Customized University for Individual Scholarly Pursuits
Lehigh University, a renowned R1 research institution, offers a unique and personalized research environment for undergraduate students. The university prides itself on being a "personalized research university," tailoring the research experience to each student, making it an ideal fit for those seeking answers to challenging questions and aiming to inform and empower others.
The faculty at Lehigh are enthusiastic about student research, fostering an environment that encourages a "go for it" attitude. Researchers at Lehigh view their work as a marvellous adventure, often feeling just a little bit over their heads with the work they're doing. This welcoming atmosphere makes Lehigh an inviting place for students looking to embark on their own research journeys.
Lehigh's undergraduate research opportunities emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, community-based initiatives, and support for independent discovery. Students can work on research as part of a team with graduate students or independently with a faculty mentor. The process of asking good questions, looking for answers, trying, failing, and trying again is valued above all.
The university encourages student participation in conferences and departmental research activities to build skills, confidence, and networks essential for scholarly development. Prestigious awards like the Goldwater Scholarship, which aims to identify and encourage students interested in conducting original research, particularly in STEM fields, are available to recognize and financially support outstanding undergraduate researchers. Lehigh students have also been recipients of competitive Fulbright Scholarships, reflecting the university’s commitment to fostering independent scholarly work and global research experiences.
Lehigh's culture encourages independent discovery through strategic investments in talent and research infrastructure. This environment supports a wide range of projects, from laboratory experiments to immersive community-based research, nurturing intellectual curiosity and problem-solving skills. Students at Lehigh can dive into the lab, archive, studio, or other outlets to publish as faculty and graduate students do.
In summary, undergraduate research opportunities at Lehigh University are robust and varied, supported by interdisciplinary projects, scholarships, mentorship, and active encouragement to participate in scholarly communities both on and beyond campus. This approach cultivates independent discovery by combining faculty guidance with student-driven initiatives and access to national and international research experiences.
Lehigh University values the ability to ask good questions and evaluate possible answers, and it wants independent discovery to be part of students' experiences. Whether a student is curious about community health, sustainable infrastructure, or social sciences, they are encouraged to summon their natural curiosity and individual experiences to ask novel questions and bring diverse perspectives to the table.
In 2019, 23 Global Social Impact Fellows from Lehigh University travelled to Sierra Leone, Africa, to conduct field work on projects aimed at fighting hunger, disease, and increasing global awareness of health crises. This exemplifies the university's commitment to real-world, sustainable impact.
Research at Lehigh is not limited to students who took the most AP classes or got the top grades. If a student is curious, energized by the topic, and willing to devote effort, they are welcome. The university is a "research university," which means that uncovering new knowledge and arriving at new understanding are among its priorities.
At Lehigh, students are not just expected to absorb what's in the textbooks; they are encouraged to understand how that knowledge was figured out and to question current understanding. Alan Snyder, the vice president and associate provost for research and graduate studies at Lehigh University, oversees this dynamic research environment both on campus and around the world.
- The faculty at Lehigh University, being enthusiastic about student research, foster an environment that encourages a "go for it" attitude, making it possible for students with diverse backgrounds and interests to undertake research in fields like arts, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, and health.
- Lehigh's undergraduate research opportunities encompass a wide range of interdisciplinary projects, such as laboratory experiments, community-based research, and independent discovery, empowering students to delve into their areas of passion, be it community health, sustainable infrastructure, or social sciences.
- Lehigh University supports undergraduate researchers by offering numerous scholarships like the Goldwater Scholarship and Fulbright Scholarships, which aim to recognize and financially support outstanding students conducting original research, particularly in the STEM fields.
- Lehigh's unique research environment strategically invests in talent and research infrastructure, nurturing intellectual curiosity and fostering problem-solving skills, thereby enabling students to make substantial contributions to fields like research, education, and self-development.
