Undergraduate Senior Thesis and Research Opportunities

There are multiple research opportunities within the Earth Science department, either enrolling in our senior thesis course or doing a pre-defined research project offered by many of our faculty. 
 

Senior Thesis Series

Senior Thesis Handbook
Our department has a formal senior thesis program. This year-long endeavor (normally spanning the three academic quarters of your Senior year) involves conducting research under the mentorship of a faculty member. Senior thesis students generate hypotheses, collect new data, perform analyses, interpret their findings, and write a senior thesis manuscript which they submit to the department. They meet regularly as a cohort of distinguished scholars to hone research and science communication skills. At the end of the year, the scholars present their findings to the entire department in a celebratory poster session. Finally, these students graduate with “Distinction in the Major” from our program.
 

Available Research Opportunities Within Earth Science

If you are interested in getting involved in a new project, look for the research opportunities sheet sent to the undergraduate e-mail list each fall and spring quarter. The research opportunities sheet lists research projects, pre-requisites, expected hours per week, project start dates, and any project-specific questions that advisors would like you to answer as part of your application. 

Although there are some great ideas on these lists, they are not intended to be exhaustive—we encourage you to reach out to potential faculty advisors even if they do not have a project on the list or if you are interested in discussing other potential projects. If something on the research sheet inspires you, the application form is a great way to introduce yourself to a relevant faculty member and start a conversation about potential directions.