Participating in a university-sponsored undergraduate research project, or long-term program in mathematics is an important way to enrich your undergraduate math education. Undergraduate research projects can be done with UH professors during the school years or during summer. Many UH faculty are available to help undergraduates with research projects.

Approach a UH math professor to supervise an undergraduate research project

– Find a professor you have taken a class with and someone you feel you’d enjoy working alongside. While you may wish to visit their website, it’s not necessary that their research interests match yours. You won’t be doing research on the professor’s projects, unlike in the sciences.

Seniors and juniors usually do undergraduate research projects after having completed the Calculus Sequence, 2000-level Linear Algebra, or the Transition to Advanced Math Class. You will also benefit if you have had exposure to higher-level mathematics in 3000-level and 4000-level courses.

– Talk to your professor in person, if possible. Send a copy or list of all courses and grades you have received, as well as your unofficial transcripts. Ask the professor if you would like to do an undergraduate research project. It doesn’t matter if you have a specific idea. If you are interested in expressing general interests, that’s fine. It is also important to let the professor know how much you can give to the project. This may vary but it is reasonable to schedule a meeting with the professor for an hour each week and then work independently for three to six hours each week.

– The professor might ask questions about your past and the areas you are interested in working on. They might ask you to give them some time so they can find a suitable project. They might offer one or more projects. The two of you can discuss the possible projects together and decide if they are worth your time.

UH provides support for undergraduate research

These are some options for financial assistance for research projects.

Part-time support is provided by the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program.
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship is a full-time summer support program.
UH students can apply for funding through the Math Alliance to help with their undergraduate research projects. If you are interested, contact Dr. Will Ott.
Scholar Enrichment Programs (SEP) may have funds available to support undergraduate research projects. For more information, contact them.

The following options can be used to obtain academic credit for research projects

– Register for an Independent Study Course [MATH 4198] by contacting Dr. David Blecher (Director, Undergraduate Studies) and Dr. Nicholas Leger(Assoc. Director of undergraduate studies
– Register for the Honors College Senior Honors Thesis Programme

Course credit is typically granted to advanced students, or students with a broad range of backgrounds. This is not intended for major requirements. To enroll in an independent course, such as Math 4198, you must petition the chair of the department. This course cannot be used to satisfy a requirement of 4000-level for the major. The Honors College oversees the Senior Honors Thesis Programme. This program has GPA requirements as well as other requirements.

You can either receive academic credit or financial reimbursement for your research project. There are two options: you can receive academic credit or financial reimbursement for your undergraduate research project.

UH General Undergraduate Studies

UH’s Office of Undergraduate Research offers resources and opportunities to undergraduates who are interested in research projects. These resources are available to all disciplines. You may need to review what they have and decide if it’s relevant for your math research.

UH Office of Undergraduate Research
UH Facebook page: Undergraduate Research
– Houston Undergraduate Research Network
– UH Scholarships to Undergraduate Research

Other Schools Have Math Programs and Research Opportunities

You can find information on how to apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant at another university, or participate in any other type of Mathematics Program.

– Research Experiences for Undergraduates
– Summer Programs For Math Majors
– Math Majors are eligible to gain teaching experience through the programs offered by the Math Majors
– Programs for women, minorities, and members of under-represented groups