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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.” |
