Faculty Guidance to Remote Undergraduate Research

During the pandemic, continuing undergraduate research projects will require significant adjustments.  Here are a few tips for faculty mentors and their undergraduate research students.  Please note that we will be continually updating this page with more resources as we find them so check back periodically.

Click here to read the university’s message about research activities and laboratories.

Click here to read ORED’s Research Resources Page.

Click here to read LSU’s Student Online Learning Resource page.

All of the university’s COVID-19 information and resources can be found here.

 

What to do?

Adjust your expectations

Goals set up at the beginning of the student’s project should be readjusted with remote work in mind.  Using Zoom or an equivalent video conferencing tool, faculty mentors and students should set up a time to discuss what work for the research project remains to be done, daily/weekly expectations for the student, and availability of resources to complete any work remotely.

 

Host meetings, brown bags, and discussions online

Use Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, or another online communication platform to host regularly scheduled discussions with your research student.  Weekly discussions at a minimum, but even a daily 5 minute check-in can be helpful.  Though it is tempting to use email for communication, face-to-face interactions online can help foster the connection among students, mentors, and other researchers, particularly during this time when many will be isolated.  Don’t underestimate the value of social connections as we create social distance physically.

Link to Zoom quick guide

Link to Google Hangouts

Link to Skype

 

Alternate activities

If a student cannot continue their research project because they cannot access a lab, equipment, or other research resources, please consider giving them one or more of the following tasks:

  1. Annotated Bibliography or Literature Review – If the student has already completed this for their current project, considering allowing them to explore other topics related to their project topic.
  2. Data set analysis – Faculty mentors or graduate students could email data sets to undergraduate researchers for analysis and interpretation.
  3. Additional online trainings – Assign online trainings such as CITI, lab safety, etc and ask the student to write up a summary. Click here to go to the CITI training page.
  4. Writing/editing –Students could write up a report on what has been accomplished so far and what needs to be done next, or you can ask your research student to draft or edit a paper.
  5. The LSU Student Employment office has developed a list of Professional Development projects that student employees can work on remotely.

Limitations

Keep in mind that some students will not have easy access to a computer or internet at home.  They may not have the resources or adequate internet connection.  Many students will have to share resources and space with roommates, or, if they are living at home, with younger siblings and parents who are also trying to work remotely.  As much as possible, try to be flexible and understanding.

LSU has provided a webpage of resources for students at this page.

 

Putting research on pause

For some students, the best course of action may be to put the research project on pause and continue again once they have access to on-campus research resources, equipment, and spaces.

 

Other resources

 

Need help?

  1. Contact us!  Email Sarah Ferstel at sferst1@lsu.edu
  2. Project funding – students can be paid for remote research work with an LSU Discover project grant.