance on the preparation of written applications and conducts practice interviews.

Independent Study (399)

Many departments offer seminars and independent studies for qualified undergraduates. An independent study, typically numbered 399, in any department enables a student to engage in individual special study and research, which may involve work in a laboratory or library, fieldwork outside the University, or the creation of a work of art. The maximum credit a student may receive for 399 (or equivalent independent study) during any quarter is 2 units.

Support for Undergraduate Research Endeavors

undergradresearch.northwestern.edu

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) awards more than $1.5 million annually to students pursuing research and creative projects across all fields of study.  OUR uses an advising-centric model that focuses on helping students learn how to get started and how to write successful grant proposals; OUR advisors meet one-on-one with more than 500 students a year, totaling over 1,200 advising appointments.

OUR has three core programs. The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) allows faculty to apply for funding to hire students to help with their own projects in a formal mentoring environment designed to foster rapid development. The program focuses on assisting students just getting started in research and prefers disciplines where funding for undergraduates is hard to get, such as in the humanities or creative arts.  The Undergraduate Research Grant (URG) program funds independent research and creative projects across all disciplines.  The 35+ member faculty review committee is currently charged with offering a strictly merit-based review of grant proposals.  This process means that the committee can fund any and all projects that they feel are worthy.  If a student has a solid idea, works with faculty mentors, and uses the Office’s advising to learn how to write a successful grant proposal, then the competition is not between students, but rather challenges the individual student to discover what is needed in a field and create a project to potentially address this need to gain funding.  These grants regularly transform a student's experience of college and beyond.  Finally, OUR runs the Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition, an annual showcase of student work through oral presentations, posters, and a Creative Arts Festival.  For all participants, OUR runs workshops designed to help students develop strong and effective communication skills, specifically for an audience that isn’t already familiar with their field of interest. 

Other OUR grants provide support for intensive language study or for conference travel. An annual $9,500 award—the Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant, jointly funded by Northwestern University and the Circumnavigators Club ­Foundation—enables one undergraduate researcher to undertake around-the-world travel during the summer before their senior year.  OUR recently launched the Emerging Scholars Program, a 15-month funded program specifically for students who identify as first generation, lower income, people of color, and/or marginalized.  This grant focuses on providing opportunities for students to get started in research and/or creative activities in the arts, humanities, journalism, and social sciences, and this program is focused on supporting research and creative art that speaks to issues of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, OUR maintains a comprehensive website full of resources for students looking to get started in research.

The Office of Undergraduate Research also collaborates with a variety of student organizations committed to supporting research, including the Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal (NURJ) , the Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium (CAURS) , and TEDx Northwestern . 

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DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

• Undergraduate
• Research Opportunities

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Political science research.

It can be hard to know where to begin with research. This video, courtesy of  Northwestern’s Office of Undergraduate Research , outlines research paths in Political Science.

• What ideas interest you when you think about politics?
• How can you convert an interest into a project?
• How do you ask for faculty mentorship?
• Is there a research method that would best fit your project's goals?

Take advantage of several exciting research opportunities, ranging from collaboration with faculty to engaging in your own research.

Political Science Department Opportunities

Farrell Fellowship In our competitive research mentorship program, Political Science majors work alongside professors on faculty-generated research projects. As paid research assistants, Farrell Fellow receive in-depth research training and learn the process of conducting academic research from faculty mentors.

Ginsberg Undergraduate Research Grants Have an idea of your own for a research project? Ginsberg Grants support student-initiated projects conducted in the collaboration with a Political Science faculty member.

Honors Thesis Did a class or experience inspire you to think more deeply about a topic? Paired with a faculty advisor, conduct your own research and write an honors thesis in the political science honors program.

Additional research opportunities

Northwestern offers a range of opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in conducting research. Political Science students are encouraged to explore the variety of research opportunities available throughout Northwestern. Some of the research opportunities and resources that Political Science students commonly purus include:

• Opportunities and resources offered by the Northwestern Office of Undergraduate Research: t he Office of Undergraduate Research offers the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) for students to gain research experience through working with faculty; research grants during the summer and academic year for students to pursue their own research; and advising and resources on finding research opportunities or working on your own research project.
• Research programs offered by other departments and research centers, such as the Institute for Policy Research's Summer Undergraduate Research Assistant Program and the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies' Leopold Fellowship .

Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Department of molecular biosciences.

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Undergraduate Research

• Programs Home
• Summer Research and Outreach Programs

Research Resources

• Biological Sciences Major
• Research Mentors
• Science Research Workshop

Why participate in undergraduate research?

• Through the challenge of state-of-the-art research opportunities undergraduates receive training that develops and improves their scientific skill set.  
• Personalized mentored research at the undergraduate level provides undergraduates with training and experience to go on to competitive professional/graduate schools and career positions in research laboratories.  
• Undergraduates who take on research projects become full members of an active research laboratory, enriching their educational experience and providing them with opportunities for major scientific discovery.  
• Society benefits through such discovery and Biological Sciences majors become active participants in this process.

Mentored Research Opportunities in the Department

• Faculty with active research programs in a variety of scientific disciplines offer undergraduates opportunities for multi-year participation in the laboratory.  
• In addition to overall guidance from the principal investigator, undergraduates are matched with day-to-day research mentors to guide their development as young scientists.  
• Finding the right laboratory can be facilitated through participation in Northwestern University’s Science Research Workshop or simply by emailing Faculty Research Mentors to determine if there are openings, and to request in-person interviews.

Summer Research Grant Opportunities

Several sources are available for undergraduates to land research grants that allow them to start or continue their projects full time over the summer.  Applications are due during Spring Quarter. 

• Northwestern University Undergraduate Research Grants
• Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• The Program in Biological Sciences

Academic Year Research Grants 

Undergraduate research grants to offset the cost of research for the host laboratory are awarded by the Undergraduate Research Grants Committee throughout the academic year.

Award-winning Undergraduate Research

Research by undergraduates in the Department of Molecular Biosciences is recognized through numerous summer research grant opportunities and research prizes.

Research prizes are awarded to Biological Sciences majors who have achieved excellence in their research projects and have written up their results into a Senior Thesis as part of the Honors Program requirements. These prizes include:

The David Shemin Research Prize

The Constance Campbell Research Prize

The Emanuel Margoliash Research Prize

The Irving Klotz Research Prize

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Undergraduate Undergraduate Research Opportunities

As a McCormick undergraduate, you can take part in the kind of unique and forward-looking research that defines Northwestern University and advances our understanding of today’s complex engineering challenges.

Browse this section for information, links, and resources about applying for grants and conducting undergraduate research at McCormick, including:

• How to Get Started on Research Get information about when to begin, how to find a lab, and how to approach professors
• Frequently Asked Questions Explore our undergraduate research FAQs on topics like time commitment, pay, honors, advising, and more
• Summer Research Programs How to apply to a variety of Northwestern, non-Northwestern, and study abroad summer research programs
• Research Grants & Awards How to apply for various research grants and the McCormick Summer Research Award program
• Peer Advising in Research How to connect with a fellow undergraduate in your field who can advise you on the undergraduate research experience at McCormick
• Responsible Conduct of Research Get information about conducting responsible and ethical research through Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training

How to Get Started on Research

Jump to a Section

When to Begin

• How to Find a Lab That Suits Your Research Interests

How to Approach Professors for Research Opportunities

Some students get involved in research as early as their freshman year, although the student's responsibilities may be limited. A background of coursework is helpful, so we generally advise students to start research once they've developed a strong interest in a particular field and will have time to thoroughly commit to a lab.

Students often begin to think about doing research in their junior year by taking 399 Independent Study.

Advisers may be more willing to take you on after you have completed more of the relevant coursework. However, underclass students may also be attractive candidates, as they could potentially commit two to three years of research.

Return to Top

How to Find a Lab that Suits Your Research Interests

Finding a lab that best suits your research interests can be difficult. While it can take time for undergraduates to understand what research entails, here are some tips for finding the right research lab for you:

• Browse the research sections of the departmental websites . This can provide some understanding of the broad research goals and the laboratories working in those fields.
• Visit individual laboratory websites , which often provide understandable summaries of their research.
• To get the clearest idea of what is done in that particular lab, look through the most recent publications listed on the lab website.
• Pay attention to departmental news that focuses on research breakthroughs and accomplishments by faculty.
• Watch the bulletin boards around the “Tech” building and surrounding science buildings for current research posters and flyers. It’s always useful to have an idea of the research work conducted by your professors.
• Remember, you can also target labs outside your department. For example, BME students often work in the Feinberg School of Medicine and EE students often work in BME labs.

Once you have found several professors (i.e., principle investigators) you are interested in working for, send each one a personalized email describing your objective and interest. Do not send bulk emails.

Showing a clear understanding of their research conveys that you have read up on their work and are interested in joining the lab. Again, reading publications will drastically improve your understanding of the lab's research.

Here are two guides to help students approach professors in an appropriate way for research opportunities.

• SRW Guide to Emails and Interviews Written by the Science Research Workshop, this guide provides helpful tips to writing emails and preparing for interviews.
• Professor Pinto's Guide to Finding Research   This document provides a professor's point of view on how students can successfully find research opportunities in the life sciences.

More in this section

• Research FAQs
• Summer Research Programs
• Research Grants & Awards
• Peer Advising in Research
• Gateway Research Awards
• Engineering Home
• Undergraduate

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• Corporate-Sponsored Research
• Research Offices / RA website
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Contact Info

Wesley Burghardt Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering

McCormick Office of Undergraduate Engineering Phone: 847-491-7379 Fax: 847-491-5341 Email Undergraduate Engineering

Undergraduate Research, Office of

• Provost, Office of the

Offering academic year & summer undergraduate research grants, language grants, conference travel grants, the Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant, information on the Undergrad Research & Arts Exposition, the Undergrad Research Assistant Program and more.

• Phone: 847-467-0499
• Dept. NetID: oua311
• Buildings: Suite 2-225, 1801 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60208 campus map
• Mail code: 1-200
• Web site: https://undergradresearch.northwestern.edu/

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

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DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS

• Undergraduate
• Research Opportunities

Northwestern University Undergraduate Research Grants

Northwestern’s Associate Provost for Academic Education administers Undergraduate Research Grants that are open to undergraduate students throughout the university.

ACADEMIC YEAR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANTS provide up to $1,000 to pay for research expenses toward an independent academic or creative project in any field. The project must be connected to an independent study or thesis seminar.

SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANTS provide a $3,500 stipend to cover living and research expenses for eight weeks of full-time independent academic and creative work, in all fields of study, under faculty supervision .

UNDERGRADUATE LANGUAGE GRANTS provide up to $5,000 (up to 75% of total expenses) towards the cost of i ntensive summer language study either in the US or abroad .

ARE YOU UNDERTAKING RESEARCH FOR THE FIRST TIME AND NEED SOME HELP?

The UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROGRAM pairs inexperienced students with faculty who are in need of assistance on their own research projects.

The ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES WORKSHOP helps students how to figure out what research looks like in their discipline, brainstorm and develop their own ideas, and then either write a solid proposal for the Summer URG or for working with a faculty mentor on a Summer URAP .

The PEER RESEARCH MENTOR PROGRAM connects students undertaking research for the first time with a community of their peers and a mentor .

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PRESENTING YOUR RESEARCH?

CONFERENCE TRAVEL GRANTS fund 50% of your expenses (up to $500) to present your research or original creative work at a conference.

Apply to the UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH & ARTS EXPOSITION , the annual forum for original research and creative work by Northwestern undergraduates, where prizes are awarded for the best poster, oral presentation, and creative arts entry.

For additional information, see the Office of Undergraduate Research website .

For departmental advice, please contact Prof. Francesca Tataranni .

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES

• Undergraduate

Undergraduate Research

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) provides a wide range of undergraduate research opportunities that develop professional experience before graduation. With a faculty advisor, students may undertake field work in local to remote locations, collect and analyze research samples and instrumental data, or utilize a range of computational and/or analytical methods. Analysis methods and training include high-performance computing clusters, mass spectrometers, and seismometers. Undergraduate research can be pursued to gain valuable experience, or in support of a senior honors thesis . EPS undergraduate research projects are often published in top-ranked peer-reviewed journals. If you are interested in undertaking a research project, we encourage you to contact a faculty member, or the Director of Undergraduate Studies, as soon as possible. The earlier a project begins, the greater the research potential.

Some examples of past undergraduate research experiences:

Karalyn Berman

Karalyn Berman ’18 is an Earth and Planetary Sciences and Environmental Sciences double major. She worked in Professor Axford’s Quaternary Sediment Lab for almost four years. Karalyn employed both geochemical and paleobiological techniques in her research, which investigated the timing of postglacial isostatic emergence of the southwest Greenland coast and developed a paleobiological reconstruction of environmental change there throughout the past 8000 years. She presented her thesis project at the NU Undergraduate Expo and at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. In addition to pursuing this geological research, Karalyn also explored her interest in the intersections between environmental science and policy as a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar in the Western U.S. during the summers after her sophomore and junior years.

Katie Braun

Katie Braun is working with EPS professors Daniel Horton and Matt Hurtgen, along with Ethan Theuerkauf of the Illinois State Geological Survey, on quantifying the amount of carbon in a rapidly eroding Illinois wetland. Previous studies of carbon movement through coastal wetlands have overlooked the export of carbon through shoreline erosion. Katie’s field site at Illinois Beach State Park is particularly interesting because this wetland has experienced massive erosion in the past few years of high lake level; the shoreline stepped back over 5 meters in the summer of 2017 alone. This rapid erosion likely means large quantities of carbon have been released into Lake Michigan, where the carbon can return to the atmosphere and contribute to greenhouse warming. To quantify this carbon loss, Katie gathers sediment cores and GPS data from her field site and analyzes those cores in the Sedimentary Geochemistry Lab and the Quaternary Sediment Lab on campus. By combining the carbon content of the cores with ArcGIS analysis of GPS data and historic aerial photographs, she will create a mass balance model of wetland carbon. Katie has been awarded a Northwestern Undergraduate Research Grant to complete this work and aims to determine whether this wetland currently functions as a sink or source of carbon. 

Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell is currently working with Donna Jurdy to reinterpret seismic reflection lines underneath Lake Superior, mapping subsurface structures and determining subsurface velocities to understand the tectonics of the midcontinent rift. Using magnetic, gravimetric, and stratigraphic data, Michael is working towards characterizing an anomalous area near Isle Royale. Previous studies either ignore this feature or classify it as an “accommodation zone,” pointing towards a possible active fault or fault zone. Michael has also worked with Seth Stein and graduate student Leah Salditch, working to explain Cascadia earthquake probability models to general audiences. This has been combined with sports analogies and presented as a teaching tool at the Geological Society of America Fall 2017 Meeting and the American Geophysical Society Fall 2017 Meeting. He is also a co-author of, “Is the Coast Toast? Exploring Cascadia Earthquake Probabilities” published in GSA Today.

Hannah Dion-Kirschner

Hannah Dion-Kirschner is working with Maggie Osburn and Yarrow Axford to investigate lipid biomarker paleoclimate proxies. Specifically, she is aiming to better constrain these proxies for their use in high-latitude lacustrine environments. The long-chain lipids that coat the leaves of plants are well-preserved in sedimentary records, making them useful biomarkers, and their carbon chain lengths and isotopic compositions can reveal information about past hydrology, ecology, and climate. However, numerous factors complicate the use of these lipid characteristics to reconstruct climate. Hannah is working to deconvolute the effects of plant type, plant physiology, and climate in the creation of particular lipid biomarker signatures, and she is creating a calibration that is specific to the Arctic, where a short growing season, characterized by cool temperatures and continuous light, adds further potential complications. Her calibration will also enable a highly accurate reconstruction of recent climate using a lacustrine sediment core from western Greenland.

Chris Callahan

Chris Callahan is an environmental science major working with Dr. Daniel Horton to determine the influence of climate change on extreme air quality events. The occurrence of extremely poor air quality is strongly influenced by meteorological conditions. Low wind speeds, a lack of precipitation, and vertical temperature inversions impede pollutant dispersal, and their co-occurrence with harmful pollutants can lead to hazardous air quality conditions. Determining whether climate change has altered the occurrence, duration, or intensity of these meteorological conditions in events such as Beijing’s January 2013 “airpocalypse” requires analyzing large sets of observational data, climate model simulations, and statistical analyses that separate climate change trends from underlying weather noise. This research constitutes Chris’s senior honor’s thesis and will be presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in December 2017.

Monica nhi ha

Monica Nhi Ha worked with Professor van der Lee on mapping the deep subsurface beneath the eastern third of North America. The map would reveal where Proterozoic lithosphere ends, where oceanic lithosphere begins, how much and what type of Phanerozoic lithosphere underlies the Appalachian Mountains and eastern seaboard of the USA, and how this might affect the dynamics, seismicity, heat flow, and morphology of that area. To do so, she looked at a lot of squiggly lines of seismograms (time series of ground motion caused by distant earthquakes) on a lab computer with a decent screen, and aligned them by similarity. She also runs various scripts and programs written in unix and Python to prepare the data for the alignment and to analyze the results afterwards. Older lithosphere has cooled longer, which makes it stiffer and thereby more efficient at propagating seismic waves, which were recorded into seismograms by Earthscope-USArray seismic stations. Monica’s alignments measure how efficiently the wave propagated.

John M. Hayes

EPS and ES major John Hayes has been studying the organic geochemistry of the reservoir Lake Decatur in Illinois. Reservoirs, as a group, have been recognized as globally important sites of C-sequestration and methane production because of their large number (~20 million worldwide). Lake Decatur is in the Sangamon River watershed and is part of the NSF-supported Intensively Managed Landscape – Critical Zone Observatory, which seeks to understand how landscape engineering shapes biogeochemical cycling. John is using a novel broad-spectrum biomarker approach to deconstruct the history of organic C inputs to the lake since its creation in 1922. Using a combination of lipid and lignin biomarkers coupled with carbon isotope information, an evolution from local vegetation upon initial valley flooding, to eroded soils from agricultural fields, to finally algal production resulting from eutrophication of the lake can be discerned in the lake sediments. This type of information will be valuable for constraining the behavior of reservoirs in global C-cycle models. John has received a WCAS Undergraduate Research Grant for summer support.

Laura Beckerman

Laura Beckerman worked with EPS graduate student Maya Gomes to explore the relationship between the geochemical cycles of carbon and sulfur in the Cretaceous Period. More specifically, she investigated the possible role that massive volcanism may have played in driving widespread oxygen deficiency in the oceans (Oceanic Anoxic Event 2). This work involved cutting and crushing sedimentary rocks, performing a host of chemical extractions in the laboratory in order to isolate distinct chemical phases, and then utilizing an isotope ratio mass spectrometer to measure the carbon and sulfur isotope composition of various chemical phases. Laura was awarded a Northwestern Undergraduate Research Award to complete this work and presented the results at the 2013 Northwestern Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition.

Nora Richter

EPS and ISP major Nora Richter has been conducting paleoclimate and geochemical research in EPS labs since her freshman year at Northwestern.

Early in her career, Nora worked in the Organic Geochemistry Lab. For one project, she extracted leaf wax lipids from plants collected by graduate student Rosemary Bush along a transect across the U.S. For another, she examined lipids in the sediments of an Icelandic lake, with the goal of identifying periods of soil erosion in Iceland. More recently, Nora used the microscopes in Yarrow Axford's Quaternary Sediment Lab to analyze insect (Chironomidae) remains in lake sediments from Greenland. Insect species assemblages provide a valuable method for reconstructing past climate changes in the high Arctic. Nora's research on a northwest Greenland lake was part of Dr. Axford's ongoing collaborative research aimed at understanding how the extent of the Greenland Ice Sheet has varied over the past ten thousand years as a result of climate change – and by inference, how the vast ice sheet (and thus global sea level) might respond to future climate change. This summer, Nora expanded her expertise as a polar researcher by conducting fieldwork on the arctic island of Spitsbergen, having successfully applied to a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program there. As a senior, Nora will follow up with lab investigations of samples she collected on Spitsbergen.

Kristen Bartucci

Working with Dr. Yarrow Axford, Kristen studied past Arctic climate through paleolimnology—the study of lakes and lake sediments. Kristen researched sediment cores from a lake on the southwest coast of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS). This research focuses on the recent geologic past—the last 10,000 years or so of the Earth’s history. Analyzing the abundance of certain fly larvae, or midges, from lake sediment cores is a good indicator of past temperatures. Certain species only live in certain temperature ranges. Therefore, knowing the magnitude of species at different times makes it possible to recreate temperature profiles of the area. At the current melt rate of the GIS, understanding how sensitive it is to changes in temperature is crucial in order to predict what may happen with future warming.

It is then possible to decipher the relative sensitivities of the ice sheet to temperature changes by comparing rates of glacial retreat and past temperature. The midge data they hope to find are crucial to determining the response of the Greenland ice sheet to current warming, as the ice sheet is 2 miles thick and is capable of a rise of 22 feet in sea level if melted completely.

Alexa Socianu

Alexa's research, "Reconstructing p CO2 values during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum," focused on a novel method of calculating paleo- p CO2 levels using pedogenic carbonate nodules in conjunction with leaf wax n -alkanes from paleosol horizons in the Big Horn Basin, WY dating back approximately 57 Ma. This time period, referred to as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, represents a period in Earth’s history when global surface temperatures had warmed by up to approximately 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Analysis of paleo-pCO2 levels allows us to understand the causes for this dramatic warming event. Current soil carbonate proxies used to estimate paleo- p CO2 rely on bulk organic matter δ13C values, however this method of calculation is flawed. By refining the method for calculating paleo-pCO2 levels, she hopes to more accurately assess and understand paleoenviornments as well as gain a better understanding of the effects of quantifiable increases in CO2 on global temperature change.

Joseph Walkowicz

Joseph's research, entitled R econstruction of an Ordovician Megalograptus from Virginia , revolved around the identification and classification of an extinct group of arthropods called eurypterids. Although these ancient "sea scorpions" lived hundreds of millions of years ago, their phylogenetic characterization pertains to modern horseshoe crabs and scorpions, among other arthropods such as insects. Collaborating between many institutions, including the University of Illinois, Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History, Joseph's research intends to reconstruct and identify a particularly rare eurypterid from its fossilized remains.

DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY

• Undergraduate

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Undergraduate Research is a vital component of an art history major or minor, and an increasing number of our students are taking advantage of the opportunity to study abroad or to conduct individual research projects. Students interested in study-abroad programs should consult the Northwestern Study Abroad website .

Undergraduate Funding Opportunities

Interested students should see the Director of Undergraduate Studies as well as consult the Office of Undergraduate Research .

In particular, our majors have an excellent record of receiving Undergraduate Research Grants , which are awarded for amounts of up to $1,000 to assist undergraduates in pursuing original research or creative work under the close supervision of a faculty member during the academic year.

Our majors are also very successful at winning Summer Undergraduate Research Grants , which offer up to $4,000 to cover research and living expense for an eight-week summer period. Normally these are offered to sophomores and juniors.

Other important resources include:

• Conference Travel Grants (CTG) : funding for students presenting at conferences/meetings
• Undergraduate Language Grants (ULG) : funding intensive summer language study
• Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant : $9,500 to support an around-the-world travel-study project during the summer between junior and senior year.
• Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) : a program that funds research assistants to work on faculty research projects
• Humanities Research Workshops (HRW) : a new program designed to help students in the humanities and creative arts learn to get involved in research in their fields

In addition, the Office of the Provost runs the  Undergraduate Research Symposium  in which many of our students participate regularly.

For more information or for any specific questions, feel free to contact the Coordinator/Advisors for the various grant programs.

Peter Civetta Director Undergrad Research Office 847-467-0499 [email protected]

KaPLAN Funding OpportunitY

The Kaplan Institute for the Humanities is an interdisciplinary institute that promotes scholarly dialogue and investigation across the humanities. Kaplan offers the Franke Undergraduate Fellowship for Innovative Humanities Scholarship . For this highly selective capstone experience, Franke Undergraduate Fellows have the opportunity to enhance their projects by playing a significant role in the interdisciplinary community of the Humanities Institute. The Fellowship also includes the Senior Humanities Seminar (HUM 398) in fall and winter quarters (.5 credit per quarter) with faculty mentoring on research design, critical analysis, and constructive critique as well as training in how to create a public talk for audiences outside their discipline. Franke Undergraduate Fellows receive $3,000 in funding. Art history majors have historically been successful in receiving this Fellowship.

Buffett Funding Opportunities

The Buffett Institute for Global Affairs has several funding opportunities for students at varying stages of research. 

The International Senior Thesis Research Grant offers awards of up to $6,000 for eight weeks of summer independent research on a senior thesis, covering travel and living expenses in locations outside the contiguous U.S. as well as research with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities, locally and globally.  Students who seek support for a shorter period than eight weeks of concentrated research may be considered for a prorated grant. Prorated grants are usually for six or seven weeks of research, as approved by a faculty supervisor. 

The Buffett Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program is d esigned to provide students with a significant global or international learning experience through faculty-led research through summer research assistantships. Each Buffett Undergraduate Research Fellow will be eligible to earn up to $4,000 total through a paid research assistantship ($16 per hour for up to 250 hours, carried out over the summer and/or any subsequent quarters during the 2024–25 academic year).  If international travel is required for Research Fellows to fulfill the duties of their assistantships, some projects may be eligible for travel support of up to an additional $2,000.

Designated funds and special grants.

There are also a number of Weinberg College Designated Funds and Special Grants of interest to art history majors whose home school is WCAS. The following list is not comprehensive but may be helpful as you begin to explore opportunities.

Katherine L. Kreighbaum Scholarships  support independent research projects of rising seniors in preparation for writing a senior thesis. For further information, contact Associate Dean  Liz Trubey .

Herskovits Undergraduate Fellowship Program  provides funding for research involving the use of Northwestern's renowned Africana collection. The fellowships are administered by Weinberg College's undergraduate program, the Program of African Studies, and the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies. Contact the Program of African Studies at 847-491-7323 for additional information.

Posner Summer Fellowship Program  provides summer research funds for students from underrepresented groups who are at earlier stages than students eligible for most other funding sources – typically fist-years and sophomores. For more information, contact Associate Dean  Liz Trubey .

Lane Environmental Studies Grants  provide funding for research on environmental issues. Applications for research during the academic year should be submitted on the Weinberg Academic Research Grant form. Applications for research during the summer should be submitted on the Weinberg Summer Research Grant form. Prior application to the URG committee is not required. 

Sion Asia-Related Research Grants  provide funding for research on Asia-related topics. Applications for research during the academic year should be submitted on the Weinberg Academic Research Grant form. Applications for research during the summer should be submitted on the Weinberg Summer Research Grant form. Prior application to the URG committee is not required.

Header Image: Students in ART_HIST 255 participate in the 1937 Paris Expo Historical Game, February 22, 2024.

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Faculty members in the Department of Psychology are active researchers, contributing to the advancement of knowledge about human behavior within a wide range of research areas and to the application of that knowledge. You can learn about the research focus of each member of the faculty by selecting the Faculty link in the People section of our website. In addition, many labs in the department have their own websites, which you can access via the " Laboratories " link to the left.

From the first year onward, graduate students in the department do research under the supervision of department faculty members.  The Department of Psychology also provides many opportunities for undergraduate students and community members to become involved in the research process. 

Our " Participate in Research Studies " pages provide information on opportunities to participate in studies for course credit (e.g., in PSYCH 110-Introduction to Psychology) or for pay. If you sign up for the Paid Participant Registry , you will automatically be notified when new studies become available for paid participation. Or, you can check out the page on Paid Research Opportunities to find individual listings for studies in which you might like to participate. 

One of the best ways for undergraduate students to learn more about psychological research is to help conduct research studies.  Many of our labs offer opportunities for undergraduates to become involved in doing research under the guidance of members of the faculty for course credit (PSYCH 397/399), for work-study, or on a volunteer basis.  To learn more, see our pages on Undergraduate Research Opportunities .

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UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND ARTS EXPO

Conference Proceedings

The annual forum for undergraduate research and creative work at Northwestern.

The Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition is the annual forum for original research and creative work by undergraduate students at Northwestern University. Prizes are awarded for the best poster, oral presentation, and creative arts entry. This conference archive organizes the oral presentations, posters, and creative works from the Expo and creates a permanent record the scholarship and art that was presented.

The conference is organized by the Office of Undergraduate Research of Northwestern University. The proceedings are published with support from Northwestern University Libraries .

Presentations

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• Six Pillars of Decarbonization

Trienens Institute Six Pillars of Decarbonization

Spanning the entire University, the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy works at the intersection of technical and social sciences, operationalizing the University’s priority to “lead in decarbonization, renewable energy and sustainability.”

The Trienens Institute has catalyzed collaborative, cutting-edge inquiry across Northwestern, providing financial resources for new research, equipment, and commercialization. The Institute presently supports teaming across six primary research pillars concerned with the energy transition.

The Trienens Institute Six Pillars of Decarbonization are anchored by teams of distinguished faculty with accolades that include membership to the National Academies of Engineering, Sciences, and Inventors, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and fourteen Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers - the top 0.1% most influential researchers in their field(s) over the last decade. 

GENERATE  a vast supply of low-carbon intensity electricity

Area of Focus:  Northwestern will build a new class of solar energy production by focusing on high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells and next-generation solar cell materials.​  

Pillar Co-Chairs:

• Mercouri Kanatzidis |  Chemistry
• Dayne Swearer | Chemistry

STORE low-carbon intensity electricity for long-term utilization

• Area of Focus: Northwestern will leverage its expertise in solid state ionic materials to pioneer new materials with the required combination of performance (energy density, cycle life, and safety) and cost (levelized cost of storage) to unlock a new generation of scalable grid storage.​
• Mark Hersam | Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Jeffrey Lopez | Chemical and Biological Engineering

DEPLOY energy to decarbonize industries​

• Area of Focus: Northwestern will help create a new regime of sustainable energy and processes by focusing on clean hydrogen production, use, and storage.​
• Sossina Haile | Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics
• Jennifer Dunn | Chemical and Biological Engineering

RECYCLE both CO₂ and materials via circularity and polymer upcycling​

• Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead in the creation of advanced polymers and processing methods for materials that will help solve the plastics pollution crisis and create a viable circular economic model at scale.​
• William Dichtel | Chemistry
• John M. Torkelson | Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering

TRANSFORM wastes and renewable feedstocks into transportation fuels and decarbonized chemicals​

• Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead in the creation of catalytic systems for sustainable aviation fuel and decarbonized chemicals.​
• Justin M. Notestein | Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Linsey Seitz | Chemical and Biological Engineering

CAPTURE CO₂ from dilute sources

• Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead the development and testing of novel nanoporous materials and electro-chemical methods for carbon capture.​
• Randall Snurr | Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Omar Farha | Chemistry

The priorities set forth by the Trienens Institute Six Decarbonization Pillars shape engagement with industry partners from across the decarbonization value chain who are members of the Industry Affiliates Program (IAP) , as well as Decarbonization Working Groups (DWG) , comprised of Northwestern faculty members and a team of researchers focused on the DWG topic. 

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Alumni Conversations

Alumni conversations (2024–25) .

Alumni conversations are an opportunity to learn more about Northwestern via diverse alumni perspectives—a great chance to hear from people who know this place best and see what we mean by “Purple Pride.” In these settings, you’ll steer the discussion toward connections and topics that matter most to you: maybe you want to hear from someone who comes from the same part of the world as you do. Or you may be looking for perspectives on academic or career interests from a Northwestern graduate with expertise in those areas. Or perhaps you want to explore a shared identity or background. These one-on-one conversations are designed to enhance your college search as you seek authentic insights into a best-fit community.

Alumni conversations are available to students before they apply and are entirely optional—simply another avenue to explore what makes Northwestern special. Students who do not pursue an Alumni Conversation are at no disadvantage in the admission process.

Additional Materials via Glimpse and InitialView

While we no longer offer alumni interviews, applicants looking to add a more candid voice to their application can visit our  Application Materials  page to learn more about optional video submissions.

Questions concerning international interviews may be directed to [email protected] .

Registration

Conversation request forms will be available in mid-September.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Alumni Conversations FAQs

How do i request an alumni conversation.

Alumni conversations are conducted by members of the Alumni Admission Council (AAC), volunteers from all over the world. Conversations are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and due to volunteer capacity, we cannot guarantee every student who submits a conversation request will receive one. All AAC members undergo comprehensive training and sign a Volunteer Code of Conduct prior to meeting with students.

When requesting a conversation, students can indicate a preference for meeting with a member of one of our alumni Affinity and Special Interest Groups (ASIGs), or they can indicate a preference in meeting with a local alum in their area. Students may indicate up to four preferences on their request form–while we will do our best to pair students with alumni who satisfy multiple interests, students who indicate more than one preference may be contacted by more than one volunteer. In addition to alumni from the (100+) regional groups, students may request conversations with members of:

• Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American (APIDA) Affinity Group
• Black Affinity Group
• Latinx Affinity Group
• LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
• Native/Indigenous Affinity Group
• First Generation/Low-Income (FGLI) Affinity Group
• International Affinity Group
• Rural Affinity Group
• Pre-Business Special Interest Group
• Pre-Health Special Interest Group
• Pre-Law Special Interest Group
• Engineering Special Interest Group
• Media/Entertainment Special Interest Group
• Education/Non-Profit Special Interest Group

Who can request a conversation?

Prospective students must submit a conversation request before submitting their application to Northwestern. Applicants interested in connecting with a Northwestern student are encouraged to pursue our Purple Preview program.

What is the conversation format?

Since prospective students and the ASIG members with whom they are assigned may not live in the same place, alumni conversations will take place virtually by default. However, if both the alumni and student do live in the same area and both parties are comfortable with it, conversations may take place in-person at an agreed upon location. Conversations should typically last around 30 minutes.

How do I request a conversation?

Interested students can submit a conversation request via an online form that will become available in mid-September.

If I request a conversation, what can I expect?

Alumni conversation coordinators will match students requesting a conversation with volunteers as space permits. Once you are paired with an alum, that volunteer will contact you directly via email to set up a mutually convenient time/location for the conversation. If you have concerns about internet access or technology availability, please communicate that with your assigned volunteer. You may also contact [email protected] for additional support in coordinating your conversations.

The conversation itself is just that: a two-way exchange between you and the alum. The conversation is not an evaluation of your admissibility to Northwestern. No need to prepare a resume or any other documents for your conversation, and feel free to dress comfortably.

While alumni may ask you some basic questions about your background and interest in Northwestern, the conversation is really about learning how a Northwestern education and the relationships students build here prepare them for success both on campus and beyond, personally and professionally. If you have questions about your assigned volunteer’s time at Northwestern, their professional path afterwards, and how the connections they made continue to affect their life, be sure to ask—our volunteers would love to share!

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How We Could Warm Mars

A new idea among a rich history of proposals to make the surface of the cold planet habitable.

The Problem

The surface of Mars averages about -80 degrees Fahrenheit, well too cold to be suitable for microbial life.

A method using engineered dust particles released into the atmosphere that could potentially warm the Red Planet by more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why It Matters

This could be a first step toward making Mars habitable.

Graduate Student Samaneh Ansari, Professor Hooman Mohseni

Ever since learning the surface of the planet Mars is cold and dead, scientists have wondered if there was a way to make it friendlier to life.

In a groundbreaking study  published Aug. 7  in Science Advances , researchers from Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and University of Central Florida have proposed a revolutionary approach toward terraforming Mars. This new method, using engineered dust particles released into the atmosphere, could potentially warm the Red Planet by more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, to temperatures suitable for microbial life — a crucial first step toward making Mars habitable. 

The proposed method is more than 5,000 times more efficient than previous schemes to globally warm the planet, representing a significant leap forward in our ability to modify the Martian environment, according to lead author and Northwestern electrical and computer engineering graduate student Samaneh Ansari, who works in the lab of Northwestern professor Hooman Mohseni .

What sets this approach apart is its use of resources readily available on Mars, making it far more feasible than earlier proposals that relied on importing materials from Earth or mining rare Martian resources.

This strategy would take decades. But it appears logistically easier than other plans proposed so far, the researchers said.

“This suggests that the barrier to warming Mars to allow liquid water is not as high as previously thought,” said Edwin Kite, an associate professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago and corresponding author on the study.

Making the planet suitable for humans to walk on the surface unaided requires much more work — astronauts still won’t be able to breathe Mars' thin air. But perhaps groundwork could be laid by making the planet habitable for microbes and food crops that could gradually add oxygen to the atmosphere, much as they have done for Earth during its geologic history.

A new approach to an age-old dream

There is a rich history of proposals to make Mars habitable — Carl Sagan himself came up with one back in 1971. These have ranged from outright daydreams, such as science fiction writers depicting turning one of Mars’ moons into a sun, to more recent and scientifically plausible ideas, such as engineering transparent gel tiles to trap heat.

Any plan to make Mars habitable must address several hurdles, including deadly UV rays and salty soil. But the biggest is the planet’s temperature — the surface of Mars averages about -80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The average temperature of Mars' surface

Times more efficient the proposed method is than previous schemes to warm mars, the amount the new method could potentially warm the planet.

One strategy to warm the planet could be the same method that humans are unintentionally using here on Earth: releasing material into the atmosphere, which would enhance Mars' natural greenhouse effect, trapping solar heat at the surface.

The trouble is that tons of these materials would be needed — literally. Previous schemes depended on bringing gases from Earth to Mars, or attempting to mine Mars for a large mass of ingredients that aren’t very common there are both costly and difficult propositions. But the team wondered whether it could be done by processing materials that already exist abundantly on Mars.

Changing the shape of the planet’s dust

Scientists have learned from rovers like Curiosity that dust on Mars is rich in iron and aluminum. By themselves, those dust particles aren’t suitable to warm the planet; their size and composition mean they tend to cool the surface slightly rather than warm it. But if dust particles could be engineered to have different shapes or compositions, the researchers hypothesized, perhaps they could trap heat more efficiently.

The researchers designed particles shaped like short rods, similar in size to commercially available glitter. These particles are designed to trap escaping heat and scatter sunlight towards the surface, enhancing Mars' natural greenhouse effect.

“How light interacts with sub-wavelength objects is fascinating,” Ansari said. “Importantly, engineering nanoparticles can lead to optical effects that far exceed what is conventionally expected from such small particles.”

A step toward feasibility

Mohseni, a study co-author and the AT&T Professor of Information Technology at the McCormick School of Engineering, as well as a professor of physics and astronomy in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences , believes that they have just scratched the surface.

“We believe it is possible to design nanoparticles with higher efficiency, and even those that can dynamically change their optical properties,” he said.

“You'd still need millions of tons to warm the planet, but that’s five thousand times less than you would need with previous proposals to globally warm Mars,” Kite said. “This significantly increases the feasibility of the project.”

Calculations indicate that if the particles were released into Mars’ atmosphere continuously at 30 liters per second, the planet would warm by more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The effect could be noticeable within as soon as months. Similarly, the warming would be reversible, stopping within a few years if release was switched off.

The authors used the Quest high-performance computing facility at Northwestern and the University of Chicago Research Computing Center.

Potential impact and future research

Much work remains to be done, the scientists said. They don’t know exactly how fast the engineered dust would cycle out of Mars’ atmosphere, for example. Mars does have water and clouds, and, as the planet warms, it’s possible that water would increasingly start to condense around the particles and fall back to the surface as rain.

"Climate feedbacks are really difficult to model accurately," Kite cautioned. "To implement something like this, we would need more data from both Mars and Earth, and we'd need to proceed slowly and reversibly to ensure the effects work as intended."

While this method represents a significant leap forward in terraforming research, the researchers emphasize that the study focuses on warming Mars to temperatures suitable for microbial life and possibly growing food crops — not on creating a breathable atmosphere for humans.

“This research opens new avenues for exploration and potentially brings us one step closer to the long-held dream of establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars,” Kite said.

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Multiple & Independent Programs

Multiple programs.

Participating in multiple study abroad programs during your Northwestern career, especially when they are during consecutive terms, is encouraged but requires careful planning. If you are considering multiple study abroad experiences, especially if they are consecutive and/or in different locations, make sure to consider the following:

• Application Requirements Students intending to participate on one program during the fall quarter and on a different program during winter/spring, spring, or summer must submit two separate applications: one for your fall quarter program choice and another for your winter/spring, spring, or summer choice. You can indicate a second choice program option in each application. In both applications, mark "Yes" to the "Multiple Programs in Same Academic Year" question. Lastly, you will be required to complete an additional application essay, which provides an academic rationale for why you are selecting two different term-length programs, rather than one full-year program.
• Visa Considerations If you plan to study abroad in two separate locations during two consecutive terms, you will likely experience complications applying for a visa, if your host country requires one. Travel prior to the start of your program can also interfere with the visa process. It is your responsibility to research entry requirements for your program(s) of choice and speak with your GLO adviser to discuss options.
• Undergraduate Registration Requirement Don’t forget that you must fulfill the Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR), even if you study abroad for multiple terms.

Extending Your Time Abroad

Northwestern encourages students to study abroad for the full year. If you decide – while you are abroad – that you would like to extend your stay, follow the necessary procedures by the published deadlines .

Independent Academic Year Programs

Northwestern strongly encourages students to apply to study abroad on Northwestern programs or partner programs, which have been vetted and approved by the University Study Abroad Committee (USAC) and the International Travel Risk Assessment Committee (ITRAC). We have close working relationships with partner programs and deem them to be of high quality in terms of academic standards, housing, cultural immersion, administrative support services, health, safety and security. USAC’s lengthy vetting process for these programs includes consultation with relevant departments to assess academic rigor and fit as well as the ITRAC to evaluate student services. Our partner programs are run by other universities and non-profit organizations that are recognized for offering high-quality programs in the field of education abroad. Our affiliation agreement with their programs binds us to work closely together, and our partners communicate regularly with us, including during times of crisis. Given today's global environment, we value these close relationships more than ever.

If you have specialized academic needs that cannot be met by one of our many Northwestern and partner options , you may be granted permission to apply to an independent program or foreign institution during the academic year if you find a program that meets the standards above, present a compelling academic rationale, and we can determine that credit will be eligible to transfer back to Northwestern. Non-academic reasons include but are not limited to: following a family tradition, studying abroad with a friend from another institution, seeking less expensive options, or having a desire to live in a specific city. While GLO recognizes that these may be important aspects of a study abroad experience, they are not sufficient to override the combination of criteria that we have evaluated and approved in our Northwestern and partner programs. Similarly, it's unlikely that permission will be granted to apply to an independent program in a country, and especially a city, in which we offer partner program option(s).

Please note: Northwestern is more likely to grant permission to apply to independent programs run by universities/organizations that sponsor programs on our partner list than those run by other universities/organizations, for the reasons described in the first paragraph above. Students are not permitted to apply to more than one independent program or independent foreign institution, and the independent option must be their first choice. Multi-location programs, such as Semester at Sea, are rarely approved on an independent basis.

For more information, visit the independent programs page.

research | Aug 6, 2024

Can Local Journalism Find Fatigue Cure?

New Medill survey shows U.S. adults already ‘tired’ of election, avoiding news

by Mark Caro | LocalNewsIni

The 2024 presidential election remains months away, yet a new Medill survey shows that as of May almost half of surveyed adults already were sick of hearing about it—a finding that could have significant implications not only for national news organizations but also local ones.

The national poll, commissioned by the Medill School at Northwestern University and conducted in May by NORC at the University of Chicago, measured news fatigue and avoidance among American adults. In response to the statement “I’m tired of receiving and processing news about the 2024 presidential election,” 48.8% of those surveyed agreed or strongly agreed while 21.8% disagreed or strongly disagreed, and 28.2% responded “Neither.”

“In May, almost half of the U.S. adults surveyed are already feeling like they are tired of receiving and processing news about the election,” said Stephanie Edgerly, the Medill professor and associate dean of research who oversaw the survey. “If that’s true, then what does local news do?”

Medill undergraduate students in Edgerly’s spring quarter class “J390 Collecting and Analyzing Audience Data” developed the poll questions. The survey was conducted before the recent upheavals in the presidential race, including President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, the assassination attempt on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, Biden’s withdrawal from the race in favor of his vice president, Kamala Harris, and Trump’s selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate.

But Lila Mills, editor-in-chief of the nonprofit newsroom Signal Cleveland, said she doesn’t think this summer’s big headlines have moved the fatigue needle.

“I don’t think it has changed since May,” Mills said. “In general people have news fatigue.”

The most “tired” group surveyed was older adults, with 54.3 percent of the 60-plus demographic in the agreement camp, compared to just 44.5 percent of ages 30-44 and 47.4% of ages 18-29. In a narrow gender divide, women (50.8% agreement) were more tired of election news than men (47.9%). The fatigue factor was highest among white adults (52.3% agree), with Black (43.5%), Hispanic (46.9%) and Asian (38.7%) adults expressing lower fatigue.

Education level appears to be a minimal factor, with less than 5% separating the highest agreement response (52.% for college graduates) and lowest (47.3% for post-graduate degree holders and professionals). There also was little disparity among income levels and geographical regions.

On the political spectrum, self-described conservatives reported the lowest levels of being tired of election news (41.7%) while moderates reported the highest level (53.6%), and liberals fell in between (49.5%).

The survey also measured responses to the statement “I find myself actively trying to avoid news.” That overall agreement level was 38.2%, compared with 34.6% disagreeing and 26.4% saying “Neither.”

Females scored slightly higher in news avoidance (40.3% vs. 36.5% for males) while the split was more pronounced among racial groups: 46.9 percent of Hispanics agreed that they avoid the news, compared with just 11.3% of Asians; 39.8% of white adults and 32.1%. of Black adults also agreed that they avoid the news.

Respondents with the least education (less than high school) reported the highest level of avoidance, 47.4%, compared with 35.5% for those with some college experience and 35.8% for post-grad/professionals. This question spurred little disagreement across ideological lines, with 37.7% of liberals and 37.6% of conservatives reporting news avoidance.

The survey also found a strong association between the election fatigue and news avoidance measured in the two questions: 58.2% of those who agreed to being tired of 2024 presidential election news said they also actively avoid the news. If, more than six months before the 2024 presidential election, a significant portion of the U.S. population already was reporting election-news fatigue – and more than half of those people were avoiding news altogether – that dynamic could have serious consequences for national as well as local news organizations trying to attract and retain readers and subscribers.

“Should local news organizations become the antithesis to news on the national election front, or should they be strategic when they report updates about the election?” Edgerly said. “The big challenge is how do local news organizations not make people want to turn away and tune out, especially when so many people are feeling fatigued?”

The Medill professor expressed hope that readers’ attitudes may evolve as the election grows closer. “A more positive interpretation is that people are biding their time—like ‘Yes, I’m tired of receiving and processing news about the election, but I’ll tune in more during October when it is closer to Election Day,’” Edgerly said.

Still, Mills said news organizations must address the larger problem, which is not time sensitive. “I think news fatigue is a real issue, not just about elections but in general,” the Signal Cleveland editor-in-chief said. “We in local news have a lot of work to do to cut through the noise and give people the information that they’re really looking for, which I don’t think is the horserace coverage or the power dynamics but explaining what they’re going to see on their ballot and what it means and giving them some context about how it ended up that way.”

Mills said Signal Cleveland, a community-focused news outlet launched in November 2022, has learned through its election coverage that readers want stories that help them process information such as how to navigate what’s on the ballot and what to know about judges. “Explaining that kind of information did really well for us and showed people were hungry for that,” Mills said.

Tom Rosenstiel, professor of the practice at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism, sees a potential bright side for local news organizations in regard to news fatigue.

“Local publications exist in the same media environment as national ones, and they’re vying for people’s time,” Rosenstiel said. “But it’s the national news that people are trying to avoid. It’s making people feel negative and sad. It’s not local news that’s doing that, so that is potentially an opportunity.”

The key, Rosenstiel said, is that local journalism must offer “something of value, something that’s genuinely interesting, something that’s telling me something I don’t know, something that’s well written. The world is distressing so the news is distressing, and journalism hasn’t evolved where it needs to go, to be helping me live my life rather than trying to get my attention. Journalism is still operating in the attention marketplace, trying to get eyeballs, trying to alarm me to pay attention.”

That strategy may have made more sense when online outlets made much of their money from advertising and clicks, Rosenstiel said, “but we’re not in that world anymore. The news has to help me live my life.”

Mills agreed. “You’ve got to really pull back and say, ‘How is this going to impact people in their daily lives as they’re going about their business?’” she said. “Because we’re inundated with information.”

Article image by Niklas Hamann used under Unsplash license ( Unsplash )

About the author

Caro is an author ( The Foie Gras Wars , The Special Counsel: The Mueller Report Retold ) and former longtime Chicago Tribune culture reporter, columnist and critic. He talks with prominent creative people on his weekly Caropop podcast and writes for Chicago magazine and other outlets. He was a journalism Cherub at Northwestern’s National High School Institute a long time ago.

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The State of Local News 2023 Vanishing Newspapers, Digital Divides, and Reaching Underserved Communities

The local news crisis in the U.S. is deepening, with profound implications for communities, their inhabitants and ultimately the health of our democracy. Through data, maps, charts, analysis and predictive modeling, this report provides a detailed look at the state of local news today, both the risks that lie ahead and causes for optimism.

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Sign up for our mailing list More articles

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Undergraduate   /   Research Opportunities Peer Advising in Research

The Peer Advising in Research program educates highly motivated McCormick undergraduates about research opportunities and forges a community of students bound by a passion for scientific research.

This program connects you with current undergraduate researchers in your department. By talking one-on-one with these experienced peer advisers, you will be able to better understand the realities and goals of various research groups.

Ultimately, they can assist you in finding the right research opportunities for your qualifications and interests.

Read the general guidelines for how the Peer Advising in Research program works .

How to Participate

For mentees.

If you are interested in starting research and want to talk to a peer currently doing research in your field of interest, fill out the  PAR Mentee Form  and email it to [email protected] .

All McCormick undergraduates are welcome to apply at anytime.

For Advisers

We welcome any McCormick undergraduate currently involved in research to become a Peer Adviser. Generally, Peer Advisers will talk about their research work and experiences to mentees interested in a similar field. 

If you would like to become an adviser, please fill out the PAR Adviser Form and email it to [email protected] .

More in this section

• Research FAQs
• Summer Research Programs
• Research Grants & Awards
• Gateway Research Awards
• Engineering Home
• Undergraduate
• Peer Advising in Research

Related Links

• Corporate-Sponsored Research
• Research Offices / RA site
• Northwestern Research Opportunities
• Northwestern Office of Research
• Undergraduate Study
• Academic Departments
• Faculty Directory

Contact Info

Wesley Burghardt Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering

McCormick Office of Undergraduate Engineering Phone: 847-491-7379 Fax: 847-491-5341 Email Undergraduate Engineering