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Undergraduate Research

MCLA Undergraduate Research ConferenceMCLA undergraduate Research Conference presenter
On This Trail
Scholar Program
Research and Travel MiniGrants
Undergraduate Research Conference

 


The Undergraduate Research Program encompasses independent scholarly activity by students in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Driven by the many opportunities for interaction between students and faculty, undergraduate research at MCLA has expanded dramatically in recent years.

The program supports students with independent study opportunities across many disciplines, small Research and Travel MiniGrants and a dynamic, campus-wide Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) where students can present their work. For more than 20 years, MCLA has hosted the conference, providing students with the opportunity to present independent scholarly and creative research projects. In 2026, more than 120 students presented their research through papers, posters, performances, creative writing and artwork.

The Undergraduate Research Conference is held on the third Thursday of April, and classes are paused for the day so students can support their friends and peers. Each year, we invite an alum who participated in research during their time at MCLA to discuss how research opportunities helped shape their career. Past presenters include researchers, elected officials, medical professionals and state and municipal government administrators.

Beyond the campus, MCLA is a proud member of COPLAC, the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Each fall MCLA students join with peers from other schools in the Northeast to present at the regional Northeast Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (NEURSCA) COPLAC Undergraduate Research Conference. 

In addition to these opportunities, MCLA students also participate in the Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, held each year in Amherst and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

Please visit the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for more details about the application process.

MCLA Undergraduate research Conference

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IRB/IACUC Policies

Any student or group of students working with human (IRB) or vertebrate animal (IACUC) research subjects must obtain IRB/IACUC approval in advance of submitting a proposal for an Undergraduate Research MiniGrant. IRB/IACUC applications must be submitted by the faculty sponsor of the research to the appropriate group at least 1 month prior to the MiniGrant deadline to ensure enough time for IRB/IACUC to read and make their decision on the proposed research. Applications and submission instructions can be obtained for their groups through the Chairperson or Academic Affairs. Upon approval the submitting faculty mentor will receive a 6-digit approved proposal number. This number should be provided to students so it may be included on the MiniGrant proposal form.

 

Any student or group of students working with human (IRB) or vertebrate animal (IACUC) research subjects must obtain IRB/IACUC approval in advance of submitting an abstract to the Undergraduate Research Conference. IRB/IACUC applications must be submitted by the faculty sponsor of the research to the appropriate group at least 1 month prior to the URC abstract submission deadline. Applications and submission instructions can be obtained for their groups through the Chairperson or Academic Affairs. Upon approval the submitting faculty mentor will receive a 6-digit approved proposal number. This number should be provided to students so it may be included on the MiniGrant proposal form.