Student Research Opportunities

At Tufts, undergraduates benefit from a truly distinctive research environment where the university’s R1 status, paired with its relatively small size, fosters exceptional opportunities for involvement and responsibility in advanced scientific research. In the physics department weekly colloquia and coffee hours help build close relationships between professors, graduate students, and undergraduates. This cultivates meaningful interaction with accomplished researchers starting from a student’s very first semester. The accessibility of high-level research, supported by the department’s tight-knit and welcoming community, empowers undergraduates to take active roles in labs — often leading projects, managing equipment, and contributing as integral members of research teams. This level of engagement, rarely attainable at larger R1 institutions or smaller liberal arts colleges, not only builds technical skill and confidence but also stands as clear evidence of an undergraduate’s initiative and excellence when pursuing future opportunities. [Learn more about Sophia]

My undergraduate research experience was very valuable to me, as it helped inform me about what being a researcher is about (such as which skills are most valuable) and where my career path would lead me. Specifically, my experience at Tufts allowed me to contribute to meaningful and novel projects that have helped prepare me for graduate programs and have also bolstered my CV. As an added bonus, undergraduate research at Tufts helped open me up to my fellow undergrads, master’s, and PhD students, as well as the faculty, in a way that wouldn’t be possible through following the regular physics/astro curriculum. [Learn more about Casey]

I joined Professor Peggy Cebe's polymer physics research group early on in my sophomore year at Tufts, knowing close to nothing about the work I was about to do. However, over the course of my three years there, I found a great work environment where everyone aided me in establishing a high level of autonomy with respect to my project (working with a 3D-printed biopolymer called silk fibroin). This has proven paramount in transitioning into graduate research; although the work I do now as a PhD student at the University of Michigan looks quite different, I still consider my research at Tufts to have laid the groundwork for many skills I utilize daily. [Learn more about Trisha]

Through research, I discovered my interest in astrophysics, built critical reasoning skills, and developed my ability to communicate clearly and efficiently. Doing research at Tufts was a great way of learning how to do actual science while mentored by familiar faces. On the other hand, my summer abroad at the Leiden Observatory was a big challenge where I felt the most growth - and had the most fun. [Learn more about Leo]