Premier and personal
Work side by side with faculty experts in amazing Learn by Doing spaces.
Use leading-edge equipment in exceptional facilities and have direct access to unique land and ocean ecosystems. Through hands-on mentored research, you’ll reveal meaningful solutions and prepare yourself for the next step in your professional path.
~1,400
Undergraduates doing faculty-mentored research each year
57%
Research publications feature student authors or co-authors
16:1
Ratio of research students to faculty mentors
What Makes Us Different
At Cal Poly, Learn by Doing extends beyond theories and classrooms. And in the Bailey College, we take our students’ education even further with unmatched opportunities to work closely with faculty on a wide range of active research projects, gain hands-on experience, co-author published scholarly articles and contribute to real-world solutions that impact both near and far. You’ll graduate ready, day one, to lead with expertise, problem-solve with creativity or begin advanced studies with confidence.
Undergraduate Research Magazine
We produce and publish Undergraduate Research, an award-winning magazine highlighting student and faculty achievements in meaningful research across the college.
Pathways to Undergraduate Research
We offer these program and funding opportunities to help make your Learn by Doing research experiences happen.
Summer Undergraduate Research
The Frost Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is Learn by Doing at its best. Each summer, 250-300 undergraduate students in the college participate in research full-time as part of Frost SURP. This highly impactful program accelerates science through an immersive research experience with faculty mentors.
Research Scholars
Undergraduates who have demonstrated a commitment to research are eligible to apply for a Frost Research Scholarship. These Scholars work with their faculty mentors on well-defined research projects that often culminate in professional presentations, peer-reviewed publications and other external validation.
Funding Your Research
Both Frost Research Scholars and Frost SURP participants receive funding to support their research. These programs provide primary pathways for funded undergraduates to experience and excel in real-world research at Cal Poly. Additional opportunities are also available to support select student-faculty projects.
Student Research Conference
This lively two-day conference celebrates meaningful undergraduate research and scholarship. Share your research and explore the work of peers through student posters and oral presentations by both students and faculty. You can also get valuable advice through mentor sessions with experience alumni or industry professionals. The conference is an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise, practice presentation skills, expand knowledge and network with peers and mentors.
