Smith Research Fellows

It’s not every day an undergraduate student gets to be a part of a leading researcher’s project. But at the Smith School, Research Fellows get to rub elbows with—and work for—some of the best minds in their fields. The Research Fellows program, part of the Smith School’s Undergraduate Fellows Program, offers select undergraduates the opportunity to work side-by-side with Smith faculty and present their findings at Research Day, an annual event showcasing students’ major contributions and achievements.

The program has grown from 22 fellows in 2005 to 28 in 2007. According to Assistant Dean Patricia Cleveland, the program is “a whopping success.”

“Students’ eyes are open to what research projects really entail, which [they] don’t see in class. They don’t really see the big picture until they’re the ones doing the work,” says Cleveland.

Two-year research fellow Lindsay Schwalb, a senior marketing major, agrees. She has been working on a research project with Ken Smith, Dean’s Chaired Professor of Business Strategy, and doctoral candidate David Major, examining the competitive dynamics of the automotive industry.

“The topic is interesting to me because I’m a business major, and anything you do in business involves competition, what other businesses are doing,” she says. “When I started, I didn’t have a good idea of what goes into huge multi-year projects. I’ve learned so much about the research process from start to finish.”

Cleveland says she has heard from many faculty members who sing the praises of their undergraduate Research Fellows. “In the very fist year students began their work, faculty began to realize their value. I started hearing, ‘This student is so great,’ and ‘I don’t know what I’d do without my student.’ And you know what; the undergraduate students’ technology skills are excellent.”

Lily Hou, a finance and logistics, transportation, and supply chain senior, joined the program in 2005. Hou works closely with Thomas Corsi, Michelle E. Smith Professor of Logistics, and Sandor Boyson, research professor, evaluating simulations for classroom use. Her first project examined the connection between technology and safety for trucking companies.

“I have gotten so much out of this program. I have learned [about] a variety of programs that no other students get to experience,” Hou says. “I understand the supply chain and logistics process a lot better. I've even been able to build a network due to helping out in class periodically.”