Chart your unique research path.

At Bowers, our research explores everything from purposeful AI and data-driven insights to the interplay of technology and humanity. Students can get involved in research under the supervision of a faculty member during the summer or academic year. It’s flexible, exciting, and open to all majors who are ready to explore.

Getting started: 

  1. Step one begins with you. What are your interests? If you’re going to do research, it’s going to take some introspection — you'll need to figure out what kind of fields you're interested in, and why. Talk to people who can help. Your advisor can talk to you about your interest and help you narrow your focus.
     
  2. Review the list of research areas to find faculty members who might study related interests. If you are still uncertain about who to approach after looking at faculty research areas, you should discuss the matter with your advisor.
     
  3. Approach a faculty member who is working in the area that interests you and discuss the possibility of doing an independent research project.
     
  4. Reach an agreement with the supervising faculty member about what will be studied, academic credit and grading options, and how the results will be evaluated.
     
  5. Provide the faculty member with a brief written understanding of what you think you are studying and how the results will be evaluated (discuss this step with the faculty member).
     
  6. Register as outlined below.

How to Enroll

Computer science research

Cornell students who have an appropriate background in the field of computer science (at least 1-2 years of field course experience) are eligible to receive academic credit via CS 4999 for doing independent research with faculty or researchers in the Department of Computer Science. The background experience that you are required to have varies depending on the nature of the study and the stated requirements of the sponsoring instructor.

Please note: Students may not receive academic credit for paid research.

Submitting an add/drop request

After completing the steps above (see Getting Started) submit a completed Add/Drop enrollment request form using the Course ID# from the University Roster that corresponds to the professor with whom you're working. Email the following items to ugrad [at] cs.cornell.edu (ugrad[at]cs[dot]cornell[dot]edu): 

  1. Your name
  2. Title of your independent study
  3. Brief abstract describing your study (examples)
  4. Name of the instructor with whom you are working
  5. Agreed upon number of credits of the independent study
  6. Expected graduation year

Information science research

Cornell students who have an appropriate background in the field of information science (at least 1-2 years field course experience) are eligible to receive academic credit via INFO 4900 for doing independent research with information science faculty or researchers. The background experience that you are required to have varies depending on the nature of the study and the stated requirements of the sponsoring instructor.

The purpose for registering INFO 4900 projects is to share research ideas with other students in the program. Your submission may be posted on the web unless you specifically request otherwise. If you would like us to include a URL of your project website, please make sure it is a permanent research archive site, not a location that exists in your temporary account.

Submitting an add/drop request

After completing the steps above (see Getting Started) submit a completed Add/Drop enrollment request form  using the Course ID# from the University Roster that corresponds to the professor with whom you're working. 

If you are taking INFO 4900 to fulfill elective or departmental honors credit, you must register for at least 3 credits and choose the letter graded option. 

Email the following items to ISAdvising [at] cornell.edu: 

  1. Your name
  2. Title of your independent study
  3. Brief abstract describing your study (examples)
  4. Name of the instructor with whom you are working
  5. Agreed upon number of credits of the independent study
  6. Expected graduation year

Statistics and data science research 

1-3 credits, variable. Permission of department required. Students must register using independent study form. Course consists of individual tutorial study selected by faculty. 

Submitting an add/drop request

After completing the steps above (see Getting Started), submit a completed Add/Drop enrollment request form using the Course ID# from the University Roster that corresponds to the professor with whom you're working. 

Email Student Services:  

Email the following items to ugrad-studentsvs [at] cis.cornell.edu (ugrad-studentsvs[at]cis[dot]cornell[dot]edu)

  1. Your name
  2. Title of your independent study
  3. Brief abstract describing your study (examples)
  4. Name of the instructor with whom you are working
  5. Agreed upon number of credits of the independent study
  6. Expected graduation year

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