UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Curiosity and discovery are at the heart of a DU education.

At the University of Denver, research isn’t reserved for graduate students. Through DU’s teacher-scholar model, undergraduates work alongside faculty mentors to explore big questions, tackle real-world challenges, and turn their curiosity into meaningful outcomes.

These experiences are a defining part of the 4D experience, connecting intellectual exploration with career preparation and purpose. In 2025 alone, more than 1,100 undergraduate students participated in research projects across disciplines, from the sciences and engineering to the humanities and social sciences.

With your support, students gain access to experiences that expand learning beyond the classroom:

• Faculty-mentored research projects that allow students to collaborate with DU scholars and contribute to new discoveries. These experiences often spark new academic and career paths — like Abhia Lodhi, who shifted from pre‑med to evolutionary biology after researching cricket evolution in Professor Robin Tinghitella’s lab.
• Student-led signature work that empowers undergraduates to design and pursue their own research, scholarly or creative projects with guidance from faculty mentors. Recent showcase topics ranged from sustainability and wildlife dynamics to cultural and historical analysis — proof of the wide curiosity DU students bring to their work.
• Opportunities to present and publish research, including showcasing work at campus events and contributing to the peer-reviewed DU Undergraduate Research Journal. Recent student work explored how racial bias and empathy shape expectations for recovery after medical hardship, offering insights with real‑world impact.

On 1DAY4DU, your support helps expand access to research experiences that allow DU students to turn curiosity into discovery and knowledge into impact.