Undergraduate Research

Whether your career goals lead to graduate school or the workforce, skills gained through undergraduate research offer a competitive advantage. And the benefits go beyond your résumé. This is your chance to create knowledge about a topic that sparks your passion. Tap into the many resources for undergraduate researchers and let your curiosity guide the way.

LSU Discover

The LSU Discover Undergraduate Research program supports student participation in faculty-mentored research and professional-level activities. Project topics may be developed independently by the student or in collaboration with the faculty mentor.  Participation in undergraduate research can occur in one of many different modes including: paid positions, for course credit (typically independent studies or special problems courses), scholarship opportunities, honors theses, or as volunteers. For more information, follow the links below or email lsudiscover@lsu.edu

 

mentors matter

You will find research mentors in every department within the Ourso College. Any willing faculty member can serve as a mentor. The LSU Discover database is a great place to start. There are also many faculty who serves as mentors but have not added their names to the database yet.  You can also connect with faculty whose research interests match yours. Our directory and research sections can be helpful tools in your search. 

"My research journey started during my undergraduate career. In fact, I had never considered a career in academia until my advisor helped me publish my very first academic publication from my undergraduate thesis! Without the assistance and encouragement of several brilliant, passionate, and patient mentors at every stage of my career, I likely wouldn't be where I am today -- in my dream job as a researcher and professor of marketing at LSU. So, I feel compelled (and honored) to lend as much support and guidance for the next generation of researchers as was provided for me." 

Kris Lindsey Hall, associate professor and research mentor

Kris Lindsey Hall stands proudly with her research mentee at LSU Discover Day in 2022.

"Engaging in research projects exposes undergraduate students to new ideas and allows them to explore them further outside of the classroom, enriches their educational experience through the mentorship they receive from the professor in the process of conducting the research, and helps differentiate themselves in the eyes of prospective employers."

Rajesh Narayanan, professor and research mentor

Rajesh Narayanan wears a suit and stands in a sunny hallway in the BEC.

"Doing research as an undergraduate helps build important skills, but more importantly, it provides a unique perspective on the process of generating new knowledge. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance of my own very generous mentors, and I consider it my responsibility to help the next generation of students discover their interests and develop their skills."

Daniel Keniston, associate professor and research mentor

A casually-dressed Daniel Keniston leans back at his desk. His monitors show research and the surface of his desk is covered in organized paperwork.

LSU Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

LSU Distinguished Undergraduate Researchers participate in a track of educational and research activities. They demonstrate outstanding ability as an advanced student researcher in their discipline. Distinguished Researchers are honored at a special medal ceremony in their graduating semester. The designation will be noted on their transcripts. 

Learn more about the distinguished researcher program

 

Distinguished Undergraduate Researchers from the Ourso College

Morgan Oen
BS International Trade & Finance
Spring 2024

Jackson Green
BS Economics
Summer 2020

Ariana Buckner
BS ISDS
Fall 2019

 

Business researchers in action

Vivian Liu (pictured at LSU Discover Day 2024) presented research on "Summertime Precipitation Changes near Industrial Facilities along the Lower Mississippi River” at a symposium held by the LSU College of the Coast & Environment in spring 2023. Working with Professor Paul Miller, Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, she continued to explore the topic for her honors thesis and a presentation at LSU Discover Day in spring 2024. 

Liu is now a data BI analyst at Textron Specialized Vehicles in Augusta, Georgia. 

Vivian Liu wears a suit and gives a presentation on rain in industrial areas.

 

Paul Labbe (pictured at LSU Discover Day 2023) was awarded a monetary award (runner-up) for his research titled “Study of W.I.A.N. (What’s in a Name?)” chaired by Aaron Gleiberman, marketing instructor and research mentor. Labbe's work examined the length and structure of journal article titles to determine whether there is an optimal length and style. 

He is now an assistant marketing manager at Front Line Consulting LLC in Austin, Texas. 

Paul Labbe stands in front of a research poster at LSU Discover Day 2023

Ashlyn Puckett conducted research on trademark, copyright, and patent protection as it pertains to the fashion industry, particularly applying these protections to the rise of fast fashion, for her honors thesis. 

“I encourage others to look into undergraduate research. You get a good feel for the work you might be engaged in while working in that field of study. For those who might be unsure about what career path they want to follow, research is a great way to investigate your interests. For example, while I knew I wanted to go to law school before conducting my research, this project piqued my interest in corporate law.” 

She is now pursuing a law degree at Georgia State University.

Ashlyn Puckett wears an ivory blouse with a lace and ruffle detail. The photo is taken outdoors.

 "I think that people often misconstrue 'research' and stay away from doing research altogether because of that. Research is simply finding new conclusions. It can be as simple as connecting the dots of a few Google searches or reconciling data from two sites and seeing how they relate to each other. This will look very different across disciplines, but any student can do it at least as a starting point. LSU Discover gives you the tools, resources, and mentors needed to embark on collaborative research or your project. Being a business student puts you in an especially competitive position for LSU Discover grants because most undergraduate researchers are in the biological sciences or engineering, so I would encourage every business student to take a look at it and give it a shot.”

Sam is now a public policy fellow at Google.

Samuel Camacho stands at the foot of a staircase in the BEC. He wears a suit and smiles at the camera.

Madison Craig (pictured at LSU Discover Day 2022) worked with Associate Professor Kris Lindsey Hall and Instructor Aaron Gleiberman on her honors thesis and LSU Discover Day presentation titled “Attitudes, Purchases, and Usage of Lingerie among College Women.” Craig received a monetary award (2nd place) for her research.

“Dr. Hall worked as my thesis advisor on my undergraduate honors thesis project. Without her guidance and hard work, this project would not have been possible. This process can be incredibly overwhelming for an undergraduate student, so it is necessary to find a professor willing to be a heavily invested mentor passionate about the project at hand. Not only did Dr. Hall advise me every step of the way, but she invested countless hours out of her own time to contribute to the project. She went well above and beyond what was required of her, because that is her true nature. She helped me to break down this massive project into clear, consecutive, and manageable steps, while remaining alongside me for every single one. She taught me the ins and outs of the research process, from narrowing down a topic to collecting information for a literature review to creating a study to collecting and analyzing data. She helped me to form insightful connections from a sea of collected data that ultimately lead to our findings. These findings were incredible, and I am immensely proud of the final paper.”

She is currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Madison Craig stands at the podium wearing a red suit to give her research presentation.

Caroline Crawford worked with faculty mentor Kurtay Ogunc, a senior instructor in the Department of Finance, on her honors thesis, “An Endogenous Solution for the Pension Fund Crisis.” She presented her work at the University of Lafayette and LaCOEUR's Annual Honors Undergraduate Research Conference at Harvard University.

She is now an account associate at PIMCO.

Image of Caroline Crawford.

Finance major Jared Cyprian received an LSU Discover grant in fall 2020 and was selected as first among humanities, social sciences, mass communication, and business students in the 2021 LSU Discover Day Poster Competition. Guided by Kurtay Ogunc, a senior instructor in the Department of Finance, Jared studied “Hedge Fund Performance in Crisis vs Non-Crisis Economic Periods.”

Jared is now completing a year of service as an alumni service corps member at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory.

Image of Jared Cyprian.