Faculty and students laughing

Mentored Research

No matter what you’re interested in, you’ll learn by asking questions.

Spend a summer tracking exoplanets in the observatory on campus. Or a month in Taipei, Taiwan performing with a professional theatre company. No matter what type of research experience you’re looking for, rest assured knowing that it’s all expenses paid.

Across all academic disciplines, research will be an essential part your Grinnell education. Starting your first year, you’ll be exposed to inquiry-based learning and participate in classroom research projects.

Later on, you might go on to conduct a semester-long research project of your own design. Whether you’re an economics major, physics major, or an English major, Grinnell’s research opportunities will challenge you to grow as a student and a scholar.

You could:

  • Write an advanced paper on economic theory
  • Design a theatrical performance based on primary sources
  • Study the antimicrobial effects of using copper in hospitals

And because Grinnell is an undergraduate-only institution, you’ll never have to compete with graduate students for opportunities or attention.

Erik Simpson in front of monitors

Featured Opportunities for Mentored Research

  • Katie Krainc ’17 crafts a Baroque violin.

    Mentored Advanced Projects

    Mentored Advanced Projects (MAPs) are four-credit academic opportunities that allow students to spend a semester or a summer conducting advanced research or producing an original creative work. Professors may invite students to join in on their ongoing research, or a student may ask a professor to mentor them through a research project of the student’s choosing.

    One more thing about summer MAPs: they’re fully funded. In addition to four academic credits, summer MAP students receive a stipend worth $3,400 for research done on campus. In some cases, students travel outside of Grinnell or even abroad for their MAP opportunity, receiving a stipend of up to $5,500 to account for airfare and travel expenses. At the end of the MAP research opportunity, all students present their results through a formal means, whether that be a poster, paper, performance, exhibit, or presentation that shares the findings of the project regionally, nationally, or internationally. In general, at least 40% of Grinnell students complete at least one MAP before graduating.

    Want to see what students have done for MAP research in the past?

  • Lizeth Gutierrez ’12 in front of Mears Cottage

    Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowships

    The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program provides funding and support for students from underrepresented backgrounds who plan to pursue graduate study.

  • student presents research poster to faculty

    Independent Research Opportunities

    Directed Research, Independent Study, and 2+ Credit Option

    Explore research at Grinnell with faculty-directed projects designed for budding scholars.

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