Faculty Advising

The first step in starting your undergraduate research journey is identifying a Faculty Advisor. 

Faculty Advisors are your professors! They are experts in their fields, with deep knowledge of the subject matter and opportunities for student engagement. They can:

• Mentor you and support your academic journey

• Recommend courses for your major

• Help you refine your educational and career goals

• Advise you on graduate school and research opportunities

• Provide mentorship for independent undergraduate research 

How to Choose a Faculty Advisor

You might choose a faculty advisor based on:

• Their research area

• The courses they teach

• A positive experience you’ve had in one of their classes

Once you’ve identified a potential advisor, you can attend their office hours or schedule an appointment to connect. If you’re interested in undergraduate research, review faculty research interests and reach out to labs doing work that excites you.

👉 Tip: Don’t be afraid to reach out to multiple faculty members! Having more than one mentor helps you build a broad network, and it’s highly encouraged.

Steps to Get Started

1. Identify a Faculty Member

• Check out the EEB Faculty to see if there is a Faculty Member you would like to work with.

• Talk to your past and current EEB Instructors to see if you would want to work with them

👉 Tip: You can also talk to Grad Students/TAs of your classes to see who their Faculty Advisor is and if they have capacity for an undergrad (aka, you!) 

2. Do Your Research

• Read their bio and lab website.

• Learn about their current and past projects, and who’s on their team.

3. Reach Out

• Email them or stop by during office hours.

• Click here to learn how to email a research instructor.

4. Prepare for Your Meeting

• Review your academic plan and major checklist.

• Think about the courses you’re interested in and why.

• Reflect on your major choice and specific areas of interest.

• Consider your plans for graduate school or careers.

• Familiarize yourself with the faculty member’s lab and recent work.

• Ask if they have the capacity to take on an undergrad researcher or if they know someone else whom they can recommend. 

Being prepared will help you make the most of your meeting and make you look more professional!

Interested in research with Faculty outside of EEB? 

We know that some of your research interests may go beyond the EEB Department, and that’s totally fine! You may be eligible to have a non-EEB faculty member serve as your research advisor. If you have any questions or want guidance about working with a non-EEB faculty advisor, please reach out to us at eebadvising@ucsc.edu.