Research and Innovation

Igniting Curiosity, Fostering Excellence

 

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware is a hub of innovation and research, offering exciting undergraduate and graduate research opportunities. With a strong emphasis on hands-on experience, the college provides a platform for students to engage in cutting-edge research across various academic disciplines. Through personal connections with faculty members, students are actively involved in real-world research work, gaining invaluable experience highly sought after by employers.

Research news
  • An image triptych featuring the Davila and the Nuñez D. Armesto families Executory Certificates of Nobility, and an Adobe stock image of cassette tapes sitting on a stack of research papers.

    Behind the research

    September 27, 2024 | Written by Nicole Hernandez
    The 2024 Seth Trotter Special Collections Research Award, is an annual award sponsored by the Friends of the University of Delaware Library that encourages UD students and faculty to use rare materials from the Library, Museums and Press Special Collections in their original research.
  • Creating new chemistry tools

    August 30, 2024 | Written by Hilary Douwes
    Donald Watson’s lab develops catalysts for reactions in organic chemistry. These catalysts are the molecular “tools” that take simple molecules and bring them together to create more complex molecules that chemists use in a wide variety of applications.
  • Report: As African Apparel Imports Dwindle, the Time for AGOA Renewal is Now

    June 11, 2024 | Written by Kate Nishimura of Yahoo! Finance
    Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies, said Africa’s opportunity for growth into a leading apparel sourcing hub hinges on the swift and long-term renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Upcoming Events

UD Research Initiatives

In an age of technology and innovation, the future has never looked more exciting.

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Introducing Building X: An interdisciplinary sciences hub

 

A new facility, Building X, will be an interdisciplinary hub of collaboration and discovery, bringing together scholars and researchers from across campus while increasing space to accommodate growing programs.

A link to a YouTube video about Building X: An interdisciplinary sciences hub: youtube.com/watch?v=ALn3Kmx9lXk

Undergraduate Research


Undergraduate research opportunities play a pivotal role in enhancing the educational experience for students in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware. By engaging in research projects under the guidance of faculty mentors, students gain invaluable hands-on experience, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and apply classroom knowledge to real-world contexts.

The College of Arts and Sciences actively facilitates a robust research environment, enabling students to craft literature reviews, analyze data, and contribute to scholarly publications while also presenting their findings at local, regional and national conferences.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The College of Arts and Sciences funds approximately 12 Summer Scholars each year. Selected undergraduates, generally sophomores and juniors, conduct in-depth research or creative work with University faculty. Students in the Summer Scholars Program work on their projects full-time for ten weeks in the summer. Research and creative work is generally completed under the close supervision of a faculty member. Each scholar receives a stipend of $4,000. To apply, visit the Undergraduate Research Progr​am's Summer Programs page.​ The Summer Scholars program is made possible with generous funding from donors such as Tom Hofmann, a UD alumnus who established the Ethel & Donald Hofmann Scholar Award. This award encourages applications from historically underrepresented and first-generation students.​
The CAS Student Success Center’s co-curricular coaching team has partnered with the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) to offer University of Delaware undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in an 11-week paid, full-time summer research immersion program. Empower Fellows gain hands-on, mentored experience in a research lab at FCCC. They develop an appreciation for the relationship between basic and applied research, as well as how research directly impacts the cancer patient during and after treatment. Housing for Fox Chase Fellows is provided, in addition to a $4,500 stipend. Interested students are invited to learn more about this program by participating in a one-day visit to FCCC, which will include a meeting with graduate students and post-docs over lunch to discuss careers. Visit the FCCC website (linked above) for information about the next summer program, including application details and information sessions.​
As Philadelphia region members of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), UD students are invited to apply for the NSF/LSAMP Summer Research Program at the University of Pennsylvania. This 10-week summer experience is designed to provide an opportunity for students to perform cutting-edge research in the STEM fields.
The Plastino Scholars Program was established in 2007 by a gift from UD alumnus David A. Plastino to help outstanding University of Delaware undergraduate students realize their dreams by supporting them in self-designed, off-campus learning experiences that create a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.
Undergrad News
  • UD’s Eclipse Chasers head for Texas ‘totality’

    April 05, 2024 | Written by Beth Miller
    The Eclipse Chasers and faculty adviser Edmund Nowak, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, plan to observe the eclipse in Texas, which is where “totality” starts in the U.S.
  • Undergraduate Research Conference

    February 13, 2024 | Written by CAS Communications Staff
    The Regional Undergraduate Student Research Conference consortium celebrates its 10th year of partnership with a call for abstracts and proposals for its April conference held at the University of Delaware.
  • UD’s Winter Fellows program doubles in 2024

    February 12, 2024 | Written by Beth Miller
    After a successful pilot program during Winter Session 2023, the University of Delaware’s Undergraduate Research Program had more than twice as many Winter Research Fellows.

graduate Research


The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware offers a wide range of graduate research opportunities that allow students to engage in cutting-edge scholarship and creative endeavors across diverse disciplines. From exploring the complexities of human cultures and societies through anthropological fieldwork to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression through innovative studio practices, graduate students work closely with renowned faculty mentors to advance knowledge and contribute to their fields. These immersive research experiences not only deepen students' expertise but also cultivate essential skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication, preparing them for successful careers in academia, industry, and beyond.

UD has more than 4500 students engaged in research
University of Delaware in the top 3% of U.S. universities
University of Delaware has more than 75 research centers