Student Research and Engaged Learning

Stand apart and grow through research

From the moment you arrive on campus, you have access to a wide range of opportunities to engage in undergraduate research and creative work that enriches your learning and enhances your career preparedness. You’ll be able to pursue your interests through class-based research, faculty mentored investigations, independent research, and creative inquiries across a variety of disciplines.

Elevate your degree and job prospects

When you participate in scholarly and creative work, you're not just adding to your resume—though employers and graduate schools will certainly take notice. You'll also cultivate a deeper understanding of your academic areas, become confident in your creativity and independence, build upon your communication skills, and develop strong mentoring relationships with professionals in your fields.

Scholars Day at the Capitol, Student Research and Collaborative Learning — Hamline SCUR students Cece Chmelik '26 and Emma Marsland '25 presenting research at the Scholars at the Capitol event

Cece Chmelik ‘26, biology, and environmental studies

There are many skills that are important for STEM and biology, and at Hamline, we learn those in addition to what you cannot learn from a textbook. We learn how to effectively communicate with scientists and the general public about the science that we’re doing.

Cece Chmelik '26, biology, and environmental and climate studies; of Grand Marais, MN

Research and experiential learning in the classroom

Starting in your first semester, you’ll engage in inquiry-driven projects in a variety of disciplines, from studio artwork to laboratory research, from creative writing to public health research, and beyond. You’ll develop hands-on, career-relevant projects as part of your regular courses, solving real-life problems, creating scripts and artwork, collecting and analyzing data, and collaborating with researchers around the world.

Digital and Studio Art student (sculpture) presenting work in Student Showcase

Opportunities for research outside of the classroom

At Hamline, you'll not only engage in research in the classroom, but you'll also be able to pursue your area of interest in an independent project or as part of our summer collaborative research program.

Engage in summer collaborative research

No matter your area of study, you can participate in Hamline’s summer collaborative research program, where you’ll work one-on-one with faculty on interlinked research projects or work in teams on a range of faculty research projects.

When you participate in summer collaborative research projects, you might:

Examine microbial flora for potential anti-cancer drugs
Develop policies on natural resource management
Investigate how genetics and environment influence human development across a lifetime
Use nanoscale materials to test methods of water quality monitoring in rural and urban communities

Explore summer research opportunities

Pursue your passion with an independent project

You can develop and pursue your own projects with faculty support through independent studies, creative and capstone projects, honors theses, or study abroad.

Highlights of recent projects include:

A faculty collaboration that studied the roots of mass shootings and designed programs to prevent school violence
Co-editing and publishing the BFA in creative writing’s annual award-winning undergraduate online literary magazine, Runestone
An examination of how movements for social change have invented communication methods that integrate journalism and performance to engage contemporary audiences
Traveling to field stations around the world to study the effects of climate change and the solutions that local governments have created

Hamline provides me with the opportunity to think about things that I find interesting and then conduct research to explore them more. I love it.

Nancy Benedict ‘25, biology and public health sciences; of Round Hill, VA

Present your work locally, regionally, and nationally

From Hamline events to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, you'll find many opportunities to showcase your research or creative work, further building your career skills and knowledge in your field.

Present at regional and national conferences

Hamline students present their work to the Hamline community, at the state level, and around the country. Hamline is one of the best-represented institutions at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and is frequently recognized by the Council on Undergraduate Research as one of the top institutions sending students to this conference. Many departments also support students in presenting their work at scholarly conferences throughout the academic year.

Apply to present at NCUR

Present your work at Hamline events

Hamline recognizes the research and creative work students do both in their courses and independently, such as those done through a summer collaboration with faculty.

Explore Spring Showcase and Fall Symposium events

Opportunities for student research from day one

You don't have to wait until you are in graduate school to conduct research. At Hamline, you can conduct research—in and out of the classroom—starting your first year.

A student explains their research poster at the spring showcase

Cece Chmelik presents research at the Scholars at the Capitol event

Two people using an electron microscope in Hamline's College of Liberal Arts

Emma Marsland, SCUR, presents research at the Scholars at the Capitol event

Student collaborative research news

March 3, 2025

Hamline Students Present at State Capitol

Two Hamline students, Emma Marsland (Criminology & Criminal Justice major), and Cece Chmelik (Biology/Environmental & Climate Studies major), participated in the Scholars at the Capitol event sponsored by the Minnesota Private Colleges Council on Wednesday, February 26.

April 24, 2024

Contact information

Leif Hembre, professor, biology department chair, co-director of collaborative research

651-523-2254

1536 Hewitt Avenue
Robbins Science Center 128
Saint Paul, MN 55104
United States

lhembre@hamline.edu
Ryan Larson, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice, co-director of collaborative research

651-523-2168

1536 Hewitt Avenue
Giddens Learning Center 210E
Saint Paul, MN 55104
United States

rlarson21@hamline.edu