Undergraduate Research and Internships

We encourage undergraduate students to participate in research in the School od Oceanography. Undergraduate students conduct research in OCEAN 220, Introduction to Field Research, or in OCEAN 443-445, their Capstone experience, paid research assistants, work study students, or in some cases for OCEAN 499 credit. Research provides valuable learning opportunities, enabling students to explore different scientific disciplines, develop professional and technical skills, and build relationships with the scientific community. Don’t be shy about reaching out to graduate students and faculty about research opportunities in their labs!

Current RA Opportunities

Finding a Project

• Browse Oceanography Faculty Profiles to learn about our faculty and the broad range of research they are conducting.
• Browse Oceanography Research to learn about the broad range of research and partnerships in the School. 
• Talk to our graduate students in Oceanography (i.e., the TA in the class you’re taking). Ask them about the projects they are working on—this is a great way to learn more about research opportunities (and can sometimes be a little less intimidating than approaching a professor you’ve never met). They are often looking for volunteers and assistants on their research projects.
• Talk to the faculty teaching your classes! Ask them about their work and other related work going on in the department.
• Attend the weekly Oceanography Seminars and Events. Meet faculty, grads, postdocs, research staff, and a wide range of other fisheries folks.
• Keep an eye out for opportunities sent via the Oceanography Undergraduate Email, undertow@uw.edu. Email the Undergraduate Adviser at mtown@uw.edu, if you'd like to be added to this list. 
• You can also look for campus research assitantiships at the UW Office of Undergraduate Research.

How to Inquire about an Opportunity

• In-person
  • Introduce yourself – “Hello, I am [NAME]. I’m a major in SAFS.”
  • Explicitly reference their work – “I [heard you speak; read your webpage; took your class], and am really interested in the work you’re doing on [TOPIC].”
  • State your interest – “I am interested in learning more about [TOPIC]. I would love to meet with you to discuss possible research/internship opportunities.”
• Via email
  • Use a formal greeting – “Hello Dr. [NAME]” or “Dear Prof. [NAME]” or “Dear [NAME]” (if it’s a grad student or if you don’t know their title)
  • Brief paragraph summarizing why you are emailing – e.g., “I [heard you speak; read your webpage; took your class], and am really interested in the work you’re doing on [TOPIC]. I am interested in learning more about [TOPIC]. I would love to meet with you to discuss possible research/internship opportunities.”
  • Formal closing – “I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, [NAME]”
• After making the inquiry, it’s usually good form to wait 2–3 weeks before following up with a brief email.

Type of Project - Internship or Research

Undergraduate students can receive academic credits for participating in research at Oceanography. Depending on whether you are participating in an internship off-campus or conducting research on-campus, you can receive academic credit via this course number:

• OCEAN 499 Research – Graded or credit/no credit. Involves examining a hypothesis, collecting data, and summarizing the results in a research paper.

How to Register for Credit

If you would like to receive academic credits for conducting research in Oceanography, discuss the scope of a proposed research project with your internship/research adviser and agree on the terms of work. Using the Independent Study Contract as a guide, come to an agreement on the following topics:

Research plan

• What are the goals and learning objectives for your research project?
• What is the plan for documenting your research activities, progress, and results?
• How many hours per week will you work?
• What is the timeline for deadlines and milestones?
• Will you be required to produce a written report summarizing the experience and results of your research?

Plan for receiving academic credit

• Will this course be graded on a numeric scale (GPA) or will it be graded for Credit/No Credit?
• How many credits should you sign up for?
  • For reference, one credit = three hours of work per week. Thus, a 3-credit internship would mean you do ~ 9 hours of work each week throughout the quarter.

When you and your adviser have agreed upon a plan, complete and sign the Independent Study Contract, collect adviser/supervisor signatures, and submit it to mtown@uw.edu by the first day of the quarter.