Undergraduate Research Restart
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Beginning October 14, 2020, undergraduate students may resume on-campus research with the approval of their supervising principal investigator (PI). Under Research Level 0 guidelines, there are no workforce density limits or restrictions on types of research conducted.
All undergraduate researchers will also be required to consent to a COVID-19 test at UT before resuming in-person research. Each college, school, or unit (CSU) retains ultimate decision-making authority over whether to allow undergraduate students to resume on-campus research at this time and how to prioritize requests.
Please check directly with the PI you are interested in working with to see if in-person research opportunities are available.
Note: Beginning June 1st, 2021, undergraduate researchers will no longer be required to submit to proactive community testing (PCT) every two weeks as a condition of working in PIs’ research spaces.
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I am an undergraduate student, and I’d like to resume in-person research on campus. What do I need to do next?
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If you have concerns or questions about your research or degree plan, begin by speaking with your academic advisor. If you and your advisor determine that beginning or resuming in-person research is right for you at this time, please do the following:
- Talk to your supervising faculty member/principal investigator (PI). If you are unsure who that is, you should contact the associate dean for research in your college or school. Let the PI know you’re ready and able to return to campus research and find out whether they are able to accommodate undergraduate researchers at this time.
- For additional guidance about working in on-campus lab and research spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic, please refer to the Research Restart Toolkit.
- If you have additional questions, please refer to our FAQs or speak with your academic advisor or PI.
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I am a PI, and I’d like to allow undergraduate students to resume in-person research in my lab or research space. What do I need to do next?
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- All decisions will be made through your college/school/unit (CSU), and each CSU will have discretion when choosing to permit undergraduates into campus research spaces at this time in accordance with Research Level 0 guidelines.
- Each CSU will determine which student populations will be given priority for on-campus research, if necessary. Examples may include undergraduates who are close to graduation or work-study students who depend on their research experience for financial support.
- Just like other researchers on campus, undergraduates must adhere to all Research Level 0 policies, including the university’s masking guidelines.
- If it is not possible to accommodate all undergraduate students who’d like to resume on-campus research, think creatively about ways to design meaningful, remote research opportunities. Please consult with your associate dean for research (ADR) or associate dean for undergraduate education to find out what options may already be available in your college.
- Please continue to consult the PI Research Restart Toolkit for on-campus guidelines, policies, and best practices.