Research FAQs

Researching the research.
Here's some empirical information about research at F&M so that you don't have to look all over creation for answers to some of the more common questions we get.

How do research opportunities at F&M rival those at large universities?

If my professors are researchers, can I expect they will be good teachers?

I'm smart, but I've never done research. Can I handle it?

How do I go about getting involved in research at F&M?

Can I work with a faculty member on work he or she is conducting?

Can I self-initiate my own research project?

What special programs or scholarships are available for students interested in research?

What kinds of facilities are available for research at F&M?

How do research opportunities at F&M rival those at large universities? At large, research-oriented universities, you would typically have to wait until at least your junior or senior year just to get started in meaningful research. Rarely would you work one-to-one with a tenured professor. And it would be highly unlikely that you would get anywhere near the necessary––and very expensive––equipment and resources, unless you were at the graduate level. At F&M, you can start your freshman year. You will work one-to-one with faculty every day. And all of the facilities, equipment, and resources are here for you—we don't have graduate students.

If my professors are researchers, can I expect they will be good teachers? Teaching is their passion. It's the very reason they come to F&M. They are highly effective instructors who want to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary so that you can help them with their research project, journal publication, or national conference presentation.

I'm smart, but I've never done research. Can I handle it? Many incoming students have a skewed notion of what “research” means. They assume it refers exclusively to beakers, chemicals, microscopes…and in many cases, it does. But research can focus on anything. It's a process of looking closely at a specific problem or question in any given subject area, defining that problem, and working to find a solution to it. Odds are, you've already engaged in research at one level or another, you just didn't know it.

How do I go about getting involved in research at F&M? Speak up. Express your interest to a professor, and from there the process takes care of itself. At F&M, students are provided with research opportunities every academic term.

Can I work with a faculty member on work he or she is conducting? Absolutely. Our Hackman Scholars Program is the perfect example of that. Each summer between 70 and 80 students work individually with professors on faculty-sponsored research.

Can I self-initiate my own research project? Yes. This happens every year, across all academic disciplines at F&M. Recent examples of student-initiated research include topics such as educating autistic children, human rights in the prison population, and the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. In many cases you can get institutional funding for your project, and students' findings often result in a journal publication or a presentation at an industry conference.

What special programs or scholarships are available for students interested in research? We provide all kinds of programs and financial support to students for research. These include the Hackman Scholars Program, the John Marshall Scholars Program, Career Exploration Internships, Nissley-Lesser research awards, and a variety of research-oriented grants and scholarships. Click here to check out a full listing of these opportunities.

What kinds of facilities are available for research at F&M? We provide cutting-edge research facilities and resources across the entire F&M campus. Some of these include Fackenthal Laboratories, the Hackman Physical Sciences Complex, Martin Science Library, the Shadek-Fackenthal Library, Whitely Psychology Building, and more.