Undergraduate Students

Research Options for Undergraduates

How to apply (for undergraduate students):

If you are interested in working in the lab as an undergraduate, please read through the available options below before inquiring. 

To apply for any position as an undergraduate researcher, please email Dr. Crawford directly and include the following: 

1. In the email: 

   1. Introduce yourself: name, major, year of intended graduation.

   2. Say what position type(s) you are interested in.

   3. Say why you are emailing: what do you want to get out of this experience and why you are interested in this lab.

2. Attach your CV/resume including any relevant courses (science/math/sci comm) that you have completed and courses you are currently taking.

The Crawford lab is full and can not accept new undergraduate students for academic year 2024-2025.

Interested students for summer 2025/academic year 2025-2026 (e.g., UCARE/INBRE) should reach out as early as possible to express general interest and discuss options. 

We are especially interested in new first or second-year students (experience not required for internships or course credit).

If you are interested in course credit, e.g., BIOC098, please reach out in advance of the start of registration. For those interested in Fall 2025, one-on-one meetings will be held in early February 2025. 

Funded positions

Positions with funding for student salaries are available through a variety of sources. Links to the funding organization are in the title. 

Note that for all funded opportunities (except the FYRE program) you must write a proposal on the work you plan to complete prior to applying. Therefore you need to know relevant background information and have an idea that this lab is right for you. The easy way to obtain this is to work in the lab for 1-2 semesters prior to writing a proposal, but this has significant equity considerations. Therefore, we offer other opportunities to see if this lab is the right fit for you and for you to learn the background information necessary to be successful. Please contact Dr. Crawford to learn more. BIOC 098 is a great new option (starting spring term 2024) - this is a transcripted, but tuition-free option for any student.

Some options include the following: 

1. UCARE. The Crawford lab posting is on the UCARE webpage.

UCARE is open to all students and can be awarded multiple times/student.

Note that a UCARE application requires you, the student, to write a research proposal with the assistance of Dr. Crawford. 

• If you are interested in UCARE, please inquire at least 2 months prior to the UCARE deadline so that we can discuss projects that will work for you and so that you have time to write and revise a proposal with Dr. Crawford's help. 

• This is a great opportunity for students to demonstrate a competitive research opportunity on their CV.  

• Because the UCARE proposal is research-method intensive, it is recommended you have research lab experience (in addition to relevant courses) before applying. Students may want to consider volunteering in the lab for 1-2 terms prior to writing a UCARE proposal to get a better idea of possible projects. At a minimum, we recommend you join us for lab meeting the term before UCARE proposals are due (Fall term) at 2x (1hr each)/month.

If you are interested in UCARE, please inquire at least 2 months prior to the deadline (the deadline for both summer and the following academic year deadline is typically early in spring semester (UCARE program link and our posting our posting).

2. FYRE. The FYRE program is for first-year students only. Eligible students will be invited the summer before their first semester to select from available postings, link on the FYRE page. 

3. IANR ARD Undergraduate Student Research Program.

Dr. Crawford is an ARD faculty member and can support your application to this program. 

This program is open to students with junior or senior standing and can be awarded once/student. 

Note that this application requires you, the student, to write a research proposal, including a budget, with the assistance of Dr. Crawford. 

• If you are interested, please inquire at least 2 months prior to the deadline so that we can discuss projects that will work for you and so that you have time to write and revise a proposal with Dr. Crawford's help. 

• This is a great opportunity for students to demonstrate a competitive research opportunity on their CV.  

• Because this is a full funding proposal (research-method intensive plus additional documentation), it is highly recommended you have research lab experience (in addition to relevant courses) before applying and have a specific project in mind. Students should consider volunteering or working in the lab via another method for 1-2 terms prior to applying to this program.

If you are interested in this program, please inquire at least 2 months prior to the deadline (typically mid-January, ARD research program information).

4.  INBRE Scholars Program. The Crawford lab posting is located on the INBRE labs page.

• The INBRE Scholars Program is administered through UNMC and supported through an NIH IDeA program grant. 

• INBRE is intended (based on the NIH-funding that supports the program) for students who desire to attend graduate school with a research emphasis related to biomedical research. 

• This is a two-year research-intensive program that begins the summer between sophomore and junior years.  

• Funding is provided for the entire program. Additional funding is available for conference travel. 

Sophomore students should inquire as early as possible to begin application development. Applications are typically due in the Fall semester.

5.  McNair Scholars Program. 

• The McNair Scholars Program is administered through UNL and supported by federal funding. The deadline is typically mid-April.

• INBRE is intended (based on the funding that supports the program) for students who desire to attend graduate school with a research emphasis.  

• Funding is provided for the entire program including support of tuition and other expenses, conference travel, and scholarly support. 

• The lab has 1 current McNair scholar, see members. 

Students apply to McNair first, then seek out a lab. If you are interested in discussing options with Dr. Crawford either before or after applying, please research out directly. 

6. Other programs - a number of other options are appropriate for the types of projects and training opportunities available in the lab. Some include: 

   • Scientific foundations: American Society for Microbiology, American Society for Virology, American Heart Association

   • National Societies: NIH, NSF

   • Internal (lab-based) funding directly from the Crawford Lab

Most of these programs include research-specific applications. Please contact Dr. Crawford at least 2 months prior to your deadline if you wish to apply. 

6. Programs external to UNL. These programs are great for your individual career development. If you wish to apply and would like a letter of support, it helps if Dr. Crawford knows you (through courses, or even better through a research experience in the lab). Please give at least 3 weeks notice if you need a letter (especially for the first letter). Some programs include: 

• REU programs: both at UNL and other universities. REU programs are a great way to gain different (paid) experiences and check out our 'next steps' resources.

• Fellowship programs: Fullbright, Truman Scholars, Goldwater. UNL's fellowship page.