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FACULTY-MENTORED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM
The Sociology Department has an active group of mentoring relations with students. Faculty members have served actively for years as mentors for students who do research with faculty. Students typically use the Sociology Computer labs to learn data analysis and data preparation, and conduct their analysis in the labs under the supervision of their mentor.
The Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research Program, developed by Professors Charles Smith and Dean Savage, supports faculty members and teams of advanced undergraduates working together intensively on research on particular topics. Originally supported through a Ford Foundation grant and then a FIPSE award, this program has been institutionalized by Queens College President Sessoms and is now supported by local funds. The research/mentoring awards allow a faculty member to pursue his or her own research while mentoring between five and ten students. Student participants on average are expected to work on projects between eight and ten hours per week, or more during more intensive summer projects. Depending on their activities, student participants may receive course credit, tuition credit, a fellowship stipend, or a combination of course credit and either tuition credit or stipend.
Faculty members typically select students directly and/or include students recommended to the program. The selection of students are usually done in consultation with the Program Directors. Students who are interested in participating in the program should contact the Program Directors: Dr. Dean Savage (Kissena 249) or Dr. Charles Smith (Kissena 247).