Undergraduate Research

At Mizzou, undergraduate research provides students with opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to make new discoveries. By collaborating directly with faculty mentors on research, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and advanced analytical skills that distinguish them as they seek employment following graduation or apply to graduate school. Research experiences allow undergraduate students to explore potential career pathways, gain deeper insights into their chosen disciplines, and create meaningful scholarly contributions.

Stay up to date

To support and celebrate faculty research mentorship, new awards have been created this year to recognize Mizzou faculty who demonstrate excellence in supporting undergraduate students in research and creative scholarship in two areas:

Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences
Life Science, Math, and Physical Science (STEM)

Learn about Nominating Faculty

ForagerOne is a platform, launched during Show Me Research Week in 2025, that makes it easy for faculty research mentors and students to find each other based on common scholarly interests. Accessible by single sign on for current Mizzou faculty, staff and students, ForagerOne allows faculty to quickly customize their research profiles. ForagerOne allows research mentors and students to search for each other and browse open research opportunities. Faculty can also indicate their openness to finding other faculty research collaborators.

As of November 6, 2025:

1,312 undergraduate students have created a research profile
767 faculty have claimed and/or customized their research profiles
467 total faculty have indicated they are accepting students for research projects or opportunities
43 faculty have posted research projects

ForagerOne

130

Students presented at the 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Forum

300

Students presented at 2025 Show Me Research Week

684

Students presented at the 2025 Fall and Spring Research Days

Mizzou students have many opportunities to get involved with research and creative scholarship Read about students making an impact

In the past year, Mizzou developed the Research Intensive (RI) designation for courses designed to provide undergraduate students with research opportunities. Student ownership of a research project, mastery of appropriate skills, and experience disseminating results are central to RI courses. Research and creative scholarship should account for at least 50% of the course activities. RI courses must be reviewed and approved by a faculty committee. There are now over 20 approved courses with the RI designation.

Visual Studies RI course Archaeology RI course

Cherng Summer Scholars

Fifteen Honors College students participated in research projects in summer 2025 with the help of faculty mentors.

Read the Honors College story

Fostering Creative Expression

Over 70 projects were submitted in the 10th annual Visual Art and Design Showcase in spring 2025.

Read about the winners and their mentors

Impacting Students

Linda Blockus has been connecting students with hands-on experiences at Mizzou.

Read about her initiatives in the Office of Undergraduate Research

Inspiring Discovery

Lisa Dorner mentored two students in Undergraduate Research Circles, funded by a MizzouForward grant.

Mentorship for KC Scholars

104

Students have earned their Student Training for Advancing Research (S.T.A.R.) during the past academic year by attending 5 or more Undergraduate Research workshops and/or professional development opportunities.

60

Departments are represented by Faculty Research Liaisons who have volunteered to help students get started in their research journeys.

1345

Incoming Mizzou students indicated an interest in undergraduate research as of summer 2025.

Where students can get started with research

Undergraduate Research